The Christian life is not just an automatic journey where things happen because we made a decision. It is true that when we responded to the call of salvation, a lot changed regarding our spirituality. For instance, Paul says we are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6-7), that our lives are now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3), and that we are raised with him (Ephesians 2:4-6). These are a few of the present spiritual realities we are walking in.
There are other physical and practical aspects of our Christian life that, unless we put in the effort and work, we shall not grow as we ought to (2 Peter 1:5-8). In God’s word, we are asked to add to our growth by doing practical things, including bible study. We cannot over-emphasize the importance of reading helpful content (check these blogs: How do I interact with my Bible? How to read the Bible, Why we need Scriptures, A treasure worth hiding) and studying the word of God (Hebrews 4:12, Matthew 4:4, Psalm 119:105, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Colossians 3:16). Many churches today put lots of emphasis on supernatural spiritual experiences and downplay the value of studying the scriptures. The truth is that Bible study is the most fundamental exercise any believer can engage in for growth. The big question for many is, ‘How do I handle a Bible study session (individually or as a small group)? Bible study sessions are a time to feast on the word of God, and we shall use the acronym F.E.A.S.T to help us learn how to lead a small group Bible study. Many other ideas can be explored beyond this. This article aims to encourage you to get started.
F- Find the People
The first thing you must do is to prayerfully gather the people you want to walk this journey with. It is not a random hop-in and hop-out exercise; therefore, it is valuable for you to know who your target group is. When Jesus started his ministry, he went to pray and called to himself those he wanted so that they could walk with him (he would later send them out) (Mark 3:13-15). Who do you seek to impact? Is it friends who are unbelievers, and you want to walk them through the message of the Bible, or is it unchurched colleagues who wish to clear up their curiosity about why you believe in Christ? It could be a group of teenagers in High School or construction workers somewhere. Whatever the case, take time and call those whom you want to be with you. It could be more open in a church setting, which is still okay. Before you get going, pray so that God may lead you to the people he wants. Not everyone is supposed to be a part of your small group–that is what makes it a small group.
E- Establish Common Ground
Secondly, the rules and guidelines (common ground) should be set. You must ensure that everyone fully understands the Bible study’s goal. Setting ground rules will help you achieve point four below. What are the things you all will agree to abide by in the course of the study? Talk about things like the meeting place, member conduct, frequency of the meeting, what Bible version you intend to use, if any, whether all must have physical Bibles or electronic, and other expectations that will help the study impact optimally. It is good at this time to ensure that you pick everybody’s mind so that nothing is left to the imagination. This point involves everything to be done before the official kick-off day of the Bible study. Establishing common ground together helps you and the team to read from the same page and avoid vague expectations. The goal is to help the team grow in their discipline for the journey ahead (Hebrews 12:11).
A- Assess Spiritual Need
Thirdly, once the ground rules are set, it is time for you to sit with the team as you share the vision and establish where everyone is at in their faith journey. Self-assessment is a biblical principle that we do well to follow. Paul challenges us to examine ourselves as to whether we are in faith lest we consider ourselves too highly (2 Corinthians 13:5, Galatians 6:3-4).
One way to conduct this exercise is by conversing with the members about their faith. Talk about biblical principles and eternal truths, basic tenets of faith, or challenging theological discussions. Such talks help the leader assess the level of engagement needed with the group. Feel free to use other online materials at this stage, such as the Lifeway downloadable spiritual assessment test. Fred Smith shares some questions he uses for spiritual assessment, which help him keep track of his journey. Try it out and see if you can use it with your group members.
S- Select A Study Material and Go!
After the preliminary work, it’s time to get to it and start the journey. You first want to decide if you are doing a Bible text or a thematic series. Get the materials needed and come up with a reasonable schedule. If you are doing a specific Bible text–I would advise that you spread it out through the period you want to take studying it, but do not be in a hurry. The goal is not to finish the study in record time but to allow the members to grow through the truths of the Bible. You can choose to do a study series of the Torah (Genesis to Deuteronomy) or one through the Psalms, the prophets, or the Kings. Whatever you choose, spread it out reasonably.
What are the practical things to do during the Bible study hour(s)?
- Pray. Always pray for yourself and the team before, during, and after the Bible study. Pray for spiritual illumination, understanding, and growth (Colossians 1:9-20).
- Sing a hymn/song. Singing has been part of the gatherings of believers since time immemorial. During the Passover dinner, Jesus and the disciples sang a hymn (Matthew 26:30-44). Singing is also a way of connecting our hearts as we share spiritual truths lyrically. Select songs/ hymns that are rich with scriptural truth so that there is value in the joint profession of faith.
- Allow members to engage in discussions. Please do not do a plenary session; allow members to share their insights, questions, and concerns based on what they have read. Take note of the quiet ones in the group, the talkative ones, and those who often seem aloof or lost. Have some good questions prepared to help members engage in conversations and discussions.
- Do Doctrinal summaries. One thing I have found helpful is summarizing the Biblical doctrines/ truths covered in the portion tackled in any sitting. Take time as the leader to read, study, research, and get as many biblical background details as possible so that you can summarize the study helpfully. It’s easy to have robust discussions and miss out on the centrality of Christ. Always point them back to him.
- Keep intouch with members during the week. Send messages and make calls during the week. Members get committed when they realize their leader is concerned about their spiritual well-being and daily lives (1 Thessalonians 2:8). Ask about school, work, family, and other issues. This helps to create strong, genuine bonds.
In all the above, avoid sounding hyper-spiritual or seemingly above the league of your members. Simplicity and lowliness are crucial for the jelling of small groups. Remember, you are only a servant (Mark 9:35).
T- Time management
Finally, whatever happens, make good use of the time your members commit (Ephesians 5:15, Psalm 90:12). A bad time culture kills many fellowships and small groups. Keeping time means that you respect the people you are meeting. Do not exceed the agreed time for whatever reasons. Also, communicate cancellations in advance and avoid calling in too late. Start and end on time.
At the end of the study, create an opportunity for members to meet and debrief about what they have learnt during the study. Do something affordable, like go somewhere for Kahawa or Mutura. Avoid expensive things so that every member is comfortable. If you are in a church set-up, put a budget for the debrief session. Whatever the case, plan for a time to wrap up the journey.
Small groups are a great way to care for the flock of God (1 Peter 5:2-3), and we must take it upon ourselves to lead and train others to lead small groups. Just as Jesus did (Mark 3:13-15), we must send out those we have trained. Take small group sessions to the next level using these ideas and many others available online. Now, let’s go out and FEAST on God’s word together as we press on to maturity (Hebrews 6:1, Ephesians 4:16).
References
Lifeway.com, Spiritual Growth Assessment Process. (n.d.). http://blog.lifeway.com/growingdisciples/files/2013/08/Spiritual_Growth_Assessment.pdf
Conducting a spiritual Self-Audit. (n.d.). Small Groups https://www.smallgroups.com/articles/2022/conducting-spiritual-self-audit.html
