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Group Bible Study: The Imperative of Preparation

By Dr. Paul M. Elliott
A qualified and prepared leader, and prepared participants, are vital to the success of a study group that desires to transact serious business with God.

From the TeachingtheWord Bible Knowledgebase

Part four of a series. Read part three.

A qualified and prepared leader, and prepared participants, are vital to the success of a study group that desires to transact serious business with God.

Having discussed the question of subject matter for group Bible study, we now come to the issue of the imperative of preparation for both the leader and the participants.

A Qualified, Prepared Leader/Teacher

People have differing opinions on this, but I believe it is best to have one leader for all of a Bible study group's sessions on a particular book or passage. Continuity is vital. One individual, taking responsibility for the full scope of the book, doctrines, or topic to be studied, is in the best position to lead a coherent series of study sessions that fully take into account the meaning and importance of the material, relationships within the subject matter, and relationships to the rest of Scripture.

It is also vital to recognize the difference between a true Bible study leader and a mere discussion facilitator. There is a great danger in having a mere facilitator for a Bible study. That danger is that the "study" will deteriorate into a group discussion of opinions - "what this passage means to me." Those opinions may focus on the true meaning of the passage, but the danger is that quite often they do not, and thus they open the door to confusion. Satan is the author of such confusion, not God (1 Corinthians 14:33).

Bible study must focus first and foremost on one question: "What does this passage mean?" Scripture is propositional truth. A passage of Scripture has one and only one meaning in context. Once the group understands the true meaning of a passage, it can then move on to the question, "How does this apply to us?" - which is very different from asking the opinion-generating question, "What does this mean to me?"

We shall discuss this issue more in part five of this series, as we focus on the actual conduct of a Bible study session. But I have raised it now to put the spotlight on the need for the study leader to be a true teacher of the Word, and not merely a facilitator who encourages participants to offer mere opinions.

Leading a group Bible study is serious business. The man who leads must be qualified to do so. He must be the type of Christian who is described in 2 Timothy chapter two, beginning at verse 22. He "pursue[s] righteousness, faith, love, [and] peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." He "avoid[s] foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife." He is "a servant of the Lord who must not quarrel but be gentle to all." He must be "able to teach" - literally, capable and skilful in teaching. He must be "patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition [to the truth of God's Word], if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they might know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will."

With these things in mind, the Bible study leader must be carefully chosen, and must carefully prepare. "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment" (James 3:10). A preacher who is a good Bible expositor will usually tell you that he spends at least ten hours in study and preparation for every half hour spent in the pulpit delivering a sermon. While the ratio may not be as high for someone leading a Bible study, careful and prayerful preparation is also essential for him.

The leader/teacher should have a clear plan for the entire set of study sessions in advance. If, for example, the group plans to study the book of Second Peter over the course of 13 weeks, the leader should develop and publish a plan outlining which verses are to be covered in each session. Within this plan, it is wise to reserve the first session for an introduction and overview. The first session is also a good opportunity to make sure that everyone's expectations for the study are in agreement, to deal kindly and respectfully with any unreasonable expectations, and for the leader/teacher to ask the participants if they have specific questions they would like to see addressed during the series. It is also wise to reserve the last session of the series for a summary, consideration of any final questions, and an evaluation of the entire study. (We shall cover the matter of evaluation in more detail in part five.)

This matter of developing and following a plan shows why it is so important for the leader/teacher to be Biblically qualified. While having a clear plan for covering the material within the time agreed upon is essential, the leader needs to strike a balance between following that plan, and also seeking and following the Spirit's guidance as the study sessions unfold. It may be necessary to slow down the pace to spend more time on points with which the group is having difficulty. It may also be worthwhile to dwell on an area in which the group is discovering especially precious truth and being blessed by it. Unanticipated questions may arise that will require time to address properly.

But a good leader/teacher must also know when it is time to move on. Some questions are best handled during group meetings, but others are not. Someone may raise a question that is really outside the scope of the study. Someone may raise a question that relates to a personal difficulty that the leader/teacher can better address one-on-one so as to not consume the entire group's time. A good Bible study leader needs to prayerfully seek and develop godly wisdom in dealing with these issues.

Prayerfully Prepared Participants

Clearly, it is also vital for all participants to come prepared. Let me offer several points in this regard.

Commit to and support the study plan once it is agreed upon. Nothing does a greater disservice to the group than for some of its members to constantly take its meetings off-track.

Make and keep the time commitment. Come without fail unless there is a truly extenuating circumstance, show up on time, stay until the end, and focus on the task at hand while present.

Support the leader in his preparation, and help the group gain the greatest possible benefit, by taking time to read and think about the Bible passage(s) to be studied at each session before you arrive. One effective way to do this is to incorporate these passages into your daily personal Bible study.

Support the effort in prayer. Pray for the preparation of your own heart to receive God's truth in humility, as a little child, and to act upon it by the enabling of the Holy Spirit. Pray for the growth of the group in Christ, and for God to give wisdom and strength to the leader/teacher. (We shall further discuss the topic of prayer in part five.)

Remember that the group's purpose must not be the mere accumulation of knowledge. A serious Bible study group is one that desires to transact business with God. This, after all, is the true purpose of Bible study:

...that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. (Colossians 1:9-12)

Next: Conducting and Evaluating the Study

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