Have you ever thought about starting a Bible study with some of your friends? Studying the Bible with other believers is a great way to learn more about God’s Word, ask questions about your faith and encourage one another.
When I was in eighth grade, I was invited to join a student-led Bible study at my church. It included a small group of students who were serious about their faith, and we’d take turns leading the study. At first, the thought of creating and teaching a lesson made the butterflies in my stomach flutter wildly. I worried, What if I don’t know enough about the Bible to lead the conversation? But I decided to face my fears and get involved. I’ve since learned that I don’t have to know everything, and there are many ways to create a welcoming space for studying God’s Word with others.
Bible study planning
As you brainstorm possibilities for starting your own Bible study, ask the Holy Spirit to help lead you through the planning process. Here are some basic questions to consider:
Who do I want to invite?
The first step in planning includes making a list of people you’d like to invite to your Bible study. Would you like to study God’s Word with your classmates, teammates, youth group or a small group of friends? After making a list of names, decide how you’ll communicate the details: text message, posters, postcards, church announcements, social media or by word of mouth. Be sure to check your school’s policy for distributing information about student-led clubs.
Invite:
Who will lead?
Leading a Bible study group doesn’t have to be your sole responsibility. Consider asking a friend to lead with you or rotate leadership responsibilities among reliable group members.
Leader:
When and where will we meet?
Decide together the best time and place to host the study. Do you want to meet on Tuesday mornings in the school cafeteria, twice a month at church or after school in someone’s home? You’ll need to do some research about space availability and securing permission for your group.
Location:
What will we study?
There are countless ways to study God’s Word. Your group could study one book of the Bible, explore what God has to say about a specific topic, use a companion study book or online video series or read a short devotional and share personal testimonies.
What to study:
Event prep
Once your plan is in place, it’s time to prepare for the study. You can handle the details yourself or divide responsibilities between members of your group. Here are a few details to consider:
Study the material.
Before the group meets, make sure to read through the Bible passages you’ll be studying. You may want to do some independent research so you better understand the content, and then ask your pastor, youth pastor or parents for their insights. If you’re using a study book or videos, be sure to review them. Study books often have a leader guide with discussion questions. Or you can write a few questions of your own.
Study Questions:
Pray for the group.
Ask the Holy Spirit to “teach you all things” (John 14:26). Pray that the group will learn more about God as you encourage one another. Ask God to give the study leaders wisdom and understanding. If you know the participants, pray for them by name.
Prayer:
Gather supplies.
This might include pens, paper, note cards, snacks and a screen, if you are streaming the message. Another fun idea might be to have participants use the journaling pages in this magazine for notes, verses, prayers and words of encouragement.
Supplies:
Make a schedule.
Jot down a simple itinerary to keep everyone on track.
Schedule:
The day of the study
In Matthew 18:20, Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” As you launch your Bible study, take comfort in knowing that God will be with you.
Here are a few additional tips for success:
Arrive early.
This will give you time to set up and welcome people.
Acknowledge that you don’t know all the answers.
Your peers may ask questions, but you don’t need to have all the answers. Ask what others in the group think. And if helpful, offer to do additional research.
Pray.
Consider ending the study with prayer. Depending on the size of the group you may want to:
- invite people to share requests and then pray together as a group.
- break into smaller groups so it’s easier to
- share requests and pray for each other.
- have each participant write her prayer requests along with her name and phone number (optional) on a note card. Then ask everyone to trade note cards and pray throughout the week. Before the next meeting, suggest that each participant call or text and encourage the person she’s praying for.
