Easy Bible Study Format

Prepare for your Bible Study

Before the Bible Study prepare an answer for the witnessing questions that people asked last week.  You can use websites like www.carm.org, www.gotquestions.org, www.livngwaters.org, and https://answersingenesis.org to help you get your answers.  

While doing Bible Study we want to keep good hermeneutics in mind.  A good primer for this is Herman Who? By Todd Friel.

Before the Bible Study you will want to prepare by understanding what the author meant when he wrote the passage.  You can do this by finding out what was going on at that time.  You want to make sure you know what was happening before and after the passages that you are going to be going over.

Read this week’s passage, start a little before the start of the passage that you are going to concentrate on and read after.   Ask what is going on before our verses?  What happens after our verses? You might want to use a study bible to see the context of the scriptures that you are reading.  An ESV Study Bible can help you with this.  Write this down to share with your group.

Read the scriptures again Ask if these scriptures tell you a story about what happened or if they tell you how you are to live.  You want to know if they are descriptive or prescriptive.  You need to know if they are showing you someone that has messed up or is this what you should do. (David watching Bathsheba bath and killing her husband is descriptive.  Write this down to share with others.

You want to make sure you know what the author meant by the text.  It does not matter what you think the text means.  It matters what the author of the text intended it to say.  If it is a letter to a group of people knowing why he is writing it is important.  You will want to read the notes at the beginning of the chapter in a study bible so you can understand what was going on at the time.

Is this an Old Testament passage or a New Testament passage?  If it is an Old Testament then we will want to see how the principle that this verse teaches applies to us.  If you look at these verses through the New Testament does that change anything?

There is more to hermeneutics but this is just a few things to think about.

What is the application in your mind?  Write that down.

Bible Study

Care:

Share a story from this past week.  Ask about how everyone’s personal relationship with God has been. If anyone is struggling then pray for them.  Help care for the person’s needs after the Bible Study.

Check-up: Go around and ask the following: How have you obeyed what you have learned? Who have you trained in what you have learned? With whom have you shared the gospel with? 

Vision: Share vision that CCN is about sharing the gospel and making disciples that make disciples.  Share a witnessing story or an inspiring quote.  You can use the following Bible verses: Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:15, 1 Cor 4-6, Luke 10:1-11, Acts 1:8, Luke 19:1-10, Matthew 13:1-23 

Bible Study

Start your Bible Study by everyone praying that God would convict them of their sin and of the things they need to do this coming week.

Next share the Background of the passage and any information about the context of the verses.  Do not share what you found the verses to mean.  Leave that for discussion.  You just need to know this so that you can guide the conversation if needed.

Read this weeks passage: Ask the following questions.  

  1. What did you like about this passage?  
  2. What did you find difficult about this passage?

Read this weeks passage again. 

       3. What does this passage teach about people? 

       4. What does this passage teach about God?

Obey.Train. Share. Have everyone pray that God would convict them of the things they need to do this coming week.  Answer the following questions: Write down the answers so that you can keep each other accountable.  Make commitments for the week.

       5. How will you obey this passage?  

       6. Who will you train with this passage? 

       7. How can I use this in witnessing?

       8. With whom will you share the gospel with this week? 

Practice: Roleplay anything that you have learned in this passage. If a person has a temptation role-play how they will avoid it.  If a person has a hard conversation that they will have to have because of this then practice the conversation.  

Have a short lesson about how to share the gospel or how to answer hard questions about God and Christianity.  Practice with each other sharing the gospel or answering questions.  

Decide what questions the group wants to learn how to answer next week.

Ideas for scriptures to go over.

DISCOVER SERIES (FOR GROUPS THAT NEED BIBLE BACKGROUND & FAMILIARITY) Use the following passages for the “LOOK UP” portion of your group. Your group may need more than one meeting for some of the passages. Discover God- who is God and what He is like 

  1. Creation- Genesis 1 
  2. Creation of People- Genesis 2
  3. Disobedience of People- Genesis 3 
  4. Noah and the Flood- Genesis 6:5-8:14 
  5. God’s Promise with Noah- Genesis 8:15-9:17 
  6. God Speaks to Abraham- Genesis 12:1-7; 15:1-6 
  7. David Becomes King of Abraham’s Descendants1 Samuel 16:1-13; 2 Samuel 7:1-28 
  8. King David and Bathsheba- 2 Samuel 11: 1-27 
  9. Nathan’s Story- 2 Samuel 12:1-25 
  10. God Promises Savior will come- Isaiah 53

 Discover Jesus- who is Jesus and why He came 

  1. Savior born- Matthew 1:18-25 
  2. Jesus’ Baptism- Matthew 3:7-9, 13-15 
  3. Crazy Man Healed- Mark 5:1-20 
  4. Jesus never Loses Sheep- John 10:1-30 
  5. Jesus Heals the Blind- Luke 18:31-42 
  6. Jesus and Zaccheus- Luke 19:1-9 
  7. Jesus and Matthew- Matthew 9:9-13 
  8. Jesus is the Only Way- John 14:1-15 
  9. Holy Spirit Coming- John 16:5-15 
  10. Last Dinner- Luke 22:14-20 
  11. Arrest and Trial- Luke 22:47-53; 23:13-24 
  12. Execution- Luke 23:33-56 13.
  13. Jesus is Alive- Luke 24:1-7, 36-47; Acts 1:1-11 14.
  14. Believing and Doing- Philippians 3:3-9

HomeGroup Bible Study Suggestion

  1. Wedding Feast – Matt 22:1-14
  2. Lost Sheep and Lost Coin – Luke 15:1-10
  3. Prodigal Son – Luke 15:11-32
  4. Sower and Soils – Luke 8:4-15
  5. Wheat and Tares – Matt 13:24-30
  6. Mustard Seed and Leaven – Matt 13:31-33
  7. Dragnet – Matt 13:47-50
  8. Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Price Matt 13:44-46
  9. Evil Tenants – Matt 21:33-46
  10. The woman at the well of Samaria – John 4:4-26

STRENGTHEN SERIES (FOR NEW BELIEVERS OR GROUPS THAT NEED DISCIPLING FOCUS) 

Jesus Says- learn to obey the 7 basic commands of Jesus. Keep sharing Jesus with people on your list. 

1.1 Learn and Do- John 14:15-21 (Bracelet Tract)

1.2 Repent. Believe. Follow. Mark 1:14-17, Ephesians 2:1-10

1.3 Be baptized- Matthew 28:19, Acts 8:26-38 

1.4 Love God. Love People- Luke 10:25-37 

1.5 Pray Matthew 6: 5-15 

Jesus Also Says- learn to obey the 7 basic commands of Jesus. Keep sharing Jesus with people on your list. 

2.1 Talk with God- Matthew 6:9-13. Learn and practice Jesus’ model prayer 

2.2 Remember and Commemorate Jesus- Luke  22:14-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-32 

2.3 Give- Acts 4:32-37 2.4 Pass it on- Matthew 28:18-20 

Follow as I follow- Make disciples. Pass on to others what you have learned. Teach these people to pass it on too. 

3.1 Find a Disciple- 2 Timothy 1:1-14 

3.2 Pass it on- 2 Timothy 2:1-4, 14-16 

3.3 Teach them to teach others- 2 Timothy 3:1-17 

3.4 Hard times- 2 Timothy 4:1-22

3.5 Being a Good Soldier 2 Timothy 2

 Multiply your 3/3 Group- Gather your disciples into new groups. 

4.1 Get Started and make a plan- Luke 10:1-11. Luke 22:35–38  Listen to Jesus’ instructions as you start a new group. 

4.2 Gather Together- Acts 2:14-47 

4.3 Person of Peace- Mark 5:1-20, 6:53-56. Look for people willing to share their stories about Jesus. Start a group with that person & their friends & family. 

4.4 Who is ready – Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 

Lead- learn how to lead a 3/3 group. 

5.1 Model (lead like this)- John 13:1-17 

5.2 Model (don’t lead like this)- 3 John 5-14 

5.3 Assist- Mark 4:35-41 

5.4 Watch- Luke 10:1-11, 17, 20 

5.5 Leave- Matthew 25:14-30 

Go: local- learn how to reach your local community. 

6.1 Go: local- Acts 1:1-8 

6.2 Help the poor. Share the good news- Luke 7:11-23 

6.3 Go where God sends- Acts 10:9-48 

6.4 Go with a plan- Acts 13:1-3, 32-33, 38-39; 14:21-23,  26-27

 Go: global- learn how to reach the ends of the earth. 

7.1 Go: global- Acts 1:1-8, Matthew 28:19-20 

7.2 Go where God sends- Acts 8:26-38 

7.3 God loves every people group- John 4:4-30, 39-41 

7.4 Go with a plan- Acts 13:1-3, 32-33, 38-39; 14:21-23,  26-27

Remember the basics. Learn what to do when you meet. 

8.1 Jesus is First- Philippians 2:1-11 

8.2 Talk with God- Matthew 6:9-13 

8.3 Community- Hebrews 10:23-25 

8.4 The Bible- 2 Timothy 3:10-17 

Commit- learn to stay strong and keep following Jesus. 

9.1 Disobedience- Jonah 1 

9.2 Commit- Jonah 2 

9.3 Obey- Jonah 3 

9.4 Obey all the way- Jonah 4 

9.5 Use it or Lose it- Matthew 25:14-30 

WHERE NEXT? Choose your own Bible passages and keep meeting. Use the same questions and group meeting format. Don’t stop meeting. 

3/3 GROUP PRINCIPLES SMALL. Keep groups small. Start groups around circles of relationships, people who already know each other. Meet where these people already gather like in a home, café or under a tree. With a larger group, divide into sub-groups of 3, 4 or 5 people. 

EVERYONE LEARNS TO GROW ON THEIR OWN. In the group, everyone learns to grow by doing the following on their own: 1. tell others about Jesus, 2. learn from the Bible, 3. talk with God, 4. help and encourage other believers, and 5. boldly face persecution and hard times.

 CONSIDER EVERYONE A POTENTIAL TRAINER. View everyone as a potential trainer, both before and after they trust Jesus. Leaders are usually unpaid and without formal schooling.

OBEY & TRAIN. The groups are obedience based, not just knowledge focused. Follow Jesus by learning and obeying the Bible through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Make practical and specific commitments each meeting and review them the next time you meet. Become fishers of men by training others how to learn and obey as well. This creates an environment in which loving Jesus means obeying Jesus.

 NEW GROUPS THROUGH MENTORING & MULTIPLICATION. Focus on starting new groups rather than big groups. Meet with new leaders as they start new groups. Train them to do the same for others. Keep everyone connected for ongoing training and accountability. 

DISCUSS & DISCOVER. Focus on the Bible. Trust the Holy Spirit to help each person discover the meaning of Scripture. Lead through asking questions rather than preaching. Try to make sure everyone participates

(These ideas were taken from Herman Who? by Todd Friel for the preparation part.  Most of the Bible study questions were taken from the 3/3s Bible Study format.)