How To Start Your Own Bible Study

Characteristics Of Small Group Leaders

Spiritual leadership requires different characteristics than leadership in other areas. But perfection is not a requirement. If it were, none of us could lead a small group. Growing into maturity is a continual process.

The following five heart attitudes will help keep you in check as a leader. Spiritual leaders:

• Give and receive scriptural correction .

• Serve others rather than only being served .

• Follow the spiritual leadership of others .

• Initiate forgiveness and reconciliation with others .

• Keep their word .

Do you have these characteristics? What areas do you need to grow in? If you arent sure, ask a trusted friend who knows you well and who will be honest and kind with you where you are in each of these areas.

Keep The Conversation Going

You most likely know, by being a leader in your church, that great discussion is best when it flows like a gentle stream . Either way, these suggestions can help reinforce what you already practice or give you some new ideas.

• Read Bible verses or inspirational quotes.

• Offer private chat for even smaller groups or a one-on-one conversation.

• Talk about the recent sermon or a pre-arranged group curriculum.

• Let everyone share their prayer requests and offer your own.

• Allow for the posting of selfies if you’re not in a video chat.

• Group Bible readings to promote unity.

Model the sort of engagement you’d like to see and be the kind, loving and understanding leader that you are. Post prayer requests or pictures to encourage it from others. Be the one who tries something new, and you’ll inspire the rest of the group to do the same.

Host Your Online Bible Study

Its go-time! Log into your online Bible study and welcome all your members. In the beginning, spend some time talking casually and getting to know those in your virtual classroom. This will help your online Bible study members acclimate and learn the platform.

Encourage questions about how things work and be sure to walk through specific actions such as how to make comments or how to turn on and off video and voice capabilities. You want your members to become comfortable as they journey with you.

Now its time to lead. As you repeat the process, your members will become more and more confident with your platform of choice, and, more importantly, be exposed to ministry they might have missed out on otherwise.

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Live Stream It On Your Website With Churchstreaming

If you already live stream your sermons, youre all set to start live streaming Bible studies, too. If you dont yet, now might be a great time to get started. E360 ministry partner Rock Springs Church in Milner, Georgia, categorizes sermons by topic, such as their recent Speak of the Devil series. Hosting your Bible study on your site adds an extra level of convenience for attendees and keeps the archives available and in your control.

Some live streaming platforms, such as ChurchStreaming, can be be pushed to your website or social accounts and groups where you can allow user comments, so the group can engage with questions and insights during the live event and afterwards if theyre watching an archived version.

Ready To Learn How To Study The Bible For Yourself

PinPinBy the way, if youre truly interested in learning how to study the Bible for beginners, Id love to invite you to check out my brand new book: Fall in Love with Gods Word: Practical Strategies for Busy Women!

Practical, encouraging, and full of biblical truth, Fall in Love with Gods Word has everything you need to learn how to:

• Overcome 7 common obstacles preventing you from spending time in Scripture
• Discover the personalized Bible-reading routine that works for YOU
• Learn 15 easy ways to make studying the bible for beginners more meaningful and enjoyable
• Use Scripture to conquer sin, false beliefs, and negative thought patterns
• Experience fresh spiritual growth and passion for Gods Word.

Please visit Amazon.com or your local bookstore to learn more and grab your copy of Fall in Love with Gods Word today!

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After The First Meeting

How To Start Studying The Bible: 7 Helpful Guidelines

Note: These might not be your typical answers to the question of how to start studying the Bible for yourself. Ive tested all sorts of strategies and tools through the 30 years of studying the Bible for myself and teaching others how to study it for themselves. Heres what Ive found really matters in the long-run. Its not mainly about tools and techniques but about the posture of the heart.

If youre looking for more of thehow-to practical ways of studying the Bible, here are 2 articles I would recommend:

11 Ways to Study the Bible: Methods, Techniques & Tips . In it, I share several different types of Bible studies so you can find the one that works best for you.

Also, there are 15 books of the Bible that I recommend to get an effective overview of the storyline and main themes of the Bible. You can find the list here: What Is the Best Order to Read the Bible for Beginners? . Both of these articles will be great companions to this article.

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How To Start An Online Bible Study

Whatever denomination your church may follow, the world is at your fingertips. Starting an online Bible study is more than just a meeting of like minds. It’s a place for freedom to converse without judgment and a place to find support, but how does one find and create a venue?

Consider these tips when creating a new study venue:

How To Start Bible Study: What To Expect From Bible Reading

I heard this great anecdote from a video a few months ago. We often come to the Bible hoping or even expecting to get that amazing, awe-inspiring feeling of connection with God. But that moment is like going out to your favorite restaurant on your birthday its exciting, memorable, and you look forward to it all year. By comparison, most of the time, our everyday meals are simple, unmemorable, or even boring. Our everyday meals may not stand out, but our bodies notice if we skipped them.

By the same vein, we may not have an incredible moment of connection with God every time that we open our Bibles. But we still benefit from the everyday moments of Bible study that may feel less memorable. Every time you open your Bible, youre opening yourself up to a deeper connection with God. Youre nourishing your mind and soul. Youre strengthening your faith, even if it doesnt feel like it. Just because you dont feel much, dont give up.

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Sweet Bible Study Method

This Bible study is a great way to help you process what you read and jump start your spiritual growth. This simple acronym helps reminds us of Psalm 34:8.

Taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

S- Scripture

Read the Scripture verse twice. The more times you slowly read a verse or passage, the more youll notice about the verse.

W- Write it out

Write out the verse word for word.

E- Examine the text

Search the Scripture for actions of God, commands of God, truths about Gods character, how were to live, or other important components of these verses.

E- Exalt God through prayer

Spend time in prayer praising God for who He is and His rock solid character. Also, bring your requests before the Lord and humbly lay them before His throne.

T-Take action

Spend time processing how you can live these Scriptures in action or make a plan to be the hands and feet of Jesus through acts of service.

What Do You Need For Bible Journaling

All you really need to Bible journal is you guessed it a Bible and a pen. If you want to expand a little bit, you can try colored pencils, watercolor pencils, paints, stickers, washi tapes, and more. But to start out, all you need is the Bible and a pen and specifically, a pen that doesnt bleed through the page.

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Size Range For An Effective Small Group

A small group needs to have at least three people in it. But when does a small group become too large? The answer to that question depends on how well you can meet these important goals:

• Everyone can participate.

• Learning takes place through dialogue.

• People listen and help each other.

Usually, this becomes difficult when a group has 10 or more people.

How To Start A Bible Study Group

Many churches offer Bible studies for women. All you have to do is sign up. But, a lot of churches do not offer Bible studies for women because the churches are too small or have no one to lead the way.

What if you really want to do a Bible study and would rather do it in community with other women rather than by yourself? Maybe you have been thinking about starting a Bible study and inviting others to join you, but that thought terrifies you. Now may be the time to step out in faith and just do it. In this article, I will take you through the step-by-step process for launching a Bible Study group.

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From Chaos To Calm: Day 59

Scripture Memory: Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11

If ever there was a time when Bible Study was needed, the time is now!We need to be personally studying our Bibles each and every day as well as instructing our children in the Bible daily. But what about teaching and growing with others? There are people in your church, in your neighborhood, and in your community who are in need of a relationship with Jesus Christ.

you will have the opportunity to reach others for Christ. Jesus commanded us to go and teach others. He wasnt just telling the preachers to go out and spread the gospel. As Christians this is our commission that we be witnesses for Him and that we teach others His ways.

Think About Ways You Can Apply The Word

Aim for obedience, not just head-knowledge and youll be surprised how much more insight you receive. I know, obedience is not a popular word to many people, but for someone who wants to follow Jesus, its a great thing to do!

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Matt. 28:20

To observe all that Jesus commanded is a delight and a joy, not a burden or legalistic duty. Its a way to learn to live. I live in a world that is experiencing brokenness and my mind and emotions are impacted. As I begin to follow Jesus and learn His ways, I begin to understand what life is really about how it really works.

Heres a prayer from Psalm 139 that Ive found to be helpful whenever Im studying the Bible.

A key to studying the Bible is to ask God how you can apply the Bible to your life. Pray: God, in light of what Im reading, is there anything that You want me to do? If you feel like there are things God wants you to do, commit to obey. Say, God, I will obey Your Word. Empower my heart to obey. Help me to do it.

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Get Your Blog Started

As the name suggests, a self-hosted site consists of three things. Hosting, a domain name, and the WordPress.org platform. Go ahead and click through to the > > BlueHost site to begin set up of your blog< <

Set Up Your Hosting

First things first, you will need to click on the WordPress tab in the menu bar at the top of the page. Starting here will ensure that you can continue with a one-click set-up on WordPress. What a cinch!

Next, youll need to decide what pricing structure works best for you. You can purchase annual billing or you can pay for two or three years at a time to save you money. The three year plan will save you the most.

Each choice comes with a free domain name and SSL certificate for a year. That takes away half the stress!

Choose a Domain Name

You are going to want to choose a domain name. Remember at the beginning of this post I asked you to jot down some ideas? Now is the time to see if those domain names are available. If the domain name is already taken, you can try tweaking your wording a bit.

Try playing with the wording. Instead of spelling out entire words you can use abbreviations. You can also add numbers. Just make sure the domain name isnt too long and that it is memorable.

BlueHost will even offer up some suggestions if you are feeling stuck. I think that is super helpful.

Extra Options

Enter Your Payment

Make sure you take the time you read the fine print and understand how the billing works before you proceed.

You Are Nearly There

Who Can Lead A Small Group

God has an amazing way of using a variety of people to accomplish His goals.

We often think it takes a certain type of person to be a great teacher or dynamic leader, but God is more interested in your availability to Him than your natural abilities. As you trust Him to work through you , He will move in your life and the lives of others.

You do not need to be a Bible scholar to lead a small group. But what if they ask me a question and I dont know the answer? When that happens, simply reply that you dont know but that you can look it up or ask somebody who does.

Your honesty about the fact that you dont know everything encourages vulnerability and communicates to others that they dont have to have all the answers to be obedient to what Gods calling them to do.

If youre still nervous about the idea of leading a small group, reading this article about how to handle questions or other challenges in group discussions may help.

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Know That You Can Start A Bible Studyby Faith

Faith is the essential component of the Christian life. Followers of Jesus Christ are to live every day by faith. That is what Paul is communicating to us in Galatians.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

The life you and I live every day is by faith in the Son of GodJesus Himself. Christ not only lives in you, He is living through you.

Jesus Christ gave His life for you, so that He could give His life to you, so that He could live His life through you.

If you are being prompted by the Lord to start a Bible study, just say yes Iwilldothis,Lord.Pleasehelpme. Jesus is with you every step of the way and in every situation. That includes:

• in your church, neighborhood, community, or workplace.
• at any age or stage of life. Someone around you needs to know Jesus or to know Him better through studying the Bible.
• with any size grouplarge or small.
• whether you have been studying the Bible for 2 years or doing it for decades. Share what you know and what you are learning.

You can start and lead a Bible study not because you are so great or smart or have been a Christian a long time or know the Bible really well. You can do this because Jesus is the one who enables you to do it. Say “yes” and jump in with both feet.

Pray Through The Scripture

Once youre done with your Scripture reading, end your time with the Lord in prayer. While theres no best prayer strategy thats right or wrong, consider:

• Praise God for His flawless character and for the gift of salvation
• Confess your sins and ask forgiveness for your missteps
• Lift up prayer requests for others, family, and self
• Worship the Lord and spend a few minutes exalting Him for being King of Kings and Lord of Lords

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