A Bible study lesson is not a Bible study lesson if it does not lead to real life change. Our spirituality is not measured by how much we know but by how much we obey. Jesus said, "Now that you know this truth, how happy you will be if you put it into practice!" John 13:17 (TEV). Putting truth into practice is one of the hardest things to teach for. But the application of the text is critical if we are going to be effective as Bible study leaders. Here are some suggested questions to ask when preparing a lesson on any text in the Bible. See if these do not work for you when preparing your next Bible study.
| People's Need/Problems | God's Action/Solution | People's Response/Obedience | |
| THEN | Who needed help? What was going on? What was the problem? |
How did God react? What did God do? What did God want the people to do? |
How did the people receive God's message? How did the people respond to God's solution? How did God want the people to respond? |
| NOW | With whom in the passage do I identify? What tension, need, conflict, or problem sounds familiar? How are the people in this story like us, like me? |
What is God's answer to this question today? What is God's solution to our problem? What is God doing now? |
How does God want people to receive his message? How does God want us to react? How should people put this truth into practice? |
| ME | How am I facing a similar problem in my life? How are the people in the passage like me? Where do I feel uneasy, a sense of conviction? |
What does God want to do in my life now? How is God involved with me? What kind of person does God want me to become? |
In what area of my life do I need to be obedient to God? What can I do to become the person God wants me to be? What specific steps should I take this week? |
