Studying the Bible together is incredibly meaningful and rewarding, but it can also be a lot of work! How do you choose what to study? Should you use a guide or read directly from the Bible? How do you create engaging questions?
This Small Group Essentials Training Tool gives you everything you need to lead a dynamic Bible study. Learn how to prepare, lead a great discussion, interpret the Bible faithfully, and discuss basic doctrine. This resource is perfect for leaders to train themselves, for coaches or leaders to train another leader one-on-one, or for coaches or directors to train a team of leaders. The Get Started Guide shows you exactly how to maximize the comprehensive training included in this resource.
Choosing and Evaluating Bible Studies
Bible studies and other forms of curriculum are a big part of most small groups. The good news is that material for Bible studies and discussions is not hard to find. The bad news is that high quality, transformative Bible studies are rare. We provide assessments that help you identify which studies are of the highest quality before you distribute them to your small groups.
How to Prepare for a Bible Study
There are few elements more important to a small group than the act of gathering together to study God's Word and its impact on our lives. Unfortunately, most group leaders receive very little training when it comes to the critical process of preparing study material for their groups. We'll show you how to write great discussion questions, engage different learning styles, assign homework, and much more.
Leading a Great Small-Group Bible Study
Most churches' small groups are study groups—mostly on the Bible. We'll teach you how to create a climate of growth and community within your Bible study group, including ways to reach seekers. Find out methods of private Bible study to prepare for each group session, and discover how to guide stimulating discussions.
Discussing Doctrine and Theology
For many group leaders, doctrinal and theological discussions are frightening territory. But they don't have to be. We'll show you how to facilitate a theological discussion, and provide easy-to-follow Doctrinal Guides that clarify many confusing aspects of what Christians believe.
Exegesis and Hermeneutics for Small Groups
Unfortunately, exegesis and hermeneutics are terms often only found in seminary textbooks, and are not common with everyday Christians. But they should be-or at least their principles should be. The fact is that we all interpret the Bible every time we read it, and it's helpful to have some principles to rely on so that we're interpreting the Bible faithfully. We'll help you better prepare for Bible study with your small group and give you tips on leading your small-group members in interpreting the Bible.
You have permission to make up to 1,000 copies of this resource for use within your local church.
