![]() ![]() Even if they can keep themselves from sharing what the study notes say, they will be tempted to look. If possible, don’t allow the participants to use a study Bible in this meeting. Most importantly, paper Bibles don’t distract with dings or vibrations. But in a Bible study, we should prefer printed Bibles because, with them, we can more readily observe the passage and its larger context. It’s convenient to utilize a digital Bible in numerous settings, such as reading (or listening) just before you fall asleep at night, or when looking up something during an impromptu discussion. This is especially relevant when the group can’t figure something out and is “stuck,” or even when two different views are being held possibly to the point of causing tension. But sometimes, while you are studying, stop and pray. We need the Holy Spirit to give light to the text under consideration. Pray for understanding not only at the beginning of each meeting, but at various times throughout. The way we lead them is vital to their success. ![]() The ideas below could apply to a variety of settings, but I’m talking about a study of Scripture without any helps or pre-written guides. Now that I’ve explained the basic idea of our meetings, I want to reflect on how to lead these Bible studies (the kind of study like what I’ve just described, not, for example, going through a workbook or video series). We eventually get to the realm of application, but it’s not the aim every week. We’re often content with the fellowship we enjoy by reading and seeking understanding. In these meetings, we don’t feel like we have to understand everything perfectly before we leave. Sometimes we go faster through each section, but this has seemed just right for First John. I think we took two weeks to talk through First John 1:1-4, and then another two or three weeks working our way through 1:5-2:2. We sometimes read a couple of chapters at the beginning of a meeting, or even the whole book, but then we slow down and consider a unit. In the next couple of weeks, we did talk about the historical background (I had to consult background works for this), but we mostly began working through the book one section at a time. We tried to understand the historical setting, but only from what we saw within the text itself. ![]() The first week, we began by reading the whole book, and then noted repeated words and phrases throughout the book. We’ve recently begun studying First John. ![]() This simple approach trains men to read their Bibles better, gives them important truths to ponder and share outside of the meeting, and grows them in Christlikeness. We read, re-read, ask questions of the text, dialogue, and seek understanding together. I arrive ready to open our Bibles, to read the text, and to go through the normal process of observation and interpretation before thinking through application. I am a firm believer in preparation it’s just that this meeting is different. Though I am the leader, I almost never prepare for this meeting. Typically, we walk through one Bible book at a time, examining a section each week. We read and dialogue about a portion of Scripture. I meet with a small group of men once a week early in the morning primarily to study the Bible. ![]()
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