Need New Ideas for Your Group Bible Study? Consider These Formats

Attending a weekly group Bible study is a wonderful way to connect with other Christians, but if you’re the person who teaches the study, it can be tough to come up with the right format to keep people engaged.  When people ask me which books I would recommend for a group Bible study teacher, I usually refer them to the Bible study section at NavPress.com.  While the resources provided here are designed to serve a variety of different groups and levels of study, it also provides some tips on choosing a Bible study format.

Below is a summary of group Bible study formats that may be helpful in deciding which books to use.

• Character study:  your group can use this format to locate a certain character in the Bible and follow their story from beginning to end.   This type of study is easy to start because there are so many great books available to guide you.  All you really need is a Bible, a concordance and a group Bible study reference book to get started.
• Scripture memory:  Often overlooked, yet very powerful for believers, scripture memory studies allow a group learn deep truths from the Bible that can later be shared with friends and family.  By breaking down the scriptures topically, each week’s study can focus on that subject and the weekly memory verses.
• Thematic study:  Perfect for a group Bible study that is exclusive to women, couples, singles or teens, thematic studies will often focus on an issue that affects that group.  Books like “Lies Women Believe” and “How to Live Right When Your Life Goes Wrong” are powerful titles that speak directly to people’s needs.
• Inductive Bible study: These insightful group studies allow leaders to approach the scriptures with the goal of arriving at a Biblical truth with confidence.  Careful analysis of the verses within each text and cross reference to other similar passages can help in developing this study.

Other excellent group Bible study themes include book Bible studies and a verse by verse study of the Bible.  Depending on your experience level with leading a Bible study, these studies can give people a much better understanding of the Bible.  For personal Bible studies, NavPress recommends the Handbook for Personal Bible Study, by Bill Klein.  This allows individuals to get an overview of Biblical history along with the basics of studying and interpreting Scripture on a daily basis.