The 3Ps of Facilitating An Effective Bible Study

J.J.

By God’s grace, this lesson is based on more than 25 years of facilitating Bible study groups and attending Bible studies from different churches and observing and learning from other well-meaning followers of Christ on how they facilitate Bible study.

Please take note of the following :

·       I titled this, “facilitating” instead of leading.  A lot of Bible Study leaders, think they are leading Bible study which places them in a position of authority above others and creates a notion that they are “teaching” others, making it an activity where one man or woman speaks and others are there to listen.  There is a time and place for teaching and preaching but the Bible study session is not one of them. (e.g. pastor in the pulpit, seminars and retreats and etc).  People are there to “study” the Word of God together.  The word “facilitate” comes from the Latin word “facilis”, which means “easy”.   The facilitator makes it easy for others to participate in the study of God’s Word. (You will read that later)

·       I also used the adjective “effective” Bible study.  That should be the aim of the facilitator – to be effective.  This means the Bible study should have an “effect” to those who are participating – it’s either they are convicted or comforted by the Word through the work of the Holy Spirit. (John 16:7-15).  We will know the Bible study is effective if people come out of it knowing God more and it’s not just about they had a sense of belonging or they had fun or the food was incredible (yes, these are good things but that’s not the end-goal).  At the end of the day, you will know if it’s the Holy Spirit’s work when our Lord Jesus Christ is honored and glorified (John 16:14).

·       This study is not about 3 steps but more of elements or principles of facilitating an effective Bible study.  I avoided creating “steps” as if it’s a manual on how to build a chair or furniture.  An effective Bible study is not a one-time thing.  It’s a life-long process that followers of Jesus Christ should participate in (Hebrews 10:24-25) so that they will be encouraged to know Jesus more and therefore to love Him more and so that we may abound in good works for God’s glory. (Philippians 1:9-11; Ephesians 2:10)

So here are the 3 Principles of an Effective Bible Study

PREPARATION

1.       Prayer is our No.1 preparation for Bible Study.  We have to remember this is God’s Word.  Pray that the Holy Spirit will give you the wisdom and the knowledge to understand His Word and to help you facilitate the Bible study effectively.  Pray also for your group so the Holy Spirit will illuminate their hearts and minds as you study God’s Word together. (Ephesians 1:15-18).  Pray also for protection from the evil one so that there will be no disruption in the Bible study and nothing will prevent the Word of God from being planted in the hearts of the participants. (Matthew 13:1-43)

Start also the Bible Study with prayer.  You’re always quietly praying in your heart while the Bible study is going on and end the Bible study with prayer.

2.       Study the Word of God that is going to be discussed in the Bible study.  Be familiar with the passage and look at the entire context from that passage in the Bible.  If you are using a guidebook (just like a lot of Bible studies), be familiar with that guide and the questions that are being asked in the guidebook.  How will you answer it yourself? Is it Biblical? How can it be relevant in the every day lives of the people?

PREDICTABILITY

Have you attended Bible study sessions where everyone waits for others to arrive before it starts? Or have you attended sessions where the facilitator isn’t aware of the time and the Bible study goes far beyond the set-time or worst, the group doesn’t know when the actual Bible study starts and when it ends?  Have you also attended Bible study groups where the set day is being changed every week in order to accommodate those who cannot attend?

Why are this important?

First, God is a God of order (1 Corinthians 14:40; 43)

Second,  if we make the start and end times and the day of the week for Bible study, it allows people to prepare for their whole week.  If in the world, there’s an actual start time and end-time for work and even seminars, why not in our Bible study?  You may ask, what about the time for fellowship?  Time of fellowship can be done before and right after the actual Bible study if people want to stay and do some chit-chat or conversations with their brothers or sisters in Christ.  Also, please be aware that even though a person or family opened their home for Bible study, let us not abuse their hospitality by staying more than warranted. In short, don't "overstay your welcome".

1.       Set a start time and end time for Bible study.   Usually, an hour of Bible study will do if the facilitator is effective on leading it.

2.       Start on time and end on time.  Even if there are only one to two persons present, start the Bible study.  (Matthew 18:20).  The most important person in the Bible study is God. 

We understand, sometimes, people can be late because of unforeseen circumstances, but that part also is part of God’s plan and control.  Start the Bible study on time and end on time.

3.       Set a day of the week for the Bible study and stick to it as much as possible.  It’s like people having their own set time for one-on-one devotion with the Lord daily or a set time for waking up daily.  Setting a day of the week, helps people plan their week and even their month. Growth, even spiritual growth needs discipline and part of that is helping people create the discipline of studying God’s Word with others. (2 Timothy 1:7) Having a predictable set day and time is helping our brothers and sisters create that discipline.

PARTICIPATION

The basic principle of Group Bible study is like a potluck :  Everyone should bring something to the table as much as possible.  As facilitators, we need to make sure that everyone participates in the discussion.

1.       Set the atmosphere of participation.  At the start of the Bible study, tell in a nice, loving and even humorous manner that everyone should participate in the discussion as much as possible.  Tell them also if there is no one who will actively participate, you will call a name or two.  Usually, people have something to say about the topic being discussed but it just needs a gentle push for them to share what’s on their mind.  And even if they don’t have an idea, when you call someone’s name, they will be forced to think and they themselves will be surprised with the opinions they come up with.

Having said this, these are the different kinds of people you will encounter in a Bible study.

·       The Happy Campers.  They are happy to be there and will always enthusiastically participate in the discussions.  These are the easiest people to deal with and you can count on them to start the conversations when a question is asked.

·       The Hoggers. Although we love people to participate.  There are some who hogs the time (that’s why I call them hoggers) which prevents other people from participating.

How to deal with them? This will take tact (a sense of humor would come in handy in this situation).  When you ask the succeeding questions or ask people for their opinion, remind people that we need to hear other voices in the discussion.

If they are going in circles, ask them gently to get to the point. You will be surprised on how they will be able to zero-in.

·       The Shy Types.  These are the ones you need to gently call their name and ask their opinion.  Remind them that it’s a safe space.  There are no right or wrong opinions (not answers).  And tell them, their opinions might even help or enlighten others in the group.

·       The Dogs (that’s short for the dogmatics).  These folks even though well-intentioned are the hardest to deal in a group setting.  It’s because they think they are always right and will insist on it.  These are the ones that dampen the discussion because they speak dogmatically and loves to argue.  The challenge with this type of participant is often times they are not self-aware that they are causing this.

Be careful in dealing with this people because they make the meeting/discussion so heavy that others are now discouraged to attend the next meetings.  They take away the spirit of joy in the Bible study.

Different ways to deal with the dogs.

-            Pivot the conversation. e.g. "That’s one way to look at it.  Let’s move on to the next question in the guidebook."

-            Involve others.  This is a good time to turn to the shy/quiet person and ask, “What do you think?”

-            Summarize their opinion and close it.  E.g. "I see your side.  Let’s move on or let’s table this for now."

-            Avoid asking follow-up questions.

-            Give neutral answers like “Okay” and “Noted” and stay calm.  Do not show anger or annoyance.  You will just be feeding the fire.

Afterwards, you can choose to talk to them privately.  Start with “I”. E.g. "I notice everyone gets quiet when our talks turn into debates and arguments. I miss hearing everyone’s opinions."

Always assume they mean no harm and they just lack self-awareness.

At the end of the day, the Bible study should reflect Kingdom living.

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

There’s one more “P”  that is essential and it involves the leader/facilitator himself.  This is something you ask the Holy Spirit.  P-atience. 

Remember, we are dealing with different kinds of people and all of them our Lord Jesus Christ died for including you in spite of all our sins, idiosyncrasies and mistakes.

Always be guided by these two verses: 

1 Corinthians 16:14  Do everything in love.

1 Corinthians 10:31 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

May the Holy Spirit guide you in facilitating your next Bible study and may our Lord Jesus be lifted up in your midst. God bless you.

S.G.D.