Our church members have enough Bibles (the average household has 4.3 of them), but are they being read? The sad answer is not really. The Bible is not just a book; it’s a pillar of the Christian faith. Among church-going believers, only a third read the Bible with any regularity, and the numbers dwindle from there.
So, how do you get your church members to read their Bibles more?
In this article, we’ll walk through some interesting Bible study ideas that will help church leaders emphasize the importance of Bible study to their congregants. We’ll explore the benefits of planning Bible studies, empowering you to steer your study sessions in a direction that best serves your group. This will make the teaching role more effective and help your group members be more engaged and committed to their faith.
Take the Guesswork Out of Bible Study Ideas & Topics
While some of us love to plan our Bible studies, others like to shoot from the hip and see what happens. Spontaneity is good for small groups, but planning out your Bible study topics can make a difference in helping you serve your members:
- More Focused Study: By planning Bible study topics, you can ensure that your session remains focused and relevant. This allows for a deeper exploration of each topic instead of randomly choosing passages without a clear direction. Doing so helps your group recognize prevalent themes in the Bible, such as love, faith, grace, redemption, and obedience.
- Better Preparation: Knowing what’s coming next in the study gives you time to prepare. You can read relevant cross-references, research historical context and socio-economic information, and create engaging discussion questions. Being prepared leads to meaningful study groups and teaches your church members how to prepare for Bible studies independently.
- Tailored to Group Needs: Planning allows you to choose relevant topics for your group, showing that you understand their spiritual needs, interests, and issues. Group your topics around well-known biblical characters, such as Moses, David, John, or Paul, to examine their lives, struggles, and faith, which can provide valuable insights and life applications.
- Balanced Studies: A well-planned Bible study covers topics and books from different parts of Scripture. This balanced study method helps people understand the Bible and its life applications better. Members will feel more knowledgeable as they dedicate their studies to individual books of the Bible and focus on the topics or themes found throughout.
- Accountability: A schedule holds you and participants accountable for staying on track and committing to regular Bible study. It encourages consistent attendance and participation while inspiring your group to study more. Arranging topics in a way that builds upon previous lessons creates a better flow that helps connect ideas and themes across your various studies. Sending that schedule to your group lets them see where the study is going.
Planning your Bible study allows for focused, relevant Bible studies that cater to your group’s needs, provide a balanced exploration of Scripture, and promote accountability and spiritual growth.
Easy Bible Study Ideas & Topics for Everyone
Here is a short list of general Bible study topics, along with relevant Bible references to start your planning:
The Parables of Jesus
Jesus’s parables are explained by Christ himself or through the context surrounding them. Studying these parables helps give an overview of the nature of Christian life, insight into the Kingdom of God, and knowledge of the character of God. A few parables to start you off are:
- The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)
- The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)
- The Sower and the Seeds (Matthew 13:1-23)
The Fruits of the Spirit
The fruits of the Spirit, mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23, are nine attributes or giftings that the Holy Spirit develops in the lives of believers as we grow in our faith. Each attribute can be a study within itself. Other relevant passages to help you plan your Bible study on the fruits of the Spirit are Matthew 7:15-23, Ephesians 5:6-14, and Romans 5.
The Beatitudes
The Beatitudes are blessings that Jesus stated during His Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5:1-12 and Luke 6:20-45. They describe the characteristics of those who are blessed by God and the accompanying rewards. These beatitudes are extremely counter-cultural to the way many of us understand things and help to center our minds on Christ above anything else.
The Lord’s Prayer
Prayer is essential to the Christian faith, but many of us struggle to make it a regular practice. Jesus offered this prayer as a template for his disciples to communicate with God in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:1-4. This prayer can be used as is or broken down into its elements to help us engage with God better.
The Resurrection of Christ
Our faith is anchored in the resurrection of Christ. As Paul said, “…if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith,” (1 Corinthians 15:14). Study the gospel accounts of Christ’s resurrection in Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-12, and John 20:1-18. As you study, include relevant passages from the rest of the New Testament on the resurrection, such as 1 Corinthians 15.
These Bible study ideas cover the most essential elements of faith: the resurrection, our relationship with God, and prayer. They can be easily adapted for any age group and setting, making them suitable for everyone. No matter where your group members are in their faith journey, these topics are designed to be inclusive and beneficial for all.
Interesting Bible Topics for Niche Study Sessions
Consider unique topics for your Bible study. Church leaders often overlook these but they can lead to great discussions and engagement with the Bible and one another.
The Role of Women in the Early Church
Studying the Role of Women in Early Christianity can provide insight into the contributions of figures like Phoebe (Romans 16:1-2), Anna (Luke 2:36-38), Priscilla (Acts 18), and Lydia (Acts 16:14-15) to the early church. Their stories and roles can inspire and encourage women in the church today.
The Findings of Biblical Archaeology
Studying Biblical archaeology can provide context and verification for Biblical events and locations. It can help believers understand the historical and cultural background of the Bible and strengthen their faith and confidence in the Scripture. Many archeological discoveries have been made in recent years.
The Intertestamental Period
Learn about the historical and cultural developments between the Old and New Testaments to help build up your historical knowledge of what God’s people faced during the time often referenced as the 400 years of silence.
The Psalms as Poetry and Prayer
Study the Psalms’ literary structure and themes and their use in worship and personal devotion. Explore each psalm individually to help foster extraordinary devotional times.
The Theology of Suffering
Everyone will face hard times. We often try to ignore suffering when the Bible confronts it head-on. To help your group through their difficult moments, explore the Biblical perspective on suffering and how it is addressed in books like Job and Lamentations.
There are many more interesting Bible study topics like these to be found. One way to gather a list of potential next studies is to pay attention to your group as they ask questions. Offer an answer if you have one, but also take the time to reflect on the questions later and figure out how you can better answer them in full using the Bible as your source of study.
Conclusion
These Bible study ideas help leaders engage their groups more effectively and efficiently, leading to better accountability with one another, a clearer understanding of the Bible, and more intimate engagement with God. Utilizing these interesting Bible study topics helps your group stabilize their faith and gives them the confidence to study the Bible independently. If this article helped you, we have other exciting ideas for a range of church leadership questions and responsibilities on our Church Giving website. Be sure to check out the blog to learn more about fundraising and church trends and more articles that help you lead your church better.
