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Group Bible Study: 'What Shall We Study?'

By Dr. Paul M. Elliott
One of the first questions any group will face is, "What shall we study?" Today we discuss three general approaches to the question.

From the TeachingtheWord Bible Knowledgebase

Part three of a series. Read part two.

One of the first questions any group will face is, "What shall we study?" Today we discuss three general approaches to the question.

In the first two parts of this series we have established the great need for the study of God's Word in our time, and we have identified the Authority to which all members of a group must bow the knee in order to study Scripture profitably together. We shall now begin to build on this foundation by addressing some practical matters.

One of the first questions any group will face is, "What shall we study?" The breadth and depth of the material a group may effectively take on will have much to do with the general level of experience with Bible study among its members, and the span of time for which they are willing to commit to meet together.

With these things in mind, let me suggest three general approaches to the choice of subject matter for group study, and offer some specifics. There are many variations on these themes, but I hope that this general discussion will stimulate the thinking of prospective study group leaders and members as you contemplate your specific needs and circumstances.

Book Study

A study of an entire book of the Bible, or a major section of one of the larger books, is perhaps the most beneficial format for group Bible study. Each of the sixty-six books of Scripture lends itself to this kind of study in different ways depending on its length and scope.

If your study group is new, or if many of the participants have never been involved in this kind of activity before, or if the time commitment is limited (a few weeks or months) it might be wise for the group to begin by studying one of the shorter books. Historical books of the Old Testament such as Joshua, Ruth, and Nehemiah, and New Testament books such as the Gospel of Mark and the shorter epistles, lend themselves well to such circumstances. It will be far more challenging to do justice to one of the larger or more complex books such as Genesis, Isaiah, Romans, or Hebrews if the group is less experienced or will meet for only a relatively short time span.

Alternatively, a group of limited experience and/or time commitment might want to study a section of a larger book. Examples include the lives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in Genesis chapters 12-35, the sixteen Messianic Psalms quoted in the New Testament, the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapters 5 through 7, the missionary journeys of Paul in Acts chapters 13-28, and the letters to the seven churches of Asia in Revelation chapters 2 and 3.

A more experienced group, or one that is willing to make a longer-term commitment to meet together, can tackle larger books of the Bible, study shorter books in greater detail, or take on groups of books such as the pastoral epistles.

Doctrinal Study

Another effective format is to study a particular doctrine or set of doctrines, drawing together many of the pertinent passages from various parts of Scripture. This format has the benefit of giving participants a wider exposure to Scripture and a greater understanding of the unity and inter-relatedness of the entire Bible.

Sections from the great confessions of the Reformation era can be highly effective for this purpose. The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) and the London Baptist Confession (1688) are both structured so that they begin with a summation of the Bible's teaching about its own nature and authority, and then build upon this to address the nature of the Trinity and each of its persons, the creation, the law of God, the fall of man, salvation, the church, the life of the Christian in this world, and the end times. Both confessions are structured in the form of propositional statements, and are available in formats that include the Biblical source texts on which each summary doctrinal statement is based.

When using such tools, it is important to place and keep the focus where it belongs - on the study of Scripture. These confessional statements are the imperfect words of men. They are not a substitute for Scripture, are not to be used in isolation from Scripture, and are not to be placed in authority over Scripture. Charles Spurgeon espressed a proper attitude toward such great statements of the faith when he spoke of the London Confession as "the most excellent epitome of the things most surely believed among us. It is not issued as an authoritative rule or code of faith, whereby you may be fettered, but as a means of edification in righteousness. It is an excellent, though not inspired, expression of the teaching of those Holy Scriptures by which all confessions are to be measured."

Topical Study

Yet a third possible format for Bible study is a topical approach. The book of Proverbs, especially chapters 10 through 29, lends itself well to this. Many verses deal with matters of the flesh, such as control of the tongue and guarding against temptations of the eye. Others deal with principles of government, laziness versus industriousness, covetousness and the temptations of riches, justice and injustice, temperance and self-control, relationships with friends and neighbors, ethical dealings in business, pride and humility, and many other vital issues of our relationships with God and man.

Another topical approach might deal with issues of marriage and the family, drawing from the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, passages on the relationships between parents and children and the chapter on the virtuous woman in Proverbs, and key passages on marriage and the home in the New Testament such as Ephesians 5:22-6:4, Colossians 3:1-21, and 1 Peter 3:1-12.

Nave's Topical Bible, and the topical section of the Thompson Chain Reference Bible, can be very helpful in assembling comprehensive lists of pertinent passages on a given subject.

Use and Abuse of Study Books

Study books can be helpful in group Bible study, but they must not become the focus. The group's focus must remain on the Word of God and not on the words of man. We shall discuss this in more detail in the remaining parts of this series.

Next: Preparation for Group Study

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