How do I have a Bible study with someone else?

Attitudes

  • I’m not an expert.  We can learn together.
  • The Word does the work.
  • I enjoy it.  I think you will, too.
  • I want to see for myself, not just accept what I have been told.

Objectives

  • To know what it says
  • To find answers
  • To deal with life
  • To have a purpose
  • To be more than I can be

Tools

  • Reasonable translation
  • Map
  • Timeline
  • Concordance

Where to start

  • Their questions
  • A book they want to read
  • A book you want to read
  • Evidences
  • Give homework

What do I need to know

  • Reading comprehension
  • Context
  • Write down questions for next time
  • Know where to look for answers

What if I get it wrong?

  • Trust the promises
    • Understanding (1 Corinthians 2:9 – 12, Ephesians 1:17 – 19, 2 Corinthians 3:18)
    • Comprehend the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:17)
    • Wisdom (James 1:5 – 8)
    • Repair (Philippians 3:12 – 16)

How to approach people

  • God brings people and the gospel together
  • Your life is a mess.  Would you like to see how God can fix it?
  • I agree that Christianity in America is generally messed up.  Would you like to see what the Bible actually says?
  • I’m sorry church is not satisfying for you.  Would you like to see what the Bible says you should expect?
  • It’s not complicated; people make it that way.

What if they don’t respond positively?

  • They are not ready yet.
  • Be friendly but move on.
  • When they become interested, they will know whom to ask.
  • Recheck every year or so.
  • People are the way they are.  Accept them as human beings who are valuable to God.

Leading questions to bring up religion

  • You must be a Christian.
  • Where do you go to church?
  • That’s a good song (store music)
  • Is everything OK?
  • Good book (the person has a Bible)

Leading questions after the conversation has turned to religion

  • Have you thought about why God bothered to create?
  • What does God call faith?
  • What is the point of forgiveness if we just fail again?
  • How do we not fail in heaven?
  • Who decides who is in charge in church?
  • I know a Christian in Pakistan…
  • Have you looked at the evidence?

Preparation

  • Re-play situations until you have a better response.  The situation will happen again.
  • Be yourself – it’s what you do best.
  • Watch people.  Get into their heads.
  • First be sure you want it to happen, then pray.
  • Be patient.  God knows what He is doing.
  • Keep trying.  Like the rest of life, learn from mistakes and move on.  Trust mercy.

Suggested starting places

  • One of the gospels
    • Most people don’t know the story
    • Non-threatening, not “doctrinal”
    • Easy to read and follow
    • People often expect it to be complicated.
  • 1 John
    • Love
    • Lots of big concepts
  • Philippians – positive
  • Acts – good history and entertaining

Improving the Start

  • Many specific questions are more trouble than they are worth.
  • Many times, the problem is the question.
  • Easy ways to shift to the profitable:
    • “ I don’t know.  But, it has been my experience that if we just start reading, we will run across it.”
    • “Rather than tell you my opinion, let’s just read and see what we find.”

Emphasizing Evidence

  • Blind leaps are not faith.
  • Many think evidence is contrary to faith.
  • Without evidence, any religion is OK.
  • Evidence from what we can see allows trust in what we cannot see.
  • Without evidence, true faith is impossible.
  • True faith is acting on humanly impossible promises.  If you don’t know the promises, you can’t have faith.