Road Trippin With Rachael

Ther are two phases of Bible Study selection that almost every group leader goes through. Phase One is the excitement of all the options you have to choose from. Phase Two is feeling overwhelmed by all the different options you have to choose from. Selecting a Bible Study doesn’t have to be an overwhelming experience. It can actually be a lot of fun! Here are a few questions you can consider to help keep the decision making from becoming overwhelming.

1. What type of group is it? There are two factors to decide the type of group you have. First is the group ongoing or short-term, and second is it an open or closed group. Ongoing groups are established and are designed to have longevity – sometimes lasting years- while short term has a set time frame the group will be in existence. An Open group means that anyone can join at any time. A closed group means that new people can join the group up to a certain point. These factors allow for different combinations and will each have their pros and cons. 
2. What is the group’s size? Size does matter when we are talking about group settings. If you are looking for strong group participation, having a group that can fill a lecture hall isn’t what you’ll be looking for. People will participate more if they feel their voices can be heard and they can contribute to the conversation, and you’ll see people not speaking up as a group gets larger. However, large groups can still be functional, especially if you implement smaller groups within the larger context.    
3. How often do you plan to meet? The amount of time a group meets is largely determined by the other two questions we’ve already discussed. Most short term studies will typically meet for three months to a sememster, but of couse this can be longer or shorter, while longer term groups will take periodic breaks, and immediately jump into new studies when the previous one is complete.
4. What is the group interested in studying? Listen to those who are around you, and see what they are interested in studying. If your group is interested in studying a book of the Bible, then those are the studies you’ll want to look at. Perhaps they are lookin to study a topic of interest. Some groups will even do a study through a book on Christian Living. There are endless possiblies and curriculum out there to find what will work best for your group and your context. 

Hopefully, you will find this helpful and you prepare for your next Bible Study. Happy Hunting!