![]() Plant your flag on the main point of the passage, review the trail you hiked to get there, and develop questions to guide your group to the summit. You should be able to summarize the main point (or points) of the passage succinctly.Īt this point, there’s one key trick for developing interpretation questions: work backwards. Having prayerfully wrestled with the passage yourself, you should have a good sense of the flow and tension the author intended. Your personal study of the text is essential. Interpretation questionsĪfter drawing out your group’s observations, it’s time to dig in. Good observation questions simultaneously engage the group and open the door to interpretation. What logical connector words move the argument forward?.How does the narrator name these characters?.Who are the main characters, and what are they doing?.What words or ideas are repeated in the passage?.Here’s a handy list of generic, yet useful observation questions to use regularly: Use focused but open-ended questions to drive the group’s collective noses into the text and to foster interaction.įor example, when observing Acts 19:1–10, don’t ask, “What baptism did the Ephesian disciples receive?” Ask, “What experience of Christianity did the Ephesian disciples have before Paul arrived?”ĭon’t ask, “What was the first thing Paul did when he arrived in Ephesus?” Ask, “How does Paul interact with the Ephesian disciples?” □ Tip: Avoid fill-in-the-blank or read-my-mind questions that have only one correct answer. ![]() You have no chance at faithful interpretation without first noticing what the Bible says.Ī skilled discussion leader must strike a delicate balance: she must guide the group through textual observation-without making the discussion feel inane or elementary. Observation questionsĪny decent Bible study, whether individual or group-based, should be rooted in careful observation of the text. Use a strong discussion-starter to foster interaction.įor example, you could begin a discussion about Moses’ call to ministry-and his resistance to this call-in Exodus 3–4 with the question, “How do you normally respond to the weakness or suffering of other people?” 2. □ Tip: Avoid easing into the discussion by merely reviewing the previous passage or meandering toward a point. The goal is to unleash the text and win people early to the main idea. The goal of the launching question is not merely to capture attention you could do that by swallowing a sword or wearing a hat made of spaghetti. It should promote interaction and foreshadow application. The very first question of your Bible study should be open, engaging, and linked to the main point of the passage. But, like bad morning breath, boredom often shows up early-and it may sink your ship before you leave the dock. If you hook your people early, they’ll feel compelled to participate. The first five minutes of your Bible study portend what’s to come. To do so, you must master four types of Bible study discussion questions. Harnessing the power of interaction should be one of your highest priorities when leading a Bible study. ![]() 4 types of good Bible study discussion questionsīible studies have a feature that few sermons or personal quiet times can match: interaction. Though interrogative, it can still be powerfully declarative. For these reasons, many people avoid leading true discussions in their Bible study groups.īut though it’s unscripted, a Bible study can be directed. You might travel from Exodus to the politics of Disney faster than you can say “talitha koumi.” Your efforts might produce unbearable silence, heretical comments, or topical whiplash that spins the group dizzy. Once you begin a conversation, you give up a sense of control. Leading a group Bible study is deeply rewarding, but let’s be honest: it’s also a little terrifying. Facebook Twitter Reddit Pinterest Email LinkedIn
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