You Can Lead A Bible Discussion Group!

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Summary: How to prepare for and lead a Bible study group
Review: Resource Review
You Can Lead a Bible Discussion Group
By Dr. Terry Powell
Multnomah Books
170 pp.
Review by Michael C. Mack on The Small Group Network

"The lowest peasant with the Bible is better than the greatest Pope without it," said Martin Luther. God's Word is beneficial only as much as it is in people's hands. Because of the Holy Spirit, all believers have the capability to understand Scripture. At the same time, however, there are certain tools to help us unlock some of the Scripture's meanings and applications. A well-trained and prepared Bible-study leader can help turn the key.

You Can Lead a Bible Discussion Group is both Terry Powell's belief and the title of this book. You can lead a productive Bible-study discussion, he says--you may just need a little help. He tells and, more importantly, shows how to prepare to study the Scripture, dig into the Scriptures to mine out nuggets of truth to be discussed, and reinforce and apply those truths. Powell provides a solid framework for Bible study in group sessions: Approach the Word, Absorb the Word, and Apply the Word. And he demonstrates a balanced method for Bible study and teaching.

One of the best features of Powell's book are his illustrations. He takes one passage in particular, Matthew 4:1-11, and uses it throughout the book to show both good and bad ways of preparing for or carrying out a Bible discussion. In Chapter 7, "Guidelines for Effective Questions," for instance, Powell discusses a number of ineffective types of discussion questions. For each one, he gives good examples of poor questions and then revises the questions for the reader to illustrate what an effective question would look like. Then he shows what is behind that revised question which makes it better. Even for veteran Bible-study leaders, this is extremely helpful and practical.

In many chapters, Powell gives step-by-step methods and processes for studying Scripture, organizing for a lesson, preparing discussion questions, and facilitating the discussion. This is good, of course, because most of us leaders need practical, step-by-step help, not just theory. The problem as I see it is that if I took all the time necessary to carry out all the steps Powell suggests, I'd spend way more hours preparing than I ever could. Perhaps that's just a problem in our hectic society today: we don't have time to dig into the Scriptures ourselves as leaders and spend adequate time in preparation. At the same time, I wonder if all of Powell's processes are practical for most people.

My suggestion is this: if you are a Bible-study leader in either big, medium, or small groups, read Powell's book and be familiar with the many good methods he provides. You may not use all of them every week, but this is valuable information to have. We cannot allow our Bible studies to become relativistic, "What's-this-verse-mean-to-you" discussions. There is a right or wrong way of interpreting Scripture. And there is a difference in how we handle a passage's meaning and its significance in a discussion. I believe Powell's book helps us distinguish these quite well.

There are a number of good books for small group leaders on the bookshelves that spend just a few pages in how to actually prepare for and lead the Bible-study portion of the meeting. You Can Lead a Bible Discussion Group fills the gap for those who want to facilitate a serious study of God's Word. Powell's twenty-five years of teaching experience shine through the pages of this practical, hands-on book.

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Adapted from "Help for Bible-study Leaders," Discipleship Journal, Issue 102, November/December 1997, p. 98. Used by permission.

Michael Mack is founder of The Small Group Network.