GUIDE: Leading a Study
1. Begin the study on time. Open with prayer, asking God to help you understand and apply the passage.
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2. Be sure that everyone in the group has a study guide. Encourage them to prepare beforehand for each discussion by working through the questions in the guide.
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3. Encourage each participant to bring their Bibles to each study. If possible, have a few extra Bibles on hand in case someone forget’s theirs.
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4. At the beginning of your first time together, explain that these studies are meant to be discussions not lectures. Encourage the members of the group to participate. However, do not put pressure on those who may be hesitant to speak during the first few sessions.
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5. Read the introductory material at the beginning of the discussion. This will orient the group to the passage being studied.
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6. Read the passage aloud if you are studying one chapter or less. You may choose to do this yourself, or someone else may read if he or she has been asked to do so prior to the study. Longer passages may occasionally be read in parts at different times during the study. Some studies may cover several chapters.
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7. As you begin to ask the questions in this guide, keep these things in mind.
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First, the questions are designed to be used just as they are written. If you wish, you may simply read them aloud to the group. Or you may prefer to express them in your own words. However, unnecessary rewording of the questions is not recommended.
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Second, the questions are intended to guide the group toward understanding and applying the main idea of the passage. The author of the guide has stated his or her view of this central idea in the purpose of the study in the leader’s notes. You should try to understand how the passage expresses this idea and how the study questions work together to lead the group in that direction. There may be times when it is appropriate to deviate from the study guide. For example, a question may have already been answered. If so, move on to the next question. Or someone may raise an important question not covered in the guide. Take time to discuss it! The important thing is to use discretion.
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8. Avoid answering your own questions. If necessary, repeat or rephrase them until they are clearly understood. An eager group quickly becomes passive and silent if they think the leader will do most of the talking.
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9. Don’t be afraid of silence. People may need time to think about the question before formulating their answers.
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10. Don’t be content with just one answer. Ask, “What do the rest of you think?” or “Anything else?” until several people have given answers to the question.
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11. Acknowledge all contributions. Try to be affirming whenever possible. Never reject an answer. If it is clearly wrong, ask “Which verse led you to that conclusion?” or again, “What do the rest of you think?”
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12. Don’t expect every answer to be addressed to you, even though this will probably happen at first. As group members become more at ease, they will begin to truly interact with each other. This is one sign of a healthy discussion.
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13. Don’t be afraid of controversy. It can be very stimulating. If you don’t resolve an issue completely, don’t be frustrated. Move on and keep it in mind for later. A subsequent study may solve the problem.
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14. Stick to the passage under consideration. It should be the source for answering the questions. Discourage the group from unnecessary cross-referencing. Likewise, stick to the subject and avoid going off on tangents.
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15. Periodically summarize what the group has said about the passage. This helps to draw together the various ideas mentioned and gives continuity to the study. But don’t preach.
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16. Conclude your time together with conversational prayer. Be sure to ask God’s help to apply those things which you have learned in the study.
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17. End on time.
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