GUIDE: Preparing to Lead
Use this guide as you prepare to lead the group sessions:
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1. Ask God to help you understand and apply the passage to your own life. Unless this happens, you will not be prepared to lead others. Pray too for the various members of the group. Ask God to give you an enjoyable and profitable time together studying His Word.
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2. As you begin each study, read and reread the assigned Bible passage to familiarize yourself with what the author is saying. In the case of book studies, you may want to read through the entire book prior to the first study. This will give you a helpful overview of its contents.
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3. Carefully work through each question of the study. Spend time in meditation and reflection as you formulate your answers.
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5. Write your answers in the space provided in the study guide. This will help you to express your understanding of the passage clearly.
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6. It might help you to have a Bible dictionary handy. Use it to look up any unfamiliar words, names, or places.
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7. Once you have finished your own study of the passage, familiarize yourself with the leader’s notes for the study you are leading. These are designed to help you in several ways.
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First, they tell you the purpose the study guide author had in mind while writing the study. Take time to think through how the study questions work together to accomplish that purpose.
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Second, the notes provide you with additional background information or comments on some of the questions. This information can be useful if people have difficulty understanding or answering a question.
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Third, the leader’s notes can alert you to potential problems you may encounter during the study.
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8. If you wish to remind yourself of anything mentioned in the leader’s notes, make a note to yourself below that question in the study.
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