How to lead a Bible Study-SEMINAR

How to Lead a Bible Study

Preperation of a Lesson Plan
I. Why a Lesson Plan?
A lesson plan is a written statement of what you want to accomplish and how you intend to accomplish it. The lesson plan will help.
A. Wise use of time by addressing the most important truths of the study. (your plan should include the time you will spend on each component of the plan.)
B. To keep on track (not rabbit trails).
C. To accomplish the objective. (“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”)
II. Steps to Preparing a Lesson Plan
A. Teach from an Overflow
“The effective teacher always teaches from the overflow of a full life.” (H. Hendricks) INTIMACY with God is the core of an effective Bible Study. Be passionate about his word. DISCIPLINE yourself everyday to spend time with him.
B. Prayer
C. Write the Objective for the Lesson. An objective is a brief statement (one or two sentences that summarizes what you want your campers to understand and apply from the Bible Study.
A clear objective:
1. will help you plan your time
2. will help you evaluate the progress at any point in the study
3. will help you make decisions as to what is important
4. will be specific enough to be achieved
5. will be clear enough to be meaningful
D. Know Your Campers!!!!
-You will be better prepared to lead a discussion relevant to campers home life, sensitive to hurts and challenges.
-Use various learning styles within you cabin. (consider their age, ADD, etc..)
-Know the Christian kids/non-Christian kids ratio. This will give good insight on where to go with your Bible Study time/discussion.
E. Book
It is important to study the word, not just talk about it. Let them see in the Bible that what you say is true.
“Maximum learning is always the result of Maximum involvement.” We remember 10% of what we hear, 50% of what we hear and see, and 90% of what we hear, see, and do.)
Key aspects of effective Cabin Bible Study/discussion:
-Making sure each person can see everyone else easily. (Have them all on the same level – Bottom bunks, or top bunks)
-Asking good questions in logical order
-Keeping the discussion moving at a lively pace
-Pulling the group back to the main subjects and away from tangents or unprofitable debate
-INVOLVING as many members as possible
-Keeping a check on the time so that each activity is given enough time

Develop questions and learning activities to help the group members through the steps of Observation, Interpretation, and Application
1. Questions clearly tied to the text and that logically build on one another.
2. Limit questions to focus on the most important.
3. Be prepared to restate questions in a different way if campers do not understand.
4. Do not answer your own questions.

Obeservation – what does the text/example/visual aid etc. say

Interpretation – What does it mean?
Why?
What do words or phrases mean?
What is the main point?
How would you summarize what’s trying to be said?




Application – how does this apply to me?
How do we apply this today?
What will you do about it?
So what? What difference will it make?

-Don’t ask Yes/No questions. Let them think.
-Be engaging.
-Give examples from your own life.
-Have campers share similar situations.

F. Hook – Plan an introduction to get them excited or interested in what’s going on.

G. Look – What are the possible implications of this Scripture on our lives?

H. Took – Plan of how to live this truth in daily life situations.

III. Facilitating a Dynamic Group Discussion through Questions

A. The Value of Good Questions:
i) Cause group members to interact with the Word
ii) Motivates group members to discover spiritual truth for themselves
iii) Keeps leader from lecturing. Never tell when you can ask.
iv) Key to good discussion.

B. Types of Questions
i) “Closed” or “Leading” – have only one obvious answer.
Ex. “What character quality is Paul speaking of in 1 Cor13?”
This type of question can establish a single correct answer BUT is not useful for stimulating discussion.
ii) “Limiting” – suggest only a few specific responses.
Ex. Who were Paul’s two main Disciples?”
iii) “Open or Wide-open” – invite opinion, have a large number of answers or no obvious answers.
Ex. Why do you think Paul disciples people?
What are some reasons given in this passage?
What does it really mean to “disciple” someone?
Encourage group to consider a wide range of possibilities, express their personal opinions and take into consideration the answers of other in the group.
iv)”Response” – questions from members of the group that the
leader asks the group to respond to first.
Ex. “You hear what Tom said about discipleship. Now, what what do the rest of you think?
Ex. “Does anyone have anything to add?”

Jesus is known as the Great Teacher. Some of the teaching methods he used to help communicate truth:
- Object lessons
- Challenging Questions
- Provocative Statements
- Case studies
- Paradox
- Metaphor
- Proverbs
- Parables
- Demonstrations
-try to incorporate some of these methods into your Bible Studies to help engage the children, and meet their different learning styles. Note: You will probably not use the same teaching methods for an 8 year old and a 14 year old.

TAKE THE BEGINNING OF SOME BIBLE STUDIES TO TEACH KIDS ABOUT PRAYER. ALLOW THEM TO PRAY AS THE WEEK GOES ON. TEACH THEM ALSO HOW TO LOOK THINGS UP IN THEIR BIBLE.