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Dr. Tim Mackie

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Adam to Noah

Genesis 2-5

28 Sessions

Noah to Abraham

Genesis 6-11

45 Sessions

The Book of Jonah

35 Sessions

Ephesians 1-6

Art of Biblical Words

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Exodus 1-40

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We are working toward having a large library of classes available for Classroom students. Currently, we aim to add three to four new classes to our library each year.

Classroom is designed as an accessible experience for people with varying levels of biblical knowledge. Whether you're starting to explore the Bible or are a lifelong student of Scripture, Classroom will take your Bible study to the next level.

If you're new to studying Scripture, we recommend starting with the Introduction to the Hebrew Bible class. This class offers a foundation for understanding the Old Testament and introduces some of the study skills we use throughout all of our classes.

If you're diving into biblical study for the first time, it may be helpful to familiarize yourself with a few basics before joining Classroom.

Check out the How to Read the Bible video series to learn more about the literary genres in the Bible. The Paradigm article series or the Paradigm podcast series will also give you helpful tools in your journey of learning to read the Bible well.

We recommend starting with Introduction to the Hebrew Bible . It lays a foundation for understanding the Old Testament and introduces some basic study skills we'll use throughout all of our classes.

After you've completed the Introduction to the Hebrew Bible class, check out Heaven and Earth to continue through the Genesis scroll, or skip ahead to something different with classes like Jonah or Ephesians .

We also recommend checking out The Art of Biblical Words to develop skills for discovering the original meaning and context for Hebrew and Greek words, as well as an introduction to the best tools for self-study.

These classes are designed to help you dig deeper into Scripture with the guidance of our team of biblical scholars.

Although we're exploring more options to celebrate the work of those who complete a class, these courses are not designed to satisfy the academic requirements needed for accreditation in college, graduate, or seminary programs.

However, anyone who completes a class will receive a digital achievement certificate.

Yes! You can now access the latest Classroom design and features on the device of your choice: mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer. All of your future session progress, notes, reflections, and quizzes will be saved to your account and accessible across all platforms. If you had previous progress or notes on Classroom, your data will be synced across platforms by June 14, 2024.

Students for all scheduled filmings have been selected. But you can stay in the loop on any future in-person student opportunities by keeping an eye out for announcements on our social platforms and podcast.

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Home > Outlines and Worksheets

Written by David E. Pratte.

These copyrighted outlines and worksheets may be used on these conditions:

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See our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) if you have questions about our site.

Scripture quotations are generally from the New King James Version (NKJV), copyright 1982, 1988 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. used by permission. All rights reserved.

Free Bible Study Printables and Worksheets

Bible study printables and worksheets are a great addition to your Bible study time. They help you to focus on a passage of Scripture, theme, or topic. But sometimes, it’s hard to find printables that will enhance your Bible study time rather than detract from it, especially when you’re on a budget.

I’d like to help you by providing a number of Bible study worksheets and printables that you can download for absolutely nothing.

Why Bible Study Printables and Worksheets Can Help

Table of Contents

You may be wondering how a printable or worksheet can help you in your devotional time, so let’s talk about that first.

Many of us don’t have as much time to devote to reading and studying the Bible as we would like. Life is busy. For that reason, we have to be smart about managing our time.

This page may contain affiliate links. Read the full affiliate disclosure .

One way we can do this in our quiet time is to have a plan and that’s where printables and worksheets can help.

1. Bible Study Worksheets and Printables Provide Focus

Bible study worksheets and printables can be a lifesaver by helping us to focus on the task at hand. By having a list of things of things to do, read, or a series of questions to ask, it alleviates the floundering that sometimes causes us to resort to what I call Bible roulette (opening the Bible to a random page and asking God to show us a sign).

2. Worksheets and Printable Bible Study Lessons Provide Guidance

As Christians, we want to read and study the Bible. But the thought of 66 books, thousands of pages, and who knows how many verses and chapters can become overwhelming. It can be so overwhelming we never get past our good intentions and actually get in the Word.

Printables and worksheets provide guidance. We are given a specific passage of Scripture, topic, or verse to focus on. We are directed through a series of actions that help us to understand God’s Word in new ways, or at least, to see it with fresh eyes.

How to Use Bible Study Worksheets and Printables

I should point out that while worksheets and printables are great resources to enhance your time with God, they are not the Bible. They should be used in tandem with the Bible and are a way to improve your quiet time and should not detract from it.

While most creators of Bible study resources provide instructions on how to use the tools, you have a part to play as well. Start by asking yourself these questions:

• What type of Bible study printable or worksheet are you looking for? Are you looking for a reading plan? Do you need a Bible study on a topic or book of the Bible? Do you need something to help you marshal or work through your thoughts?
• Do you have time to use the printable or worksheet? It’s one thing to download a beautiful Bible study template, but if you only have 15-minutes to read your Bible, will you have time to use the worksheet?
• Will you use the Bible study material? This may seem like a no-brainer but, before you download the worksheet, think about whether it’s something you can realistically use. A printable Bible study lesson is no use if it sits in your download folder without being used.

Once you have answered these three vital questions, you’re ready to start using your printable Bible study guide. You can get the most out of these resources by following the steps below.

• Make sure it’s in an accessible format. If you’re a girl who likes pen and paper, print out a copy ahead of time and keep it with the rest of your Bible study supplies.
• Read the instructions (if any) that come with the printable. Bible study worksheets are usually fairly easy to figure out, but you don’t want to be fumbling during the precious moments you have carved out to study the Word.
• Collect all the necessary resources. The Bible printable or worksheet may be associated with a lesson. You want to make sure that you have every thing you need so that when you start to study the Bible, you do not have to get up for anything. Print a copy of the study beforehand so you have it to use.

Learn more about how to study the Bible .

Bible Reading Plans

Bible reading plans are a great way to zero in on a topic in the Bible, reading through a particular book, or reading the entire Bible over a period of time.

Rosevine Cottage Girls: This 12 Month Bible Reading Challenge will get you through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation in a year.

Katrina D Hamel: This Bible reading plan is a cover to cover experience but could also be used as an Old Testament/New Testament reading plan.

What Moms Make: Elizebeth’s Bible reading plan takes you through the New Testament in 30 days.

Bible Study Printables & Worksheets

Bible study printables and worksheets are a great addition to your Bible study kit. These printables and worksheets are available free of charge though some are only accessible to subscribers.

Megan Allen Ministries: Her John 1 Bible Study is great for anyone new to the inductive method of study or who wants to go deeper in the first chapter of what has been dubbed as the love gospel.

Rachel Wojo : This a collection of free Bible study printables which includes Bible reading plans, Bible study guides, and Bible journaling pages.

Busy Blessed Women: Access the library of Bible printables, Bible verse cards, and printable coloring pages.

Rejoice at Thy Word: Access the collection of Bible Study worksheets that include reading plans, and creative ways to study the Bible. Risen Motherhood: has a number of free printable Bible worksheets include Scripture cards and study sheets.

Being Confident of This: Jen offers an array of Bible worksheets and printables.

Risen Motherhood: This site has a number of free printable Bible worksheets include Scripture cards and study sheets.

Hebrews 12 Endurance: Join the community and get access to the library of Bible study printables.

Free Bible Study Guides

Bible study guides are another great resource to have in your Bible study toolkit.

Amazing Facts.org has a number of study guides that you can use to study the Bible. Explore their library of 27 Bible study guides with topics ranging from who created the devil to the bride of Christ.

Sarah Frazer: Get Bible study guides and more when you join Sarah’s email list.

Free Bible Study Templates

Bible study templates allow you to use a pre-formatted document as a guideline to achieve a particular result. These are helpful when doing things like a word or character study.

Kristy Cambron: Download the verse mapping template and start digging into the Word in new ways.

I’m Listening to God: Download Bible study method templates including the ABC Bible study method, and the SOAP devotional method template. This site also includes a number of Bible study workbooks that follow the inductive Bible study method. Explore studies on various psalms, spiritual warfare, advent, and more.

Bible Study Workbooks

Bible study workbooks usually include a space for the participant to add their notes to the Bible study. Bible study workbooks may be topical or based on a book of the Bible.

Free Online Bible Study: Enjoy Bible study lessons that can be used as an individual study or in a group. Bible study lessons include discussion questions and weekly chapter studies.

Bible Study Lessons: Explore studies on various books of the Bible. Bible study lessons include discussion questions and invite you to interact with the Bible as you seek to know more about God’s Word.

Bible Study Printables Enhance Your Devotional Time

Bible study printables are a great addition to your quiet time with God. They allow you to zero in and focus on a particular topic, theme, or book of the Bible. I hope this list of resources will give you additional Bible study tools to enhance your walk with God.

You may also like:

• Bible Study Printable Planner
• Free Printable Bible Reading Plan

Free Bible Studies – PDFs

Links to sections below:

Concise Study Series

Foundations study series, intermediate study series, comprehensive study series.

There are 7 Editions of the The Bible Unpacked , available in multiple formats (cf. The 7 Editions – Online and The 7 Editions – PDFs & eBooks ). There are Bible study questions for 4 of the editions.

For the PDF format, there are four series of topical Bible studies – below. They contain the same text as the editions they are based on, with questions added. (Blind and vision impaired users can contact this site for accessible copies.)

This series of free Bible studies is based on the Concise Edition . It is for new or young Christians.

The series has two booklets, which contain four chapters each. The chapters would usually require a session or two to complete.

For a simple printing option, go to Single Chapters .

I. What to Know

Ii. what to do.

This series of free Bible studies is based on the Foundations Edition . It is for Christians wanting a firm grounding in their faith. It is very good for studies with newer or older-teenage believers.

It is comprised of eight booklets, with five chapters each. The chapters would usually require one or two study sessions to complete.

A. God and Spiritual Powers B. God and the World: Basics C. God and the World: Jesus Christ D. God and His Own People

II. What to Do

E. Relating to God F. Church Life G. Relating to People H. Persevering

Zip file of whole series . Mobiles might need an app to download a zip file.

This series of free Bible studies is based on the Intermediate Edition . It is for Christians wanting to build on a basic understanding of the faith, and is excellent for Bible study groups.

The series is comprised of eight booklets, with five chapters each. All chapters have two major sections. Each section would usually require one or two study sessions to complete.

Zip file of whole series . (Mobiles might need an app.)

This series of free Bible studies is based on the Comprehensive Edition . It is for Christians wanting to study particular topics in more depth, and is well suited to Bible study groups.

The studies are in 40 booklets (see below) with two sections each. Each section would usually require one or two sessions to complete.

A. God and Spiritual Powers

1. God’s Being 2. God’s Character 3. Jesus Christ 4. The Holy Spirit 5. Angels, Demons and Satan

B. God and the World: Basics

6. God’s Creation 7. God’s Sovereignty 8. God’s Word 9. The Problem of Sin 10. God’s Judgment

C. God and the World: Jesus Christ

11. God’s Promised Messiah 12. Jesus Christ’s Mission 13. Salvation Through Jesus Christ 14. The New Order 15. ‘The Last Things’

D. God and His Own People

16. The Standing of God’s People 17. Keys to God’s Interaction 18. God’s Transformation of His People 19. God’s Care of His People 20. God’s Plans for His People

E. Relating to God

21. Being Right with God 22. Having Faith in God 23. Loving, Fearing and Obeying God 24. Connecting with God 25. Exalting God

F. Church Life

26. Being One Body 27. Worshiping God 28. Serving God 29. Significant Practices 30. Church Leadership

G. Relating to Other People

31. Love 32. Justice 33. Wisdom 34. Common Relationships 35. Spreading the Gospel

H. Persevering

36. Standing Firm 37. Rejecting Sin 38. Major Pitfalls 39. Hard Times 40. Persecution

The material on this website may be freely downloaded and reproduced for non-profit Christian purposes. In return, I ask you to pray regularly for persecuted Christians . For a list of organizations that provide prayer points and/or aid, go to Pray for Persecuted Christians .

Blog / 6 Bible Study Methods You Need to Know (and Try)

6 Bible Study Methods You Need to Know (and Try)

What is the goal or purpose of Bible study? While there are a number of different ways to say it they all boil down to this: We study the Bible to discover the intended meaning of a passage of Scripture and apply it to our lives today. It’s simple, but also not.

The “simple” is that we have a clear purpose. The “not” is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to getting there. That’s why different Bible study methods exist. 

What is a Bible Study method?

A Bible study method is a framework that help us understand and apply Scripture. Every method shares certain characteristics. They all incorporate observation, interpretation, application, and personal reflection. They all also place a different emphasis on one or another. Here are 6 methods we recommend:

The Inductive Method

The soap method, the text method, the verse-mapping method.

• The Topical Study Method
• The Character Study Method

The Inductive Bible Study Method is a process by which you make observations of a passage and draw conclusions from those observations. The questions at the heart of this approach typically follow the five Ws (and one H) approach many of us learned in elementary school:

• Who (who is speaking; who is the intended audience; who is present in the moment, etc.)
• What (what is this passage about; what problem is this addressing; what is happening; what is being said; what commands need to be obeyed, etc.)
• When (when is this event taking place?)
• Where (where is this event taking place, where does it fit in the larger context of the book and Scripture?)
• Why (why is this message needed, why is it relevant today?)
• How (how does this change what I know about God and humanity; how do I apply this to my life so that I can live more faithfully as a follower of Jesus?)

Many popular Bible study methods are variations of this tried-and-true approach (including many on this list). It’s also important to note that an inductive Bible study doesn’t require asking all of these types of questions every time. All you need are the passages that help you to best understand the meaning of the message and apply it.

The SOAP Method is a proven and effective approach to Bible study built on four practices:

• Scripture , reading a passage and writing out 1­–2 specific verses by hand
• Observation , asking questions of the text (who, what, where, when, how)
• Application , considering how you should respond to what you’ve read
• Prayer , thanking God for what he’s shown you, and for his empowerment as you seek to live faithfully in light of what you’ve discovered in your time in the Word

This method is at the heart of the Love God Greatly Bible . And best of all, SOAP can be used in in a verse-by-verse progression or in a topical study.

The TEXT Method is an accessible and memorable Bible study approach using four steps:

• T alk to God in prayer before you read.
• E ncounter God and humanity in Scripture as you reflect on two simple questions: what does this passage say about God, and what does it say about humanity?
• e X amine your heart, considering what needs to be confessed, added, taken away, or maintained as a follower of Jesus.
• T alk to God and others, thanking God for what he has shown you in Scripture, and sharing what he’s shown you with someone else.

This method was introduced in The TEXT , a Bible designed for teens, young adults, and new believers, and can be practiced in a verse-by-verse or topical approach.

The verse-mapping method of Bible study allows you to study the historical context, transliteration, translation, connotation, and theological framework of a verse in the Bible. After choosing a verse (or verses) to study, do the following:

• Write out your chosen verse(s)
• Write them in at least two other translations (Remember, you can read a verse in multiple translations using Bible Gateway’s free tools)
• Circle keywords to look up in the original languages and write down the definitions, synonyms, and root words
• Explore the meaning and message of the verse or verses as you consider the people, places, and context involved, and make connections to other relevant passages and concepts in Scripture (the cross references in your Bible are ideally suited for this)
• Write a 1–2 sentence summary of what you learned and consider how you can apply it

The Topical Bible Study Method

As the name suggests, this method helps you to explore in-depth a specific topic or concept within Scripture. To put this method into practice, follow the following steps:

• Choose a topic you want to explore, perhaps a theological concept or aspect of how we’re meant to live as God’s people
• Look up references to this topic (an exhaustive concordance is a helpful tool for this)
• Choose the verses you wish to study
• Ask questions about the topic
• Read the verses and see how they address your questions
• Summarize your conclusions
• Write out your application

The Character Study method

Similar to a topical study, this method focuses on a specific biblical character to learn about how God worked in and through that individual and apply what we discover to our lives. Character studies involve the following steps:

• Choose the biblical character you want to study
• Find the relevant passages about him or her
• Read your passages, and consult additional Bible study tools like Bible dictionaries, to learn everything you can about this character (the trustworthy questions who, what, when, where, and how will serve you well here)
• Find the application points for your life

Many Bible Study Methods to Reach One Truth

These different Bible study methods all share the same goal: they are designed to help you better understand and live out the truth of God’s Word. Try them all and see how they help you to know, love, and obey God daily.  

Related posts:

• Inductive Bible Study: An Interview with David Bauer
• Free Bible Commentaries, Dictionaries, and Encyclopedia for You to Consult on Bible Gateway
• 2013 Year in Review on Bible Gateway
• The Bible Is Alive and Wants to Interact with You: An Interview with Nicole Unice
• How to Use the Thompson® Chain-Reference® Bible

Filed under Bible Study , Discipleship

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Bible Studies

A new curriculum to reach the next generation.

This all-digital resource teaches the truths of Scripture in a way that helps preschoolers, kids, and students understand their true identity in Christ.

Hyfi utilizes high-quality media, games, and side-by-side learning to foster a fun atmosphere of learning and belonging.

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Old Testament Bible Studies

New testament bible studies, customize your bible studies, bible studies by topic.

Free Online Bible Studies with Popular Authors

Study God's Word with others around the world — anytime, anywhere. It's easy as 1, 2, 3!

Lifeway Bible Studies

Lifeway offers Bible studies for all your church ministries and groups including Sunday school curriculum for kids, teenagers, and adults.

Lifeway Bible studies also include studies from favorite authors for your adult and women's groups including Priscilla Shirer, Tony Evans, Jackie Hill Perry, Jen Wilkin, Matt Chandler, Lysa TerKeurst and many more. Dig deeper into your kids and youth ministries with discipleship and small studies geared specifically for them.

Christian Books and Daily Devotions

The book, The One True God - His Characteristics and Names, is available at Amazon and Walmart , and wholesale through Ingram Distributors.

The short Bible study book, God Loves You and Me (pdf format), written for the organization, Answers for Life, can be printed for personal study.

A new book is being written: God Loves You and Me Daily Devotional

Devotional Bible Lessons for Women

Some examples of devotions you may want to read are:

Mothers and fathers can be a godly influence on their children

The one true god is our loving eternal father, sacrifice - the cost of freedom, got empathy it's badly needed in our fallen world, why does god allow us to suffer - part 1, where is god when i hurt or the silence of god - part 2, index to devotions.

Each short Devotion From Gini's Heart, is a brief, down-to-earth and humorous look at life from a Biblical Christian perspective.

Some examples are:

Mothers and what normal is

There is life after this earthly existence ... even fishing, are you a good fig or a bad fig (jeremiah 24), are you intimately valued and cared for by god, or just a part of his flock, do you ever feel god has forgotten you (psalm 13), can we really ever escape the chaos of this world, index to from gini's heart, a women's free bible study on god's love, with commentary, homework, and audio devotions, revised may - july 2021.

When I first decided to do this study on God's love some years back, I was going to look up every Bible verse on love and go from there.  However the Holy Spirit made it very clear to me to write about God and what He has done for us.  This is because God’s actions scream of His love for us!

Course outline

Introduction, lesson 1 - god's love in creation, lesson 2 - god's love and our sin, lesson 3 - god's love and the death of jesus christ, lesson 4 - god's love and the holy spirit, lesson 5 - jesus christ shows us god's love, lesson 6 - god is our loving father, lesson 7 - god's love will never end, lesson 8 - god's love empowers us to love, epilogue - you can love yourself because god first loved you.

Bible Study and Prayer Printables

Free Bible Study Templates

Are you wanting to create your own Bible studies either for yourself or to share with your Bible study group?

Or maybe you want to design and sell your own Bible studies?

Either way, these editable Bible study templates will save you a lot of time!

This post may contain affiliate links, please see our full disclosure for more information.

Bible Study Templates

Bible study templates are a great way to get started with reading the Bible if you aren’t following a formal Bible study.

But they are also a great way for you to start writing your own study materials for personal use or for group use.

These free templates can be downloaded for free at home . All you have to do is fill them in! There are mulitple design layouts include one for the SOAP study method .

I do also have additional versions of these (for purchase) to give you more variations and sections (see below):

Editable Bible Study Templates

If you are wanting to start creating your own Bible studies and Bible reading plans, but you would prefer to have an editable starting point, these editable Bible study templates are exactly what you need!

I get it! Not everyone has that creative touch that enables them to quickly design things. Maybe your gift is simply to write.

If that is the case, let’s combine our gifts!

These templates are fully editable in Canva (you will need a Canva account to use them).

All of the elements are customizable so all you need to do is add text, color, and maybe some graphics to dress them up a bit!

I do have different styles and versions and you can check all of them out on my Etsy Shop .

If you need additional Bible study resources, be sure to also check out the following:

• Free Bible Study Questions
• Bible Study Ice Breakers
• Chronological Bible Reading Plan

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Women's Ministry Toolbox

Equipping leaders to cultivate a Christ-focused community

The Benefits of Bible Study Homework

Bible Studies , Bible Study & Discipleship

Below you’ll find the show notes for episode 42, The Benefits of Bible Study Homework, from the  Women’s Ministry Toolbox Podcast .

Please note: This post contains affiliate links.

Is Bible study homework necessary?

Our discipleship series continues today as we tackle tough questions about Bible study homework.

• Is it really necessary ?
• How much is too much ?
• How can we encourage women to complete their Bible study homework? 

How do your women feel about Bible study homework?

Do they hate it? Fail to get it done? 

You’ve probably heard these Bible study excuses: 

• I’m too busy.
• I don’t like to do homework. 

You or your women may even think Bible study homework isn’t necessary. Why not just meet once a week, listen to a teaching or video, and then discuss it? Isn’t that better than nothing?

Something may be better than nothing, but I’d like to think as leaders, we set the bar a bit higher.

We may assume our women already regularly study God’s Word during their personal quiet time. Unfortunately, research tells us otherwise. According to the State of the Bible 2021 , only 16% of US adults read their Bible daily.

Your women are not studying God’s Word as much as you may think they are. 

Let’s start by looking at what God says about His Word:

• Is living and active ( Hebrews 4:12 )
• Revives our soul ( Psalm 19:7 )
• Is for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness ( 2 Timothy 3:16-17 )
• Should be stored up in our hearts ( Psalm 119:10-11 )
• Is sweeter than honey ( Psalm 19:10 )
• Renews our mind ( Romans 12:2 )
• Is a light ( Psalm 119:105 )

Being in God’s Word has many benefits, but how often do we really need to be in the Word. 

Is daily Bible study biblical?

A couple of years ago, as I prepared for a keynote talk on Joshua 1:9, God directed my attention to the two verses right before it ( Joshua 1:7-8 ).“Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

There is a connection between our success (not necessarily monetary success) and God’s Word. 

The idea of meditating on scripture day and night seemed to hint at studying the Bible at a minimum of twice a day.

As I dug deeper, I discovered that the Israelites would have known the phrase “day and night” to mean always. Not just twice a day, but continuously. 

Joshua’s success was dependent on knowing God’s Word and obeying God’s Word. His strength and courage came from God through the Book of the Law (which would have included the first five books of the Bible). 

Back to the Bible has some eye-opening research.

People who engage with the Bible 4 times per week or more are:

• 228% more likely to share faith with others
• 407% more likely to memorize scripture
• 59% less likely to view pornography
• 30% less likely to struggle with loneliness

And those are just the highlights.

Bible study makes a difference!

If one of our ministry goals is spiritual growth (and it should be), encouraging regular engagement with God’s Word through Bible study homework should be a priority.

How much Bible study homework is too much?

Some of the women in your group may have large chunks of time available for Bible study homework, and others will struggle to find ways to get even the smallest amounts of Bible study homework done.

Offering homework that allows women to go deeper if they have the time can be helpful.

Bible study reading and homework that require an hour every day may not be realistic for most of your group members. 

Yet, we don’t want the homework to be so brief that women can complete it easily in one sitting. We hope that they will engage with God’s Word on multiple days (beyond Sunday mornings and once a week at Bible study).

If you’re looking for a Bible study with a manageable amount of homework, I encourage you to check out my READ Bible Study for Groups . The weekly worksheet guides women through the study of one chapter of the Bible each week, and it can be completed in less than 20 minutes a day (there’s a 4, 5, and 6-day suggested pacing included). Group facilitators lead women through the worksheet during their discussion time ( women love the discussion time ).

How can we encourage women to complete their Bible study homework?

There are many things we can do to encourage our women to complete their homework.

• Set an expectation that homework is to be completed. Some Bible study leaders make the mistake of telling women it’s okay if they don’t do the homework. While we should welcome women to attend if they don’t do the homework (God’s Word does not return void), they will get much more out of the study if they do the homework.
• Send an email in between meetings with a reminder of the homework assignment and a note of encouragement. You might share how the homework that week has been a blessing to you. Or give them a heads-up if there’s a day that may take a little more time. Be their homework cheerleader!
• Provide ample time to discuss the homework during your Bible study meeting. Some of your women will complete their homework because they want to be prepared for the discussion. But if you don’t discuss the homework, women will stop completing it. Leave enough time to discuss the homework, even if that means shortening your prayer or teaching time. Part of engaging with God’s Word is talking about it. Many women aren’t used to talking about God’s Word so give them time to practice. 
• Help women find time in their schedule for homework. With rare exception, we all choose how we spend our time, and most have pockets of time that we could spend differently. Social media can be a huge time suck for some of your women. Challenge them to do their Bible study homework before checking their phone. Some of your women might need to get up 30 minutes earlier. Some of your women may need to trade TV time for time in God’s Word. Sharing how you make time to get your homework done may be helpful.
• Offer Bible studies that include homework that is meaningful and manageable. Women will lose patience over fill-in-the-blank homework or homework where the author hands the answer to them on a silver platter. Homework should be challenging, but not so challenging, that women who are new to studying God’s Word cannot answer any of the questions.

In my book, Rethinking Women’s Ministry , I share about my friend Melissa. Melissa’s very first Bible study ever was a homework-heavy Bible study. There were hours of homework, and it was necessary to look at several different scripture passages every week. Just finding those verses in the Bible was challenging for Melissa. It would have been easy for her to give up, but she didn’t. She may not have attended every week, but she tried, and she stuck with it. 

Our Bible study leader certainly encouraged Melissa to work at her own pace and never made her feel less than for incomplete homework . I believe it was the fellowship and friendships she was developing in our group that kept her coming back week after week.

We all have to start somewhere. 

The goal is not perfection, but growth. 

Bible study homework is one way to encourage strong, healthy growth in the women in our groups transforming their relationship with God and others.

Is it ever okay to not give your women homework?

Well… offering a Bible study during the summer is one situation in which you might want to purposefully offer a Bible study option that does not include homework. Knowing that they are going to miss a week or two of a 6-week Bible study due to summer vacations and activities might be enough to deter them from signing up. If your church is big enough, you might want to offer both homework and no-homework options.

Today’s Toolbox Task:

• Prayerfully assess your homework policies.
• Take steps to encourage your women to complete their homework. 

Bible study homework can produce great spiritual growth and transform relationships with God and others.

Thank you for reading.

Leading in women’s ministry can be lonely, but it doesn’t have to be! You’ll find support and ideas you can use in the  Women’s Ministry Toolbox Community Facebook Group . We’d love for you to join us!

You may also want to read: Teaching Women to Read the Bible Three Keys to Consistent Bible Study How to Be a Great Bible Study or Small Group Leader Why I’m Tired of Bible Study Books How to Launch Your Next Bible Study Session Tips to Increase Your Women’s Bible Study Attendance Bible Study Facilitator Training

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May 3, 2022 at 10:38 pm

Powerful and inspiring

May 16, 2022 at 5:05 pm

April 7, 2022 at 11:39 am

Thank you for your guidance about this. It has been an issue in the Bible study I lead and I appreciate your help!

April 17, 2022 at 6:09 pm

You’re welcome! I’m so glad you found this helpful. Praying your women will see the value of Bible study homework. <3

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Faith - February 12, 2018

Best small group bible studies.

One of my MOST frequently asked questions is what the best small group bible studies are or whether or not I recommend any. And after getting this question time and time again, I decided it was time I dedicate an entire resource page on my blog to answering this question. I intend to keep this updated as I learn more and discover additional studies.

When I polled Team BTD on their favorite (group) Bible studies, I got A LOT of different responses from women (and some men too!) in different stages of life and with different backgrounds too. I love that. (I also got emails) I read through every single one of them, making a list of every single study mentioned. I also got several DMs from people after mentioning I was compiling a list on my IG stories.

In addition to the ones I collected from Team BTD (and friends), I added a few I had personally heard about AND actually gone through myself, and then started the vetting process.

How Did We Pick The Books On The List?

For each of the studies included in the list, it was extremely important to me that they met the following criteria:

1. Biblically sound – Let’s not be taken in by a public figure who is confident, assertive, and appears to be biblical. Our duties as Christians include biblical discernment—which can only be done by examining what a person says and comparing it with Scripture. Proclaiming God’s word is serious business. Anyone who sets out to teach the Bible should commit to being as faithful to Scripture as possible. Otherwise, people will be seriously misled.

2. Culturally relevant and relatable – Not all Bible studies are easy to relate to. I wanted to make sure the “voice” of each author is one that is easy to understand. So you’d feel like you were learning and reading from someone who GETS you and your struggles

3. Challenging – Asking hard questions that help you grow in your personal walk/relationship with Christ is essential. Rather than keeping things on the surface, I think it’s important that a Bible study pushes you individually (and your group when you meet) to face hard truths and dig deep into how we’re living our lives. Otherwise, what’s the point, right?

4. Truth-filled – It’s important to me that a Bible study is heavy on encouraging you to read ACTUAL Scripture. After all, it should be a BIBLE study guide rather than a compilation of personal stories and opinions. So each of these on this list is chock-full of Scripture too and encourages you to read through different parts of the Bible as you go through it

5. Conducive to a group setting

The List: Best Small Group Bible Studies

Before going into the list, I want to note that among the comments , there were several Bible study authors who came up continually – authors with multiple studies. I wanted to list them out as I didn’t include ALL their studies in the list. After doing some research, it seems safe to say that any Bible study from the following list of authors would be a great option for your small group: Priscilla Shirer , Beth Moore , Jen Wilkin , She Reads Truth , Kay Arthur , Elisabeth Elliot . 

And gosh, I’m also pretty nervous publishing this list because I don’t want to offend anyone by not including them on the list. Please know that this list only covers what I had time to decipher for myself and feel is best for the BTD community. There could very well be MORE out there that I’m just not aware of, all of which could be perfectly amazing options for your small group to go through.

I know I am not the end-all-be-all of small group studies, I just wanted to provide a resource for the BTD community. I get this question all the time, so I wanted to compile a list to send people to for reference purposes. I still have lots more to read and learn myself! Oh, and one more thing, some Bible studies automatically come with DVDs and/or download instructions, others only come in the Leader Kits (and some have no videos)—details you might want to check into as you consider each study.

Lies Women Believe By Nancy DeMoss

I’ve been telling so many people about this amazing book. A real game changer, it has brought me face to face with the lies I believed about myself (that struggle shouldn’t be part of my story), lies about others (their grass is for sure greener), lies about sin (I can handle it; it won’t get that bad), lies about success (it should go quicker; it shouldn’t be a process), and lies about consequences (it won’t impact me the way I’ve been warned it will). I can seriously keep going—the list is endless!

Lies get us in trouble because, once we start believing them, we become blinded to the fact that we’re being deceived in the first place. It creates a darkness in our lives that prevent us from seeing things for what they really are. Nancy DeMoss is genius at using God’s truth to shed light on how to overcome Satan’s crafty ways and walk in God’s grace, forgiveness, and abundant life like never before.

I should also note that, in addition to Lies Women Believe (which isn’t an actual study), there’s The Companion Guide For Lies Women Believe: Life-Changing Study for Individuals and Groups.

Lies Women Believe by Nancy DeMoss

Every single woman should have this book in an easy-to-reach spot because there are so many golden nuggets here, y’all. It’s incredible. And I am constantly reaching back for it when I’m needing a healthy dose of truth. I cannot recommend it enough!

Seamless: Understanding the Bible as One Complete Story By Angie Smith

There’s no getting around it: the Bible is a difficult thing to wrap our brains around. But Angie Smith. In her seven-session book, Seamless, she does a fantastic job of unpacking the overarching themes of Scripture in all of their interwoven, oftentimes mind-numbing complexity. She weaves together the Old and New Testaments until we finally see the big picture, all the while staying gospel-centered—which is so important to me. And for the visual learner, there are maps and timelines—always a fan of those.

I especially like this book because y’all are always telling me you want to be more confident in your understanding of the people, places, and promises of the Bible. I’m not just talking about those of you new in your faith, but those who have grown up in church. Seamless will help you make connections you surprisingly never made in Sunday school. I’m telling you, it’ll remove the insecurities you have regarding the greatest story ever told. And it’s perfect to do as a group—no matter its size—which will help to truly drive home the concepts.

Seamless by Angie Smith

I love how Angie breaks down the Bible in such easy-to-consume steps and makes it all seamlessly fit together into one beautiful story. You can’t go wrong with this study! I’m doing it right now without the videos and I am loving it!

No Other Gods: The Unrivaled Pursuit of Christ By Kelly Minter

Kelly Minter’s No Other Gods touches upon something I’ve been thinking about lately: my innate desire to run after comfortable things. Could comfort be a modern-day idol for me, the kind Kelly exposes in her book? She says anything our heart prioritizes before God is taking up space that is meant for Him alone. Sure money, power, and fame are the more popular modern-day idols, but what about making an idol out of Pinterest, loved ones, and even doing ministry at church? Check, check, and check.

In addition to instructional videos, homework, and various activities, there are recipes. Recipes! I’m not used to recipes in Bible studies. So I dug a little and found that one of the recipes that Kelly shares is for Cilantro Black Beans and Rice, which sounds amazing right about now. The purpose behind it is to grow friendship within your small group. Friends + food + Jesus = Yes, please.

No Other Gods by Kelly Minter

1 peter: a living hope in christ by jen wilkin.

After doing a little due-diligence on Jen Wilkin’s 1 Peter: A Living Hope in Christ, I discovered it’s the perfect study for those who struggle with “big picture” thinking. Peter, an eyewitness to the life of Jesus and a man of both faith and flaws, gets us looking past our present circumstances to our eternal home in heaven. I love that. And 1 Peter sifts through God’s thoughts on humility, submission, and true identity, which should be in Christ alone. I love that too!

As for reviews, they’re saying if you’re looking for an in-depth, dig-to-the-root-of-Scripture study, this is the one you’ve been waiting for all your life. But don’t let that overwhelm you; folks absolutely love the structure of this nine-session study with eight weeks of homework, as Jen takes you verse-by-verse.

1 Peter by Jen Wilkin

The quest: an excursion toward intimacy with god by beth moore.

This one looks SO GOOD. People are saying they’re captivated after only reading the first few sentences of this six-session study, complete with interactive teaching videos. Beth Moore’s The Quest views faith as something that develops over a lifetime, as we grapple with doubts and questions that naturally pop-up as we seek after things we don’t fully understand. And since there’s so much I don’t understand, I love the idea of doing a study that welcomes my endless ponderings, viewing them as essential to growth.

As I read the reviews, intimacy with God was a recurring theme. Why it’s even in the subtitle: An Excursion Toward Intimacy with God. I’m seriously giddy about the reviews: “It brought me back to a personal relationship with God,” and “I’m on my second week and God is already using this journey to bring me closer to Himself.” And beyond the homework part of it, there’s space for journaling and reflection, which I have found to be a non-negotiable for intimacy with God.

The Quest by Beth Moore

Finding i am by lysa terkeurst.

I have to say, a study that explores the significance of Jesus’s seven “I AM” statements in the Gospel of John sounds BEYOND amazing. Lysa TerKeurst goes deep right away with this one, as she teaches “onsite” in the Holy Lands. And lots of reviews are saying the illustrations are pretty gorgeous too, which of course is a major bonus because of that alone appeals to my visual learning self.

Finding I Am doesn’t shy away from asking the kinds of questions we oftentimes ignore or simply drown-out with noise: “What is the deep cry of your heart? The ache in your soul that keeps you up at night? The prayer you keep repeating?” And based on my research, this study will challenge us to shift our thinking from “slave mentality” to “set free mentality,” trading in our feelings of emptiness for the “fullness of knowing who Jesus is.”

Finding I Am

Restless: because you were made for more by jennie allen.

Seriously, just reading the description of this study made me ooo and ahh—and it got major props from reviewers too. Jennie Allen puts into place a practical plan that helps people find clarity, purpose, and passion in their lives. The way she connects with a woman’s feelings and needs is unmatched. “She could have been writing my heart. And I am only in chapter five,” says one gal. “This book is riddled with yellow highlighter for the phrases and words that impacted my soul,” says another.

There are eight sessions, all video-based, and she uses the story of Joseph to show how his trials, giftings, and relationships fit into God’s ultimate story. And through use of the tool, “Threads,” Jennie shows you how to identify the threads of your own life and braid them together for God’s purposes. And the way she cheers you on and gets you to dream . . . she’s like the best girlfriend ever.

Restless by Jennie Allen

Armor of god by priscilla shirer.

A good friend of mine shared an analogy that Priscilla Shirer uses in Armor of God, regarding how we must daily “put on” armor to resist the enemy’s attacks. The first of which is the belt of truth, which is the Word of God. And being one who loves analogies, I was all ears. She talked about airport security and how the TSA shines a special light on licenses and passports to make sure they’re the real deal. They do this because they don’t trust their own sight; they need something outside of themselves—a special light—to test authenticity. And that, my friends, is what the Word of God does. Wow. It is “a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path” (Psalm 119:105).

As Priscilla takes you through each piece of the armor of God, she helps you develop a personalized course of action to ward off Satan’s attacks on your emotions, your mind, your relationships, and your future. Her videos are riveting—she is THE BEST speaker—and throughout the homework, she spends a lot of time implementing practical prayer strategies in this seven-session study.

Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer

Women of the word by jen wilkin.

Turns out Jen Wilkin is one of the faves here, as she made my top Bible study list TWICE. First I listed her book,1 Peter: A Living Hope in Christ, and now we have Women of the Word. Just to be clear, this study isn’t solely about women in the Bible—Esther, Ruth, Mary, and so on. Rather it offers a concise plan that brings women into a deeper understanding of Scripture. (Just thought I’d make that point). And based on my reviews, men are way into this study too!

Jen addresses the hiccups that commonly arise when jumping into the Word: frustration from past experiences, never able to find the time, and “emotionally-driven approaches”—which are often fueled by guilty motives. This incredibly practical book will truly change such thinking, as your heart and mind become transformed. Kathy Keller, the brilliant wife of the fantastic Pastor Timothy Keller, says you will “discover the meaning of the text in the sweep of God’s redemptive plan. Women of the Word will help anyone who reads it to find their way deeper into the Word of God without having to be seminary educated, a genius, or even an especially good student.”

Women of The Word by Jen Wilkin

Open your bible by she reads truth.

If you’re like me and long for no fluff and lots of substance when it comes to choosing a Bible study, Open Your Bible will hit the spot. Whether you know your Bible from Genesis-to-maps or . . . not, this study will truly build a foundation from the ground up. And what I read in the reviews is that it will give you a greater appreciation for the Word of God and its authority in our lives, creating a thirst for truth you may not even realize you have. I like that. A lot.

Another thing I like about Open Your Bible’s seven-group-session study is that it uses real-life examples along with lots of Scripture, and it has a Concordance that explores different methods of Bible study and practical tips on how to memorize Scripture. Oh, and the videos are online—and optional. But basically, you can’t go wrong with anything from She Reads Truth.

Open Your Bible by She Reads Truth

The emotionally healthy woman by geri and peter scazzero.

Reviews are coming in hot, with statements like, “I feel like this was written just for me.” But apparently, quite a few guys are doing this workbook too, filling the world with a lot of emotionally healthy men. (Amen.) The premise is based on Geri Scazzero’s “quitting” of her inauthentic and superficial church back in the day, which meant she had to quit denying her anger and sadness, quit trying to live another woman’s life, and quit caring what others think. And suddenly the courage needed to let go of everything that doesn’t belong to God’s kingdom began to surface. I know I need that kind of courage.

The Emotionally Healthy Woman by Geri and Peter Scazzero

Follow me bible study by david platt.

Although I cannot speak for the Bible study version of this book, I can say that the actual “Follow Me” book literally changed my life. I wrote a little bit about it in this blog post a few years about. But since it was actually really hard to get all my thoughts on paper, my blog post truly only touched the surface of all that rocked my world in that book. And I don’t mean rock my world in a good way. It was a hard book to read. But Platt doesn’t hold back on truth and he doesn’t sugarcoat the harsh realities of the Christian life. His writings are challenging and call to question unpopular topics.

From what I gather about his Follow Me Bible Study, it has six group sessions and six weeks of personal Bible study. The reviews are across the board in love with this study. And while it’s convicting, it never once is demoralizing. When Jesus says, “Follow Me,” David Platt explains that it’s not an invitation to say a prayer, rather a summons to lose our lives.

Follow Me Bible Study by David Platt

What about you.

What has been your experience with group devotionals? Are there any studies that #TEAMBTD MUST know about?! Please do share in the comments! Also, do you like this post?! We spent A LOT of time on it and I truly hope it blesses and serves as a resource from some of you! After all, everything we do is for YOU.

Thanks for reading! Xo, B

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