The Zone Gathering

This is the fourth and final in a series of posts comprising the notes from the inductive Bible study breakout session that was offered at the annual Leadership Retreat in January.

Leading an Inductive Bible Study

There are three guiding principles to leading an inductive Bible study: prayer, preparation, and patience.

Prayer

Inductive Bible study is a powerful method for learning God’s precepts so that we may apply them to our lives.  It challenges us as learners and allows us to practice the intellectual dimension of discipleship.  Yet apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, inductive Bible study will only be a method.  Jesus promised His disciples the wisdom of the Holy Spirit before going to the cross: “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.  He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you” (John 16:13-14).

Begin with prayer and continue with an attitude of prayer.  As leaders, praying for our group members is one of our most basic responsibilities.  As you lead an inductive Bible study, pray that the Holy Spirit will guide each individual into God’s truth and open their eyes so that they may behold wondrous things.

Preparation

Suppose you were going to teach someone to cook a complicated meal.  You wouldn’t just hand them a recipe and tell them to get started.  You would make sure they had the necessary ingredients and tools on hand, an understanding of the objectives, and you would try the recipe beforehand to see if you could make it yourself.  Preparation would precede the actual practice.

Similarly, to lead an inductive Bible study requires you to be prepared.  This will mean a prayerful and careful study of God’s Word.  It may require you to invest in some good supplemental learning tools and learn how to use them.  At the very least, you will need to have a good study Bible in an accurate and readable translation.  In short, the better prepared you are, the better you will be able to prepare others.

Patience

Learning how to study the Bible inductively is not an easy task.  It requires personal discipline and an investment of time.  As a leader, you undoubtedly will encounter group  members who have never studied the Bible or who have little knowledge as to its basic structure, themes, and purposes (note: these individuals would benefit from joining “The Story” small group which meets each May!).  Many of them may be in the habit of deductively reading their Bibles and searching for passages to support what they already think.  They may base their knowledge of God and the Bible based on the interpretations of others, which may or may not be accurate.  For these individuals, you may need to help reorient their basic thinking about the Bible and demonstrate the benefits of allowing Scripture to speak for itself.

As in all leadership situations, it is important to have patience with your group members and with yourself.  Leading an inductive Bible study will challenge you, but witnessing your group members grow in their understanding of and appreciation for God’s Word will be a tremendous blessing.

Building Community in an Inductive Bible Study

Getting into the “nitty-gritty” of God’s Word and applying the principles of inductive Bible study, exegesis, and hermeneutics may seem like a purely academic exercise that stifles community and fellowship in a small group.  However, there are several ways to incorporate and build community through inductive Bible study.

• Pray for one another.  Prayer is a critical element of effective Bible study, and praying for the Holy Spirit’s revelation in one another’s lives is a blessing.

• Share struggles and allow for the confession of sin.  The Word of God is a plumb line and defines the standard of righteousness to which we are called.  When sin “bubbles up,” use the opportunity to pray and study God’s Word for truth and encouragement.

• Give group members an opportunity to share their interpretations of a biblical passage.  Lively (but controlled) discussion can enhance community.  When conflicting opinions arise, pray for the Holy Spirit’s revelation and use the opportunity to walk through the passage and apply the principles of inductive study together.

• Allow group members to talk about how they will apply the truths they have learned in their own lives.  John Ortberg has said “the goal is not to get through the Scriptures; it’s to get the Scriptures through you.”  Application, the third phase of inductive Bible study, presents a wonderful opportunity for community-building.  It encourages transparency and accountability.

The Learner’s Diet

Inductive Bible study is designed to help the disciple observe and interpret God’s Word correctly so that it may be applied effectively in his or her life.  However, it is not the only method of studying God’s Word and growing in knowledge of Him.  The effects of inductive study are magnified when practiced in context with other methods of learning, including meditation (reading, praying, and mulling over the passage, letting the Holy Spirit speak to you), reading (reading through large portions of Scripture in one sitting, taking in the overall “story” of the Bible), and memorization (committing verses to memory).

Learners also may find it beneficial to supplement their study of the Bible and devotional reading with other books on theology, apologetics, spiritual disciplines, and Christian encouragement.  These resources should not substitute for personal study of God’s Word but enhance our understanding of it.

One final word about inductive Bible study…you may not be able to devote large chunks of time every day to this type of study.  That is ok.  Most people find that it is best to separate devotional reading from study.  For example, you may spend time each morning reading a few chapters of the Bible or meditating on a few verses and praying.  However, it may be useful to carve a block of time (an hour or two) every week devoted to inductive study.  This is when you will do your word studies and “heavy” interpretation.  Don’t let the demands of inductive Bible study keep you from doing it…you don’t have to do it every day for it to be effective.  Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you when and how to study inductively!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 21st, 2007 at 10:04 am and is filed under Bible Drills. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.