|
Catholic Bible Studies 3 Dwight Longenecker, a convert to Catholicism and a popular writer and retreat giver, gives some tips on how to set up and run an effective bible study group.
|
|
Who's going to come? The second question is, 'Who is going to come to this group?' In my experience posters, church notices and two lines in the parish newsletter simply don't work. You need to decide who you would like to come to the group, then invite them. Small groups are a chance for like-minded people to meet together. Don't be ashamed of inviting your friends, but at the same time don't consciously exclude anyone. Holy huddles don't do much good.If one of your aims is to provide a growth point for your parish, then have a plan of how you are going to grow. Start with about half a dozen. Ask them to invite their friends. Build the groups to about twelve. When you grow to twenty split into two groups and keep building. I know of a parish in Surrey where there are nearly seventy people involved in about a dozen home study groups. Qualities to look for in someone who will lead group Third question: Ask who is going to lead the Bible study. The one who administers and leads the group is not necessarily the one to lead the Bible study itself. The Bible study leader should have a teaching gift. They should be confident to find the resources they need and do the homework required to make the Bible study worth coming to. The leader need not have lots of academic qualifications. They do need a passion for the subject, a willingness to do the homework and an ability to communicate. Prayer and music too? Fourth question. Is your group going to have music and prayer as well as Bible study? Music is tricky. Can you do it well? Bad music is worse than no music. If you are going to have a prayer time will it be formal prayer, meditation, informal 'talking to God' prayer or a mixture? Who is going to lead it? Will informal prayer embarrass people and make them run a mile? Be sensitive to where your members are spiritually and decide together what sort of group you will have.Once you have got the basics worked out decide what to study. Most beginners would do well to do a Biblical overview. With Bible reference books start to learn your way around the Bible together. Discover where and when the different books of the Bible were written. With Bible notes and reference books (like a Bible dictionary) learn about the historical and cultural context of each book. Use a Bible atlas to unlock the geographical background of the Bible story. Once you have an overview of the Bible you can get started looking at a particular part of the Bible. Liturgical approach There are three different ways to approach Bible study: 1. Liturgical 2. Thematic 3. Textual. The liturgical approach is probably best for beginners. In this simple approach you study the readings from the missal for the next week. Using commentaries and study resources the leader takes the group
through the readings. He or she explains the background, the context and the reason they were chosen for that week. If you want more detail, then decide to focus on just one of the readings. This approach has the advantage that it links the group to the whole church. Scripture must always be read in the context of the Church. As St Augustine said,' We must read the Scriptures seated in the lap of our Mother the Church.' Thematic approach The second approach is thematic. With this method the leader follows either a liturgical or theological theme throughout the Bible. So, for example, the group decides to look at images of Christ. They then study the whole Bible, tracing the rich meanings locked in titles like 'Lamb of God', 'Good Shepherd', 'Glorious King' and 'Suffering Servant.' The thematic approach can also be used to discover what the Bible says about particular moral or theological questions. So the group may wish to see what the Bible says about abortion or homosexuality or issues of wealth and poverty. They might like to study a theological theme like the Eucharist or the Holy Spirit or the person and work of Jesus Christ. This approach requires a fair bit of Bible knowledge on the part of the leader. Some good resources are available however, to direct this kind of thematic Bible study. Textual approach
Some practical pointers: First, keep it simple. It is easy to get into too much detail. Second, apply the Scriptures to everyday needs without falling into personal reflection. It is fine to ask 'what is the Scripture saying to us here today.' It does not help the group too much when the application of Scripture becomes extremely personal. Finally, don't forget to pray. Bathe your Bible study in prayer. Without the Spirit the Word of God is a dead letter. Ask the Spirit to guide your planning of the group. Ask him to inspire your study and preparation, and ask him to bless the group as it meets. You might feel you are making mistakes, but the Spirit will guide us into God's truth despite our stumbling steps. Dwight Longenecker is available to help parishes and groups study the Bible better. If you would like to consult him, or would like him to lead a seminar on better Bible study he can be contacted c/o Goodnews Office. Good News Books also stocks a whole variety of bibles and bible reference material. Ring them and discuss your needs and they will help you at Good News Books, 15 Barking Close, Luton, Beds LU4 9HG Tel 01582 571011 or fax 01582 571012 website www.goodnewsbooks.net
|
There
is a great thirst among many people today to know more about the scriptures.
One of the best ways to do this is to set up a Bible study group.
For this to succeed and be effective, however, you first have to
ask yourself some probing questions. First you should ask why you
want to have a Bible study group at all. What are your aims? What's
the point? It is good to simply learn more about the Bible, but most
groups also aim to nurture Christian friendship between members, foster
prayer and provide a spiritual growth point for a parish. Once you've
decided your aims you can move on to the next question. 
A
third method of Bible study is called 'textual'. This simply means
that a particular portion of the Bible is selected for study. You
may pick a particular book of the Bible or a particular portion of
one book. Then with commentaries, Biblical notes and study resources
the leader takes the group through the Scripture portion from start
to finish, and together they explore the rich levels of meaning in
that particular text. This method of Bible study is quite intensive,
but very rewarding. 
