Summer has finally arrived. Some churches may already have started advertising their upcoming study options and all you have to do is sign up! We hope you will take advantage of what they offer as we believe discipleship should happen primarily in the context of the local church. If your church is like mine, we currently only have group studies offered during the spring and fall semester. As a result, you may be looking for something to study this summer. Here are a few suggestions for you to study God’s Word.
Definitions:
- Bible studies are designed to help you dig deeper into the Bible.
- A topical study is written to help you learn more about a specific topic such as the image of God, church history, the story of Scripture, etc.
- Book studies are simply that; reading a book to learn more about God. For example, None Like You by Jen Wilkin helps the reader understand 10 ways God is different from people and why that is a good thing.
“Bible Study Tip: What should be studied next?
We love these Bible Study tips from Colleen Searcy. If you have not signed up for her newsletter, you should!
Many are wrapping up spring Bible studies and considering what to study next.
“A few thoughts as you look to your next study:
- Take time to reflect about your Bible study. What did God reveal about himself as you read his Word? What did you learn about people? How exciting that we serve a God who delights in revealing himself to the people he made! Write down two or three takeaways from your study that you hope to never forget.
- Take time to rejoice in what was accomplished during your Bible study, whether you studied alone or with a group. The words of Psalm 19 come to mind…The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes…by them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Did God revive your soul, give you wisdom, enlighten your eyes, or warn you as you studied? Rejoice in this!
- Take time to pray. Ask God for wisdom as you plan. Ask him if he wants you to try something new, then listen. Ask him to bless your study, and to draw people to attend. Ask him to reveal himself to those who will be studying alongside you.
- Take time to record your goals for your next study. Here are a few prompts to get you started: What will be distinct about your Bible study? (For instance, is it for high school students? Is it for neighbors who are new to the study of the Bible? Is it for you to have a better understanding of the life of Jesus?) When your Bible study wraps up, what do you want the results to be?What excites you most when you visualize Bible study?” From Colleen Searcy, Meet Me in the Bible
Suggestions are listed in order of time required for the study (from the least amount of time to the most involved study)
Old Testament
- Waiting for Hope-Malachi Study (Women’s) or (Men’s) by The Daily Grace Company
- Isaiah: Good News for the Wayward and Wondering by Jonathan Gibson
- Proverbs by The Village Church (homework and video)
New Testament
- Follow Me: A Study on the Gospel of Mark (Women’s) or (Men’s) by The Daily Grace Company
- The Book of Romans: Part I with JD Greear on RightNow Media
- Abide (A study of 1, 2, 3 John) by Jen Wilkin (includes homework and weekly videos)
Topical: Theology
“We’re not only called to make disciples but to teach them to obey God’s Word. And we can’t teach what we don’t know. The very essence of the Great Commission rests on us transmitting teaching to other disciples who then make disciples.” Jen Wilkin
- Faith Foundations: A Study on the Basics of Christianity (Women’s) or (Men’s) by The Daily Grace Company
- The Loved Bible Project Foundations Workbook
- Everyday Theology: What You Believe Matters by Mary Wiley
Book Studies
- Faithful: The Covenant God from Eden to Eternity (Women’s) or (Men’s) by The Daily Grace Company
- Redeeming Money: How God Reveals and Reorients our Hearts by Paul David Tripp
- Gospel-Centered Discipleship by Jonathan Dodson