On any given Wednesday night across North America someone is standing and teaching, lecturing, and/or preaching to other believers about matters of the faith. Nothing wrong with that! Probably need more of it. Could I recommend that we not call it ‘bible study’ though? The speaker has studied (hopefully), but has the audience? Why is there an ‘audience’ in the first place? If it is a group study… shouldn’t the group study?
I confess that over the years I have been involved in a number of so-called ‘studies’ that were nothing more than group-think or a chaotic ‘what she said’ environments. I wouldn’t call that very healthy either. Even on occasion, I have stumbled in on a few arguments and polarizing debates of interpretive opinion. People?! This is not at all what the New Testament teaches.
Sitting together, in one accord, studied and ready to listen, learn and share is what we are talking about. Yes, there must be a guide, a teacher, or discipler at some level. Even if that guide is a facilitator of study, someone further along in the faith should be helping the rest with answers and keeping the discussion viable and appropriate. Jesus gave us this example. “and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: …and taught them, saying” (Matthew 5.1-2). To me it doesn’t sound like much a ‘sermon’ on a mount but more like a lesson taught to His own disciples from a seated position. Speaking of that, in the culture this took place, most taught from a seated position, allowing for discussion and examples.
As we study through the Gospels we see Jesus’ pattern stay pretty much the same. Sometimes He would separate them and expound further the principles or the parable He has just taught. Other times, He would speak openly to a crowd and bring them all further in their understanding while these men were in the midst. On occasion, He would separately speak to one or a few of them in the presence of the others and sometimes alone. He taught them, yes, but we see discussion, questions, answers, even on occasion some spirited back-and-forth. He reasoned with them.
Reasoning with people, was the method the Apostle Paul implored as well. This was His normal means of dealing with lost and disciples alike. An example is found in Acts 17.2-3— “And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging…” This was his modus operandi, as seen in the phrase “as his manner was”. When dealing with the lost: He would go to them, not expect them to show up at a service time; He would spend some time (3 sabbath days), not a quick-make-a-decision now; He would reason with them, not tell them or take-it-or-leave it; He would do so out of the scriptures, not his notes or intellect, and definitely not his opinion; He would open the scripture to them, not notes or a book; Last, He would allege certain claims about Jesus, etc.
This reasoning, opening, and alleging is what I have put into practice in my own ministry. It matters not if I am: preaching, teaching, counseling, or discussing in a meeting…it’s all the same to a discipler. Of course it’s contextual and expounding, but not always an outline or prepared notes. We need more disciples, and less pew warmers. We need less opinion givers, and more Gospel givers. I do not feel fulfilled when I simply speak to an audience. My fulfillment and peace that I am doing God’s will occurs when I see that someone ‘get it’ and starts to live it. I like the back-and-forth and relish the moments I hear that a disciple is now teaching someone else— having them over to the house for coffee or food and fellowship. Guess what else they are doing? Yes… opening and alleging certain beliefs about Jesus and His commands.
Get together with some other believers, have a discipler there to guide you and teach you. While there, make sure to actively listen. But not just that… participate, ask questions, give examples, get personal, be faithful to what the Holy Spirit promoted you, and make sure to share the experience next time you’re together.