How should a men’s Bible study be conducted?

Pastor Mike’s Answer (edited)

A Bible study should have a prepared teacher who has done the work of interpreting the passage accurately. The group should not begin with everyone offering a different opinion about what the text means.

There are three stages in handling Scripture: interpretation, forming timeless principles from the text, and application. The teacher should study the historical, grammatical, and linguistic context, determine what the passage means, and then express its enduring principles.

That work takes time. Second Timothy 2:15 calls us to handle the word of truth accurately. A casual opinion offered during a discussion should not displace careful study by someone trained and gifted to teach.

After the teaching, small-group discussion should concentrate on application. The teacher can prepare questions based on the principles of the passage, and trained group leaders can guide the men in discussing how those truths should change their conduct.

The group can then encourage accountability during the week and return the following week for another cycle of teaching, application, and obedience. That model works not only for men’s studies but for women’s studies and other small groups as well.