Book of the Month – Bible study guides

Finding the next study for your group can be a daunting and frustrating process. The choices seem limitless. I ask friends, visit my local Christian bookstore and search online. Sometimes I find a gem, and sometimes I shrug in frustration and resort to choosing a “book by its cover.” Book of the Month on LifeSupport is a place for leaders to come alongside other leaders with recommendations and reviews of studies that have worked for their groups.

You can help, too. Grab our email address from the “ask a question” tab at the top of the home page. Send us a note and let us know which studies or books you’d recommend to other leaders. We’ll get back to you with a simple form and a few questions.

Looking for your next study? Here’s an idea: Consider alternating books by Christian authors with books of the Bible. If you’re not in the habit of doing this, you might be surprised at the results. I’ve seen people get really excited about commentaries and begin to develop the discipline of regular Bible reading.

There may be no better way to help others develop a hunger for God’s Word than opening it and tasting of it in the context of community. In our group, we’ve used two different inductive Bible study guides.

• LifeChange from NavPress. A comprehensive study series that includes some commentary, study Bible style notes, references to other passages of scripture, and additional questions for thought and discussion. It does a great job of explaining how the book fits into the overall framework of the Bible story. However, the volume of material can be slightly overwhelming for busier members of your group. As a facilitator, you may find it challenging to get through it all in one meeting. Participants can expect to spend two or more hours of home study to complete each lesson. Click here for more information on the LifeChange series.

• John Stott by InterVarsity Press. This series takes a simpler, straightforward approach and includes some limited commentary. I’ve found it easier to use because it primarily examines the text being studied, which minimizes the potential for taking other texts out of context. This series is great for newer Bible students (and really busy people!). Completing a lesson each week during group time is not difficult. Participants can expect to spend about an hour and a half in preparation for each lesson. Click here for more information on the John Stott series.

“So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)
Paul