Transcript ICCF Bible Study Leader Training

ICCF Bible Study Leader Training
Fall 2006
Icebreaker: Life Time Line
Keys to Effective Bible Study
Leading
1. Study the Bible
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Of course, we should study the Bible. Not
opinions or guesses! So, always point back
to the passage.
In order to be able to lead others in
studying the Bible, you must first study it
yourself.
“You can only lead others as far as you
yourself have gone.”
Thus, it is critical to have regular Bible
reading, study, and prayer in your life.
Why is prayer important?
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All the study and preparation in the world
does no good if the Holy Spirit is not moving!
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the
Father will send in my name, will teach you
all things and will remind you of everything I
have said to you.”
- John 14:26 (NIV, emphasis mine)
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he
will guide you into all truth. “
- John 16:13 (NIV)
Why is prayer important?
“However, as it is written:
"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him"—but God
has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the
man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the
thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received
the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we
may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we
speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words
taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual
words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things
that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to
him, and he cannot understand them, because they are
spiritually discerned.”
- 1Cor. 2:9-14
2. Induction vs. Deduction
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Induction means examining the facts,
then drawing a logical conclusion from
them
 Deduction means starting with a
statement or ideas, then looking for
facts which prove them to be true
 “Induction is the logic of discovery,
while Deduction is the logic of proof”
The Three Steps of the Inductive
Method
1.
2.
3.
Observation
Interpretation
Application
Which is the most important?
3. Have a plan
A Bible Study without a plan may go
nowhere, or everywhere: both are bad!
 Don’t “enforce” your plan, but have a
direction.
 However, be open to the Spirit’s
leading.
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Why to have a plan
People are more likely to feel engaged
if they sense there is a direction.
 Having a plan allows you to bypass
“distracting” questions.
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4. Get people involved
Your job as a leader is to facilitate
discussion, not give answers.
 Part of involving others is making them
feel encouraged.
 Of course, don’t “push” people, but we
learn best when we can feel
engaged/involved.
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Building trust
1.
2.
3.
4.
Refer back to comments made earlier
in a positive way.
Even if an answer is not quite correct,
try and be encouraging.
If someone cannot answer the
question, don’t just move on – have
others help them out.
Try and encourage even quiet people
to speak. (Two tricks.)
5. The importance of
“application”
Head knowledge without heart change
is not useful.
 Our goal as leaders, then, is not only
that we study the Bible, but that the
Bible studies us.
 There are several types of questions to
ask in order to do this well.
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Application questions: focus of
the passage
Is the teaching local or universal?
 Is the teaching temporary or timeless?
 What area of experience can this be
applied to?
 In what areas of life should this truth
be applied?
 Answer: II Timothy 3:16
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What is Scripture useful for?
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is
useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man of God
may be thoroughly equipped for every
good work.”
- II Timothy 3:16-17
Four areas of application
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Teaching: What is this passage
teaching me?
Rebuke: What am I believing or doing
that must change?
Correct: What should I believe or do
instead?
Training in Righteousness: What
specifically can I do to live out the
truth?
6. True learning is learning through
discovery and experience
People learn best when they discover
things by themselves (with, maybe, a
little help).
 People remember things best when
they can immediately apply them to
their lives.
 The point: don’t give away all the
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answers immediately!!!
Some tools
http://www.champaignccc.org/iccf/reso
urces/
 blueletterbible.org
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Reflection time
What three things did you learn during
this session that were most helpful to
you?
 How do you feel you might apply some
of these lessons?
 How important is it to you that you
lead Bible Studies well?
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Take a 5-minute break!
Practice
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I Kings 3:1-15
Develop a “plan”/”direction”
 Develop several questions
 Consider possible applications
 Put it into action!
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