If your last Bible study meeting was a clunker, all is not lost. It happens! Take some time to pray and sort things through with God.
After you’ve prayed, you might be tempted to bury that meeting deep in the forest. But don’t get out your shovel just yet; that bad meeting might offer some lessons as you look to improve as a Bible study leader.
Diagnosing the Problem
A Bible study can turn sour for many reasons. In my experience, bad meetings fall into two main categories: leader error and group conflict.
Leader Error
When I look back at Bible studies gone wrong, I often spot my own lack of sufficient preparation.
- not enough study time — Sometimes I simply haven’t spent enough time in the text of Scripture. And if I haven’t wrestled with the text myself, I shouldn’t be surprised if I struggle to help others understand.
- no personal change — To prepare for a meeting, I need to apply the passage to my own head, heart, and hands. And yet leaders often skip this crucial step. This may be due to a lack of time, but it may also be due to an unwillingness to face some hard parts of life that need to change.
- unhealthy expectations — God speaks through his Spirit and through his Word. And sometimes he uses other Christians (aside from me!) to explain the truth of the Bible. If I assume that my interpretation is perfect and I expect everyone to see what I have seen and agree with me immediately, I’m likely to be disappointed. I need to pray for and welcome observations and correction from others.
- poor questions — For my small group leadership, the top predictor of a bad Bible study is a lack of good questions. The less I prepare, the more I talk (instead of encouraging discussion), and this often results in vague or rambling questions that drop to the floor like an anvil. Preparation needs to involve not just understanding the text but drawing a clear line from text-based observations to the main point of the passage. If I’m unwilling or unable to put the work in on this level, I shouldn’t expect a good study.
Perhaps the way to correct these mistakes is clear: leaders need to address any deficiencies in their own preparation.
Group Conflict
Sometimes the bad Bible study didn’t have as much to do with your preparation as it did with interaction among the group during the meeting. This isn’t unusual—any time sinners (which is to say, humans) gather, there’s a potential for conflict or misunderstanding. These usually show up in two ways.
- the leader fumbles — A Bible study leader needs to know how to handle questions, silence, unexpected answers, and criticism. If you’ve dropped the ball on any of these matters, you’re not alone! I’d suggest seeking counsel from someone in your church who knows you and others in your group; they might be able to suggest how to prepare for these aspects of the meeting and respond with grace. And if you’ve sinned against any of your friends out of impatience, frustration, or self-protection, you should ask for their forgiveness as soon as possible.
- conflict among group members — On rare occasions, a Bible study meeting might be compromised by a conflict between group members. Regardless of the cause of the flare-up, the tension caused by a vocal disagreement can spoil the night. In this situation, you’ll need to talk to the people involved and encourage them to resolve their conflict in a way that squares with the Bible.
Always Learning
The steps to learning after a bad study are familiar: identify the mistake or problem, think through its cause, address the root concern, and seek wisdom to move forward.
When we lead a bad Bible study, we can view it as a setback or an opportunity. If we take the time to learn, we may just become better leaders who help people walk more closely with God.
