I don't like Bible study but I do like Tim.
19 February 2009

Now don't get me wrong. It's not that I don't like the Bible or studying the bible itself. What I'm talking about are small groups that weekly read through a passage in the Bible with a series of set (or unset) questions. Let me try and pin why I don't like it.

  • It always feels out of control and messy. Sometimes it can feel like everyone wants to have their little say but we just don't get anywhere.
  • I'm not always awesome thinking on my feet and often struggle to "get" what people are saying.
  • Sometimes they end up pointless arguments over small things.
  • I never feel totally confident leading a study. I used to spend hours and hours preparing for studies and was still wracked with self doubt.
  • I freak out a bit when I can't answer every question.
  • It's worth noting this is my personal feeling and not a reflection on others. On the flip side I really enjoy 'one to one' and preaching... but just not Bible study.
All that brings me to the Crossroads MENS bible study which Dan roped me into running late last year. I'm about to hand it over to Tim H*. Tim previously has done an awesome job as FOCUSutas president in 2008. He's a really top bloke, tremendously encouraging, and has grown heaps in his faith over the last couple of years. I've been feeling a bit sad about handing things over. Maybe I have actually grown to enjoy my MENS Bible Study. In any case I have every faith in Tim and he'll probably do a better job than I.

Tim you get the award for being a Christian I truly respect.

*Just so you know I'm stopping the MENS study to free myself up to run another Bible study here at Jane.

 

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3 comments:

Anonymous said... 2/19/2009 1:27 pm  

In one of my ministry classes I remember reading a book that said something along the lines of, "I want to choke the person who invented small groups."

I can't remember the name of the book but if I do I'll pass on it's title your way. He expressed a lot of similar frustrations with small groups that you have here.

Jason said... 2/19/2009 1:48 pm  

Bible studies are funny beasts, agreed.

I ran one a couple of years ago. The beauty of it was that the group of people that came along were all very mature Christians. I myself had only been a Christian for a (relatively) short while. This meant that I was free to simply be a discussion facilitator, only giving input to the discussion as I normally would in any other small group.

Not sure how that would go at Jane though...

Astrid said... 2/23/2009 12:24 pm  

I don't think small groups are the problem its the fact that its almost mandated as biblical that doing a bible studie constists of writing answers to preset questions like you would do in school

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