Dear Mikayla,
I wanted to get back to you after your question about a Bible study that you could do at college. Given the standard college budget of zero, there are many things you can do on your own.
Here are some ideas for you as you start a Bible study at college:
- Find a quiet place to meet. Wait – you live in a college dorm. . .
- Ask God to guide you as to who you invite. Encourage participants to bring their Bibles. Different versions of the Bible will give perspective and spark discussions. I like to use “smart Bibles,” as I call the study, devotion, and/or reference Bibles that have notes on culture, geography, cross references, and other information.
- Pray before you start, both personally and as a group. You can pray God’s Word right back to Him, for example:
Dear Lord, please open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes (Psalm 119:18, 125 NIV.) In Jesus’ name, Amen.
- Stick with the Bible. God says in Isaiah 55:11 that His Word will not return to Him empty, and it will accomplish His desires and purposes. God’s Word is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12.) Let God guide the study and He will fulfill your desire to grow and understand His Word.
- Select a passage or chapter and discuss the who, when, where, what, why, and how questions. Who wrote it? When and where was it written? (Smart Bibles help answer those questions.) What does it say? What do I get out of it?
Why was it written?
How do I apply this to my life?
- You may go off topic – and have the best discussion ever. Or, you may need to reign it in and encourage the group to agree to disagree. Your participants will appreciate a consistent starting and ending time.
- Always close with prayer to focus the group on God.
Other ideas:
Check out campus organizations (e.g. your local campus chapel, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Campus Crusade for Christ, etc.) for Bible study ideas and resources.
Here are other questions to use in a Bible study:
http://www.ligonier.org/blog/5-questions-ask-when-reading-bible/ by Steven Lawson
https://bible.org/seriespage/four-steps-inductive-bible-study by Melanie Newton
My Bible on the Bluff video study is something you can do without buying the associated study guide. Warning: the video settings may make you homesick.
Thank you for honoring me with your question. May God bless you incredibly as you dig into His Word.
Love to you at school from our family.
[Originally posted January 2015]
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