7 Benefits of Joining a Bible Study Group
The Bible is one of the most important books in the world. It is the main source of information about Christianity, which is one of the most popular world religions. Even people who aren’t Christians can read this book to gain religious knowledge, understand human nature, appreciate literature, and develop wisdom.
Whether you’re a believing Christian or interested in religious studies, you should read the Bible. While you can read the Bible on your own, joining a Bible study group has seven benefits you can enjoy.
Make Meaningful Connections With Other People
How do we make friends? The key is to consistently show up to the same place at the same time. You’ll meet other people with the same schedule and hopefully develop a friendship. If you’re showing up for an activity you’re both interested in, then you’re even more likely to develop a friendship.
Bible study groups are one such activity. You can meet other people who share your faith or are interested in world religions. As you read the Bible together and talk about its lessons and your lives, you’ll create meaningful connections.
Find More Opportunities To Ask Questions
As you make connections with people and study the Bible together, you will have questions. Everyone, from experienced ordained pastors to world religion students, has questions when they read the Bible. While you may have the opportunity to ask these questions in larger settings, such as conferences or classrooms, these large settings are often busy. You may not get to ask your question or hear a thorough answer.
When you study the Bible with a small group, you can ask questions to the group leader and the other attendees. They can all help answer your questions and may even ask questions of their own. The more questions you ask together, the more critical thinking skills you can encourage in each other. Believing Christians can also use these questions and answers to grow their faith.
Mimic How Jesus Learned and Taught
Jesus welcomed questions when he taught Scripture. If you’re a believing Christian, then the idea of mimicking how Jesus learned and taught is exciting, as you want to act more like him.
Even if you look at religion more as an interesting theory than as reality, you can still benefit from mimicking Jesus. He was a passionate teacher, and crowds of people gathered to hear him teach. However, he always had time for his small group of followers. His parables inspired people in both settings to ask questions. Sometimes he offered a straightforward answer, and sometimes his answer didn’t make sense at the time. Either way, his welcoming attitude toward questions teaches every Bible reader that it’s good to question Scripture and look for an answer in group settings.
See the Bible Differently
The more questions you ask and answers you receive, or the more you help answer other people’s questions, the more you will learn about the Bible. And as you learn about the Bible, you may start to see it differently. The questions other people ask and the answers you receive may inspire you to read Biblical passages you’ve never read before.
Exploring these new sections will help you learn more about yourself, the Christian faith, and God. Even if you don’t believe in God, you can learn more about how other people view God, their personal faith, and religious scripture. Learning more about religious people from their holy book can help you make more meaningful connections with people who differ from you, which can expand your worldview.
Grow in Encouragement, Support, and Accountability
Productively asking and answering questions together won’t happen overnight. You and the other people in the Bible study must meet regularly to enjoy that benefit. But the more you meet, the more you can grow the meaningful connection you’ve started. As you grow that connection, you’ll learn more about what the other people in the group are growing through. You can offer them encouragement as they face hard times and enjoy their encouragement and support as you face your own difficulties.
The other people in the group will also hold you accountable. If you tell them you’re going to attend every week, read a certain Biblical passage, or face a certain challenge in your life, they will hold you to it. When you know other people are holding you accountable, you will have extra motivation. You can use this extra motivation in other areas of your life to inspire yourself to take on new challenges.
Help New Christians Grow
People develop a personal Christian faith at different phases throughout their lives. Some people develop this faith in adulthood. As they seek to grow in their new faith, they will attend Bible study groups. If you have been a believing Christian for years, then you can come alongside these new believers and encourage them in their growth.
If you’re not a believing Christian, you can still help new Christians grow. As someone outside of the faith but interested in the Bible and religion, you will ask many questions that new Christians may also have. When you ask these questions and everyone gets to hear them and the answers, the new Christians can grow in their faith.
Help the Global Church Grow
People are the backbone of all local churches around the world. However, some people don’t feel comfortable coming into a church setting. Bible study groups are smaller and more personal. Many people who are uncomfortable in larger church settings will feel comfortable in these smaller, more intimate settings.
As you attend a small group, you encourage the local church to keep hosting them. As the church continues to offer small groups, new people can join. As they make personal connections within the small group, they may feel more comfortable visiting and ultimately attending the hosting church. The more people attend church, the more that church and the global church can grow.
Joining a Bible study group has several benefits for you, other people, and the global Christian church. If you want to join a group but don’t know where to start, that’s okay. Grab your Bible and inquire about groups at local churches. If you need a Bible, the KJV Store provides KJV study Bibles that you will enjoy.
