Hosting a women's home Bible Study is easier than it's ever been. With online studies, Bible study tools, social media and more everything you need to get started is right at your fingertips. However, I still understand hosting a Bible Study at your home can be intimidating. So I've compiled a 7 step process to help you successfully hosting your Bible Study.
Image Credit: Thinkstock.com
1. Choose a Study
First you want to choose what study you will facilitate. If it's a study of your own you'll want to prepare it well before you invite your first guest. Pick your scripture or topic and put together readings, discussions and questions. There is also the option to use a study written by someone else. Women's Ministry Tools offers hundreds of studies that are already for you to facilitate. Either way, when choosing a study think of the needs of the women you will be inviting. What challenges are they facing and what type of study can best help them?
Image Credit: Thinkstock.com
2. Find Your People
After you've chosen your study write a list of all the women you'd like to invite. Remember this is a home study so keep the list short. You'll find more authentic interactions with a smaller group of women compared to a larger size. You also want to take into consideration the space you have in your home. As the host, you want to be able to accommodate the comfort of your Bible Study members. The more comfortable they are the less distractions they'll have and the more they can get out of the study.
Image Credit: Thinkstock.com
3. Set the Date
Think about when would be the best time to meet based on the people you plan to invite. If you're a group of stay-at-home moms maybe you can set a time during the day and let the kids have a play date while you study. If most work during the day maybe evenings or Saturday mornings would work better. Even early weekday mornings can be a good option for some. Simply consider your guests responsibilities and obligations. This is tricky because you won't be able to please everyone. Just do your best and set a time that works for as many as possible.
Image Credit: Thinkstock.com
4. Send Invites
Once you know the what, when, and where of your home Bible Study let everyone on your list know. Collect their phone numbers and emails to ensure you can easily connect with them and send reminders. Be sure to inform them of the date you will start the study in enough time for them to purchase and receive any materials if necessary and make any other arrangements they may need.
Image Credit: Thinkstock.com
5. Make an Agenda
Before your first meeting make an agenda of how your meeting time will flow. A sample agenda may look something like this:
Welcome - 2 minuets
Ice Breaker - 3 minutes
Opening Prayer - 5 minutes
Scripture Reading - 5 minutes
Discussion Questions - 20 minutes
Prayer Requests - 5 minutes
Closing Prayer - 4 minutes
This agenda is important for you to stay focused and on time. If your studies constantly run over the time you've set people may be discouraged to keep attending. As your guests will make sacrifices to come to your home study you want to ensure they know you respect their time. Give yourself some cushion time by overestimating how much time each item on the agenda will take. If a certain item goes over table it for next time or dismiss everyone at the end time and allow anyone that chooses to stay longer the option to do so.
Image Credit: Thinkstock.com
6. Cultivate Engagement
You will want your Bible Study members to be engaged and participate. This makes it more enjoyable for everyone. The last thing you want is to be the only one talking. This is not a presentation, it's a Bible Study and you'll be surprised to see how much you'll learn from the input of your guest. Increase engagement by asking questions, playing games and providing food. Above all simply have fun.
Image Credit: Thinkstock.com
7. Follow up
You'll want to connect with your Bible Study members even after your study is over. This is a great way to keep in touch, hold one another accountable, and show how much you care. You can do this by assigning prayer partners, starting a Facebook group, or group text message chat to stay connected.
If you feel led to host a women's Bible Study in your home I hope you now feel empowered to do just that. Enjoy and God bless!
Image Credit: Thinkstock.com
----
Christina Patterson is a wife and stay-at-home mom with a passion to encourage women in the love of Jesus Christ and the truth of God’s Word. When she is not folding laundry or playing blocks you will find her with her head deep in her Bible or a commentary. She holds her masters in Theology from Liberty University and is the founder of Beloved Women, a non-profit providing resources and community for women to truly know who they are in Christ: His Beloved. She blogs at belovedwomen.org.
Originally published Monday, 21 August 2017.
