(from Discipleship Journal magazine)
Quick tips for increasing the value of the Bible in your small group:
- Begin your time in Scripture with a prayer that reminds you of what you’re reading (e.g. “Lord, this is Your Word, and we are Your people. Open our ears to hear what You want to say to us right now.”)
- Stand as you read.
- Make a bookmark for your Bible with a verse that reminds you whose Word it is (e.g. Ps. 119:160; Is. 40:8; 2 Tim. 3:16).
- After you read a passage–and before you start to study it, teach it, or respond to it–say quietly, “These are the very words of God.”
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To encourage personal application, ask group members to come up with a lesson learned, an action to take, and a person to tell.
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How to turn conversations with unbelievers to spiritual matters:
- Do you ever think about spiritual things?
- Where would you say you are in your spiritual journey?
- Have you ever made the discovery of knowing Jesus Christ in a personal way?
- If you could be sure there is a God, would you want to know Him?
- How do you think someone becomes a Christian?
- Can I share the thing that has been most important to me as a mom/dad/boss/etc.?
- Most people in America say they believe in God. What does believing in God mean to you?
- How would you describe your view of God? of Jesus?
- What do you think happens when you die?
