Especialidades JA/Estudio bíblico en grupo pequeño/Respuestas
Nivel de destreza
1
Año
2016
Version
13.11.2024
Autoridad de aprobación
División Norteamericana
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During small group study, if someone has a question, they can simply ask because there are other people there who may be able to answer, and because the setting allows (and encourages) this. During corporate worship, this would be disruptive, but in a small group, it is what drives the discussion and learning.
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The best way to know God's will is to know what He had revealed in His Word. The best way to know this is by studying the Bible. It is not enough to rely on second-hand knowledge of the scripture. You should read and study it yourself so that it can be written on your heart! Then when you are faced with a day-to-day decision, you can know the biblical principles involved and make the right choice.
Think about how this scripture applies to Bible study:
Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
It is only by knowing what the Bible actually says that you will be able to discern truth from falsehood! Though Paul was a great teacher, he was not greater than the scriptures. We must follow the example of the Bereans.
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Before starting a group study, it is very important that prayers are offered up to the Lord, asking Him to provide the wisdom and the understanding needed to accept His words and His will for us. Pray specifically that He will send the Holy Spirit so that you may get a true understanding of what you are studying.
Remember that the purpose of Bible study is not to prove something that you already believe, but to find out what the Bible itself says. Your prayer should be that the Holy Spirit will open your mind to new (and true!) insights.
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When your small groups comes together for the first time, or whenever someone new joins, it's a good idea to go over the guidelines so that everyone knows what to expect and how to behave. The guidelines given here are suggestions - you may add to them, or adapt them as your group sees fit. If your group develops a chronic problem, try to develop a guideline to prevent that from happening in the future.
- Start with Prayer
- Every meeting begin with prayer. God will send the Holy Spirit to help you understand His Word and inspire you to share things that may help others. Ask Him to do that every time!
- Keep the Bible central
- If a small group meets to study the Bible and no one ever opens the Bible or reads from it, what has been accomplished?
- Encourage one another
- An easy way to destroy the small group dynamic is by using the time to tear one another down. Small group study should be used to build the faith of all the members, not to criticize.
- Treat one another with respect
- Do not be dismissive of anyone's comments. If they say something that is not true, correct them gently. Be very careful to not make anyone feel stupid or unworthy. You may drive them from God's kingdom by doing so. If they say something you disagree with, explain your position without judging them.
- Be humble and teachable
- Don't assume that you know everything or that you know more than everyone else. If you cannot be taught, you cannot be an effective tool in God's hands. When correcting someone, do so with humility. You may discover that they were right and you were wrong! Do not be afraid of this - it's growth!
- Let the Bible teach itself
- Do not approach Bible study with the thought of "proving" a preconceived notion. Read what the Bible actually says, and try to understand the context surrounding any passage. Many people have "proven" that we can eat unclean meats by citing Acts 10:9-16. Don't fall into that trap. The context of that verse clearly reveals that the vision was about preaching to the Gentiles, not about eating unclean meat.
- Don't discuss the faults of others
- If the group enters into a discussion about the faults of an absent member, it is easy to wonder if the group will discuss your when you are gone. This destroys trust.
- Don't share private matters outside the group
- Small group study can be a time for people to share very personal details of their lives in confidence. Such details should not be shared outside the group. This destroys trust.
- Share what you learn about God outside the group
- Do share the things you've learned about God with people outside the group. God does not want you to keep the things He has revealed to you to yourself. He wants you to share, and for His kingdom to grow. God's great burden is the salvation of all, and you can be a tool in His hands by sharing.
- Have regular meetings
- It's a good idea to have a set time for the group to get together. That way members can plan around the meetings, and the meetings are far more likely to be well attended.
- End with Prayer
- At the end of your study, it's a great idea to pray again. This will help you leave in an uplifted state of mind and ready to share God's word with the world.
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Small group Bible study reveals truths about God, and knowing Him better is always transformative. It can also be a first step in a person's spiritual journey. Small groups are an excellent way to invite friends into the church. A person who lives outside God's plan can come to a small group, meet friendly people, and be introduced to the Creator. There are many people outside the church who claim to love God, but are put off by the hypocrisy of professed Christians. Meeting in a small group may destroy incorrect perceptions about Christians and about God. That's why it's so important to actually live the Christian life in reality.
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Most small groups meet weekly, so try to find a time that all the members of your group can be there. As a member of the group, make every effort to attend every meeting. If Bible study is a priority, you will be able to make it! If you attend every meeting, you will get far more from the study than if your attendance is spotty.
Three months is not a very long time. It is equivalent to one Sabbath School quarter - 13 meetings. The minimum attendance for this requirement is to make at least 7 of those 13 meetings.
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Da apoyo espiritual a sus miembros.
Da una oportunidad para compartir la fe/invitar a otros al grupo.
Edifica amistad y comunidad entre sus miembros.
Anima a la gente a adorar como Jesús dirigió: «en comunidad».
This can be done as a group project. If you choose to make a video, you could have each member of your small group offer a short testimony about what the study meant to them. You could also just ask them questions like
- How did our study group provide an opening for sharing your faith?
- Did you invite anyone to the study?
- Did you make any new friends?
- How do you like spending time with others studying the Bible?
These queations are, of course, drawn from the requirement. If you ask all members of your group these questions, you can edit their answers together to showcase the positive (in other words, edit out any "I don't know" responses). A video like this could be presented before a worship service at your church as a way to build up the small group bible study movement in your congregation.
You could also invite members to the front of the church and present their testimonies live to your congregation. Encourage the more introverted members who may not be comfortable in front of a camera (much less a congregation), to participate as well, but if they will not, encourage them to write an assessment. This could be a simple email to the instructor, or a blog post.
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A public presentation of the effort made for requirement 8 will certainly meet this requirement. However, a personal invitation to a specific person is far more effective than a blanket invitation to the congregation.
