Welcome to Week 3 of our 4-part series on attending Bible Study!

If you missed the first two parts, you can catch up here: Part 1 and Part 2.

Whether you are a long time Bible Study participant or have never attended a Bible Study, I pray this series helps you get the most out of your semester and offers you effective and grace-filled ways to attend, participate, and enjoy biblical community this fall. 

Even if you aren’t attending a Bible Study right now, this series will remind you of the importance of studying the Bible, show you how to grow in God’s Word, and offer encouragement for your personal study time. So, stay tuned each week in August for a new post in the series! And don’t forget to share this with a friend who could use the encouragement, too!

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We’ve probably all sat around a Bible Study table and heard the crickets. No one is talking. The tense faces and nervous laughter reveal that no one likes this situation. An important part of Bible Study (and the Chrsitian life) is discussing Biblical truth together–bringing what we’ve studied and learned to the table (literally) and being able to converse about it. A good Bible Study leader can break the ice and get the discussion going. But you might still be wondering how to contribute to the conversation and stay on topic. Similarly, outside of Bible Study, have you ever felt ill-equipped to share the truth you know in a conversation with your friends or with your kids? All Christians should be able to discuss the truth of the Bible well, so here’s a guide you can follow for better conversations.* 

*Note that I am talking about how to talk with fellow Christians (or your kids), not unbelievers, about the Bible. To be equipped for conversations with skeptical nonbelievers, I’d suggest Greg Koukle’s Tactics as a good starting point. For discussing truth with nonbelievers in general, I’d suggest starting with either Mapping Apologetics (for an excellent understanding of how people assemble beliefs/worldviews written by one of my former professors) or Expository Apologetics (for understanding how to use Scripture to answer other worldviews/general objections and questions about Christianity).

I pray these principles give you confidence during your next conversation and help you to communicate Biblical truth well:

1. Let the context direct the content of the conversation.

None of us wants to be “a bull in a china shop” when it comes to discussing truth. We all want to converse in helpful and meaningful ways and have it be well-received. In Ephesians 4:29 (ESV), Paul writes,

 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (emphasis mine).  

When we hear the word “occasion” our minds might immediately go to the setting of the conversation. But this is more than navigating the appropriate time and place to talk to someone. 

Let’s look at the NIV translation of Ephesians 4:29 to help us better understand Paul’s instruction:

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (emphasis mine).

And, in The Legacy Standard Bible, Ephesians 4:29 says:

“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for building up what is needed, so that it will give grace to those who hear” (emphasis mine).

How do we build up what needs to be built up? How do we know the needs of our audience so we can give them information that will actually help them (i.e. build them up and give grace)? This isn’t mind reading, this is wisely assessing the occasion–knowing what the situation requires or demands and being able to build up (strengthen; help grow) and give grace (reflect Christ). The best way I can think to do this is: 

Determine the audience and then you’ll know what they need to hear.

Are you speaking to peers, as a mentor/mentee, or with your kids?

Peer to Peer

Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Chist dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”  This text is part of the larger section in Colossians 3:1- 4:5 where Paul is describing what a new life in Christ looks like and how we are to relate to one another. This verse calls us all to let the Word be at home in our hearts (“dwell”) and to teach (impart truth), admonish (warn), and worship God together in wisdom with thankfulness for all He has done. It is a picture of Christians being “full” of the Word and wisely offering it to others to instruct, caution, and praise together. This can happen at the park, over dinner, at Bible Study, or wherever Christians are gathered.

Mentor to Mentee

The Christian term for this is discipleship. This type of relationship can happen in a small group or one-on-one. Titus 2:1-8 gives a model of older Christians teaching Christ-like character to younger Christians. There are also Biblical examples of more mature Christians (in the faith, not necessarily in age) teaching truth to new Christians or those with less experience (e.g. Acts 18:24-28). Mentors can provide indispensable help; and as Titus 2 and Acts 18 shows, it should be given so the mentee knows how to faithfully live out what they believe in practical ways (i.e. in their everyday life). Whether done in a formal or informal way, a mentor’s role is to instruct and guide and the mentee should learn and follow. 

Parent to Child

As parents (and I would argue, grandparents too! e.g. 2 Tim 1:5), we are called to train up our children/grandchildren in the ways of the Lord (Prov. 22:6; Deut 6:7; Eph 6:4, etc.). Sometimes when we aren’t an expert on a subject, we don’t feel qualified to share any knowledge. However, we don’t need to have all the answers to talk about our faith. God calls us to teach our children who He is (theology), what He has done (the Gospel), and what He has said (his Word). This calling should inspire us as parents to study and learn so we can faithfully teach our kids what we know, and it should motivate us to live Godly lives (since we know kids learn from what is “caught” through observation not just “taught” with words). I like Mama Bear Apologetics which has a ton of helpful resources for parents (not just Moms) on training kids in biblical truth. One of the lessons from Mama Bear Apologetics that has stuck with me is this: whoever speaks to your child first about a topic is the unofficial “expert” on it in their minds. So, let’s boldly teach our kids the truth we know so they see us as the trusted authority on faith and God over what their friends or the world may tell them.

Once you determine the context of the biblical conversation, you will need to know what to say to build up your hearer and give grace. The content of biblical conversations includes presenting information about God and the Bible in helpful ways. So, consider the following:

2. Have the right vocabulary.

Grow and advance your knowledge of God beyond simple terms and definitions. Being able to talk about God well is the foundation of biblical discussions. It is about more than just listing his character traits or deeds, it is about expounding what his character and deeds mean for us. For example, it is accurate to say that God is good, but what does that mean for someone who is hurting? We must be ready to explain, in this case, how his goodness is good for someone in pain. This requires us to put God’s goodness in context with His other attributes, as revealed in Scripture, and discuss how to then understand Him accurately in light of what He allows into our lives. To do this well, we must grow in our understanding of Him and in our ability to describe Him. Besides the Bible, the one book that helped me the most in this was Knowing God by JI Packer (who, as it happens, has an excellent chapter called “Goodness and Severity”). A.W. Tozer’s book The Pursuit of God is another good starting point for growing in our ability to speak about God more comprehensively. I love reading how other (theologically sound) Christians talk about and understand God. Their insights can help us know Him better and give us words to help others. I’d love to hear what books have helped you with this!

3. Be able to interpret Bible Stories well. 

Understand the point of Bible stories so you can provide specifics that are helpful. Along with being able to talk about God in clear and robust ways, we need to be able to discuss Bible stories in a way that resonates with our audience. We want to be able to offer timely encouragement, instruction, and help through the Bible. To do this well, we need to explain the purpose and meaning of Bible stories, not just repeat the storyline. For example, we all might know that the book of Jonah has something to do with a guy named Jonah being swallowed by a whale. However, when we read the entire book we see that it’s about a lot more than a whale. Among other things, Jonah’s story reveals God’s consistent, sovereign character to seek and save the lost, shows the necessity of Christ and his redemptive work (John 3:16; Rom 8:12-21), and has a clear connection to God’s promises in the Old Testament (Gen 12:3) and fulfillment in the New Testament (c.f. Acts 10:45) to redeem the Gentiles. 

Jonah is more than a simple story about running from God. It is a natural bridge to explain the Gospel. In his fantastic book Side by Side, Edward Welch encourages Christians to know Scripture so well that we can easily tell it and retell it to each other in life’s varied seasons. But Welch notes that we tell each other these stories for the specific purpose of pointing to the Gospel, so we are reminded of where we’ve been (in sin), where we are (in grace), and where we are going (eternity with God). This is why we commit to knowing Scripture well–so we can rightly understand God’s Word to exhort, teach, and help each other.

Our challenge as Bible students is to be able to explain why each story is in the Bible, what it means, and what it teaches us. Theology books like Paul House’s Old Testament Theology is a great place to start learning how to understand Bible Stories this way.

4. Be ready to deal with difficult questions or unbiblical ideas. 

Have a plan for responding to hard questions and unbiblical ideas so you don’t panic or miss an opportunity. Biblical conversations will inevitably include a difficult question or two. The good news is that we can go to the Word together (and use good resources) to find answers. The other good piece of news is that the more practice you have with Biblical discussions, the better you get at answering tough questions. So, keep talking! 

When an unbiblical idea comes up, we should be ready to both listen carefully and explain thoroughly. I like to say something like, “I’d love for you to walk me through how you came to that conclusion” or “Tell me more about this.”  That usually opens an opportunity for us to talk about it further and for me to ask questions. Then, I usually say something like, “I’ve come to understand it like this…” or simply, “The Bible says…” As Christians, we trust the Holy Spirit to guide us into the truth (Ps. 25:5; John 14:26; 16:13; Rom 8:14; Gal 5:16-18 ).

We might not always know what to say in response to a question or questionable idea. So, don’t be afraid to honestly admit, “I have never heard of that before” or “I’d like to do some research about this.” But make sure you commit to learning more and following up with the person. Sometimes it’s a quick follow-up conversation to bring clarity. Sometimes it takes longer or you even have to agree to disagree. Make sure the other person knows you are pursuing the issue in question because you care deeply about the correct interpretation of Scripture and their spiritual life–not because you are trying to win an argument. Having a reputation for Biblical faithfulness and kindness will take you far with people who disagree with you.

For further study, I love the work that Alisa Childers, Nancy Pearcey, and Rosaria Butterfield are doing to confront difficult questions and unbiblical ideas with clarity, wisdom, and humility. You can find some of their books listed on my Resources Page under the Apologetics tab. 

5. Know how to respond to sin.

Biblical truth should lead us all to understand and see our own sin more clearly.  As we speak to each other about biblical truth, it only becomes natural to confess sin or discuss our struggles with sin together. The reality of our sin should cause us to live perpetually humble, repentant lives as we daily depend on God’s grace (1 John 1:9). We should always be encouraging each other toward holiness. So, if we observe others in sin or if someone confesses a sin to us, we need to know how to respond and help. Again, Edward Welch is extremely useful here and his chapter, “Help Fellow Sinners” in Side by Side walks readers through what to do in these scenarios. 

I like his advice to not “commiserate” with sin. Instead, we should come alongside others struggling with sin by being faithful partners to wisely speak truth and to make a plan to help them walk out of their sin and into repentance and freedom. 

I hope these suggestions equip you with some helpful starting points for your next conversation, and that as you study the Bible you gain confidence to speak to others about the truth you’ve learned. 

May Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:1-3 guide us in every conversation and interaction with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ:

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”