Should I start a Bible Study?
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There were eleven of us. That was the size of our cohort. When I learned more about the people who made up the group, it became clear that we had quite a diverse range of religious beliefs. A few of us believed in the Christian God, one was Jewish, a few more were agnostic, and some were atheists. These neat theological categories didn’t really encapsulate the diverse thoughts on religion that the group held. So, what better time to start a Bible study?
It was around the third week of the program that we began meeting weekly. I thought we could go through the book of John together. Although about 4 to 5 of us attended, the group wasn’t consistent enough to go through John without people missing key sections. So, we shifted our approach and focused on studying the Sermon on the Mount, along with selected chapters from James, Philippians, or Isaiah.
Oh, to be a fly on the wall during some of those conversations. Nearly everything imaginable was brought up, challenged, or debated. My goal for each meeting was simple: just to give them Jesus. I commonly asked the question, “I hear you, and the church is made up of broken and imperfect people, but what about Jesus? What is your complaint with Him?”
And you know what? Week after week, something shifted. Those who attended became increasingly curious about about Jesus is and how this whole “Jesus thing” actually works.
I ended up having several meaningful conversations with individuals in the group about their thoughts and doubts regarding Christianity. I also had an opportunity to hear about their hurts, their struggles, and their hopes…things I likely would not have heard without the vulnerability that grew out of our Bible study. My good friend Cal and I are in the image below. Despite our differing beliefs, Cal and I became great friends, and we became even closer through our studies together.
If you are planning to go abroad, consider starting a Bible study. It doesn’t have to change the world, and it doesn’t even have to change someone’s mind. Sometimes, it’s simply about planting a seed, and nobody knows what God will do with it. What I do is that it deepened and strengthened my own faith, and it made a meaningful difference in the relationships within our group.
P.S. I highly recommend using gotquestions.org. It is an excellent resource with tons of Biblical references, especially for big questions.
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