By John Richardson
On most weekday mornings, I rise early and make my way to the gym for a workout. To be honest, I am not always happy when that alarm clock goes off, but I know deep down that the long-term benefits of an hour of exercise outweigh the temptation of a few more minutes of sleep. Most of us need to find such motivation for the activities of life that are ultimately most rewarding. This principle applies to spiritual development as much as it does to physical fitness. Starting a men’s Bible study must begin with the end goal in mind: to build a living faith that stands strong amidst life’s challenges. That goal should be communicated in large and small ways so that the men involved don’t lose sight of the reason for participating.
Besides clearly communicating the long-term value, other strategies exist that will help you to offer a Bible study where men will want to engage time after time.
Clarify Expectations
Describe what men can expect by joining the Bible study. Will there be equal time given to discussion, prayer, and fellowship? Will there be required homework between sessions? What is the duration of each Bible study session? These are the kinds of questions that help men know what they are signing up for and minimize dropouts.
Focus on Application Every Week
Studying the Bible without specific life application misses the whole point. Make sure every study session includes opportunities for men to commit to a course of action, change of attitude, or path of repentance. Be sure to revisit the previous week’s applications, not to judge or assess points but to celebrate the common goal of growing in Christ.
Share Leadership
Rotate the facilitation role for each meeting. This will build the skills and utilize the gifts of each man in the study. It also builds ownership as every man takes a turn sitting in the leader’s seat. Utilizing each man’s style, strengths, and perspective enhances the entire group experience.
Provide On- and Off-Ramps
Our culture puts so many demands on men’s time and energy that it is helpful to clearly mark opportunities to jump in or step out of the Bible study. Even if it is an ongoing men’s Bible study, breaking up the topics or courses can give guys permission to step in and out as the pressures of life dictate. It seems counterintuitive—it is easy to make the argument that staying in the study is more important than ever when life gets hard. Flexibility in this area, however, actually tends to increase the commitment of men to the study group.
Trust God to Transform Lives
As you work to create a men’s Bible study that draws men to participate, it is easy to overlook the real key to effectiveness—the Holy Spirit. Our prayer is that the Holy Spirit would use these meetings to penetrate the heart of every man, molding him more into the man God wants him to be.
You are welcome to copy this article for one-time use when you include this credit line and receive no monetary benefit from it: © 2020 CTA, Inc. Used with permission.