Reading: How to Lead a Topic Bible Study

The transcript outlines a discussion on how to lead a Bible study focusing on a variety of topics, demonstrating how to integrate biblical doctrine into everyday issues. Here's a structured outline of the main points covered:

Introduction

• The discussion begins by emphasizing the broad scope of topics that can be covered in a Bible study, ranging from parenting to business and beyond.
• The purpose of these studies is to explore theological themes and how they apply to various aspects of life.

Concept of Bible Study on Doctrine

• Bible studies can focus on core doctrinal issues like the creation of the world, the concept of salvation, and other significant theological topics.
• These studies aim to deepen understanding of biblical doctrine and how it underpins every other topic discussed in Bible studies.

Choosing Topics Relevant to the Group

• Leaders are encouraged to select study topics based on the interests and needs of the group members.
• The selection process involves considering what is most relevant to the participants' lives at the moment.

Methodology for Developing a Bible Study

• For any given topic, such as parenting, the first step is to search the Bible for related passages using tools like Bible Gateway.
• The discussion illustrates this process by searching terms related to "parenting," resulting in key verses like Proverbs 22:6 and Ephesians 6:4.

Engaging with the Scripture

• The study involves analyzing selected verses and discussing their meanings and implications.
• Participants are encouraged to share personal connections to the verses, which fosters a deeper and more personal engagement with the text.

Application of Bible Verses to Life

• The session outlines how to apply biblical teachings to everyday life, enhancing the relevance of scripture.
• Examples include reflecting on how biblical principles of parenting can be applied in the participants' own family lives.

Integration of Scripture into Broader Discussions

• The transcript discusses how a single verse can open discussions on related biblical passages, enhancing understanding through a more comprehensive scriptural context.
• This approach helps bridge the gap between various biblical topics and contemporary issues.

Importance of Topical Bible Studies

• Topical studies are crucial for addressing specific life situations directly, such as making career decisions or dealing with family issues.
• The study highlights the importance of making theological education relevant to personal and communal challenges.

Conclusion

• The discussion wraps up with a reminder of the flexibility and depth that topical Bible studies offer.
• Participants are encouraged to think theologically about every aspect of their lives, using the Bible to navigate various challenges and decisions.

So, we're back. Today, we're talking about how to lead, specifically in our topic. So, for example, let's try this as an example. What does the Bible say about parenting? We're going to look at parenting, but you could choose marriage, family, business, money, miracles, angels, anything. Our mini-courses are like theology topics. They're really actually theology. One and two are really a Bible study about the topic of doctrine. 

And doctrine is really just the big, important topics that the Bible talks about. You know, where did the world come from? Where is it going? What is this salvation thing? Do we call it soteriology? Topic? Salvation. Some topics are grand and comprehensive, and others are small. But what relevant topics do you have with your group? What's going on in the lives of the people? Then you could pick something relevant. Okay. So let's say you don't have an off-the-shelf thing. We'll talk about how you can do this with books and authors. But how would you do it with a topic that you're interested in? 

So, for example, parenting. The first thing you would do is search "parenting" or "parent" in the Bible, right? You can go to sites like Bible Gateway, a free site, BibleGateway.org, or com, I forget, and you can just use the search button to put in any word you want. Then you will get a list of all the verses in the Bible that use that word. You may have to use words like "father" or "mother" because "parenting" may not be the main thing, but that's where you start. You start with the word that you're trying to find, and then you can use some of the derivatives. So, I did this, I searched, and right away, these two were the first to come up. Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Ephesians 6:4, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." So, now you might come up with 10 different verses. So, then what do you do with these verses? Well, you apply the techniques that we learned in sessions two and three in your own Bible study. 

Remember those techniques? So, what gets your attention as you read these verses? You go around the room. What did you see in the verse "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he's older, he will not turn from it"? What in there gets your attention? And "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." Okay, so what? So, someone might say in the first one, "Well, a lot of people will choose 'he will not depart from it' because they have a child that has departed." So, they pick that and it's very personal. They take that because they have a child or a grandchild who has walked away from the Lord, and they think that got their attention. That's what they're concerned about. And then when you go around the room and talk about it, guess what they're going to share? They're going to share their heart about how their grandchild has walked away from the faith, and they've prayed and they've talked and they're on their knees and nothing is changing. Is God listening? Does God care? And all of a sudden, you're in some pretty deep waters, right? Because you let them figure out what part of the verse. Another one might be "trained" — you know, a young family. Okay, what does it mean to "train up a child"? What exactly would you do? So, then they gravitate towards that part of the verse. So, all the things that we've talked about in sessions two and three. Now, I noticed that sometimes, some preachers will have a topic, but then they really come into it through a Bible passage, let's say, "Train up a child", but then they'll include all kinds of other Bible passages about that. But they're kind of like an entry into the water was one Bible verse. Right? That Bible verse was the gateway to all kinds of other Bible verses related to that thing. Sometimes they talk about, you know, even preaching, exegetical preaching, but really, it's a topical preaching, but it really comes in by one verse. 

And the reason why topical is so important, some people have an allergic reaction. For example, maybe not with the Bible study, but certainly with preaching at times, they think following verse by verse is the only way and they're afraid of topical. But we need people to think topically because, for example, I have a problem in my life. Do I move to another state to take this job or not? I have to be able to ask, does the Bible have anything to say about this subject that I am facing right now? Or your mother is in the hospital and you're praying. You don't know what to pray? Does the Bible have anything helpful on this subject of grief and letting go and all these things? So, we live our lives, we have all these problems, and why not have the ability to take from the problem and then find something? I mean, in a way, Jesus did this. He saw a problem. You know, life is like a sower. The kingdom was like a sower. He probably saw a sower. 

So, he reacted to it, where the Pharisees said one thing, so he tells a story in reaction to the question, so he was always responding to the top level. How do you treat your neighbor? And then he goes through the story of the Samaritan. Yes, there was a scenario. Yes, there was a man on the road. Because who was the neighbor? Right? So, people know what that is — the priest or the Samaritan? Right? Answer: the Samaritan. So, how about off-the-shelf topical Bible studies? So, we have some of them. We have the CLI books here, a bunch of them here. Here's a couple by Dr. Feddes, or what is Christianity? Well, you know, it's nice about Christianity book. It's in the Christian Basics class. This was the topics of doctrine, the key doctrine. And what's great about this one is it actually has the Bible study that picks a topic from the topics. So, you might have a, let's say you are a serious group of people who want to really go deep, and you get this "What is Christianity?" And then you can say, well, we'll meet and we'll do the Bible study on one of the topics of the topic, but oh, yeah, they're all here. They're in our bookstore, but they're in Christian bookstores all over. So, a lot of books like this will have questions already in them at the end of every chapter and that becomes a Bible study. Some of them won't. But then you can apply those other techniques we learned. Well, what got your attention in this chapter? Why did it get your attention? 

What might God be saying to you? So, you can sort of write your own questions if there aren't. You know, I remember a technique they taught in seminary was sort of what we're doing with you because it to think theologically. Now, what they really meant was any topic, you have to somehow think, what does the Bible have to say about it? What is settled doctrine? That is really a type of the doctrine of the Trinity is really a doctrine topic. Yes, it's about who God was. And then you look at the Bible, and the Bible has a lot of different places that it talks about, really come together and see, what is the Holy Spirit actually, Trinity in the Trinity, why and how it took centuries to figure all this out clearly, in a what? Okay, so. So, now you're resting on a theological topic. But now there are the biblical instances. And they're all factored in there. But yet to think theologically, like you're doing in the ministry training, is that you'll start getting a feel for what is topical, what is an instance of a biblical teaching, what is practical life and how the theology in the instances of the biblical teaching connect through the power of the Holy Spirit. And it sounds complicated, but when you're in it, it becomes second nature. I think like a language, you'll learn the language of English, you can speak it. I think like when I went to seminary and the topic of theology, it was all sort of, like, otherworldly, I guess. I don't know exactly what it was. But when I finally figured that theology is just a topic, right? It's a topic, a big topic. And then you go to the Bible to find out what the whole Bible has to say about that topic. Okay, it's not that scary. It's just like parenting is a bigger topic, like who is God rather than who is a parent? Yes. Incredible. All right, so off-the-shelf topical Bible studies. We have books here at CLI, "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren is really popular. 

The Heidelberg Catechism. We grew up with the Heidelberg Catechism. This is a Reformation document. And there are 52 Questions and Answers that sort of go over the broad topics of the Bible, the big topics like, and what about the denominations have a Presbyterian? But that's what the Catechism is, the topical study. We call it theology because the topics are big. It really, really is one thing to know about that a lot of the disagreements that come through church in the denominations, why they're separated, are really the disagreements about topics in theology, what the Bible says about, right? For instance, I'll give an example: some believers don't believe that there is a pope today, the head of the church, and the Catholic Church does believe that. So, when they come to that, well, they have a history of this topic discussion. But then there's a passage that they each group interprets so differently. And that's, that passes on Peter, "you are Petra, you are the rock." And on this, Petra, I will build my church here means rock and Peter and Peter. Right now, but what does Petra refer to? Does it refer to Peter or does it refer to what Peter just said earlier when Peter said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God"? So, you are Peter, and on this rock, that is the Petra and a person or testimony that Jesus is Lord, you know, what is? What? What is the rock? Well, that is a theological difference. And both of them refer to the Bible. 

And that's where the Holy Spirit, and in the really, sometimes you won't have all the answers about everything, and what is the right answer. And that's why we're very respectful of different traditions that we have ourselves. You know, that the Bible is really, really clear. But there are probably 15% of things that are, you know, like the divides of baptism, you know, the divide of, you know, women in office, you know, even professors here, some people believe, like you and I believe, that women can be ministers. But there are some professors here who do not believe that there's different passages. And that doesn't mean that one believes the Bible, and one doesn't believe the Bible. Right? So, none of these are salvation issues. No, well, that's a really good point. The Salvation issues are, in agreement, actually, most of Christendom believes Jesus died for our sins. He rose again for our victory over death. He ascended on high. Holy Spirit, really, the Trinity. I mean, really powerful, creative. Reformed churches, or Protestant churches say the Apostles' Creed. 

Catholic churches say the Apostles' Creed. Right. Right, exactly. That our heart, as we say, the Bible here to see that we really agree on most things, and where a lot of the disagreements come and how history, theology, historical political landscape of Europe, in America, or the mission field, all of these things. Now, where we would differ is on things like this. Is the Bible the word of God? Yes. But many places make an argument that, you know, the Bible isn't really just made up by men, right? And there's where the basic doctrines of the church, there's no disagreement. So, you can do this topical way of doing a Bible study with anybody, anybody. So, any book that you're interested in, so where do you see the Gospel story in this book? So, you might read "The Lord of the Rings". There's that, right. Where do you see the Gospel story in this book? Right? Tolkien was a Christian. So, what? Where do you see a searching for the truth in this book? So, it might be someone like I read, Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations", and he was a stoic philosopher. He didn't believe in Christianity, the emperor, but he was like, searching. I remember as a young college student, I had to do a report on him. And I read his meditations. And one of the questions I asked the professor, one of the things that bothered me was here was a guy searching so hard, how come he didn't find God there? I asked him, but you know that that could lead to some really good discussion. 

Where do you see the lies of the devil in this book? So, you can read a book that is so bad, but then okay, fine. This is an example of what the devil is trying to do, right? And that can be a teaching experience. How can this book serve as an inspiration or a warning to your life? So, you got any book, or novel, or you're gonna have a group that's reading novels together, and you can turn it into a Bible study? Wow, really good. Movies. Have you made a Bible study out of movies? What anti-Christian values? Did you see in this movie? I remember one Bible study had with teens. And that's basically what we did. They had like certain parts of the movies. And some people came to know the Lord for that study of movies and how. Christ. Now, is that the movie itself that's saving the kids? No, it's the study of asking the right questions to get to the theological underpinnings, because really, there's one story. And every movie follows this story. And it's in the Bible. So we can learn whether there's something good or bad. And at the same time, we're teaching people how to be discerning when they read a book to discern it theologically, right, and discerning when they made a movie because that's what's happening in our culture today, especially with young people, they're on their phones, or watching videos all the time. But we have a top that perhaps to be theologically aware of what they're watching. So they're just taking it in like a sponge, with no questions. 

Dangerous, what verses relate to your observation. So you're watching a movie and you have this negative? I think this is not good. Okay, why? Why verse in the Bible would make you say such a thing? What Christian values did you see in this movie? And again, what verses relate to maybe sometimes, right? A lot of times, even in a bad movie, like you'll want to be a movie about gangsters, and they're doing horrible things. But within the code of the gangsters is a moral code, right, we support each other, we back one another up, we went up the church would be a little more like that, right? Yeah. So often in the middle of something bad. Because you know what, something bad won't work unless they have some good things. We can point those things out based upon the biblical worldview. And the in the bottom line is we're teaching people to be more discerning when they take in what the world has to offer current events. 

Okay, so what current event in the world got your attention? Right? Okay. There's all kinds of crazy things happening in our world. And people are dealing with a lot of times it's, it's so negative, that people are burdened by it, and to actually have a little study about it. People get it's sort of a cathartic thing. It leads to hope. So why do you think it got your attention? Why did that pattern these questions? What got your attention? Why does it get your attention, right? Because there's a reason why this thing is bothering you or got your attention. And God doesn't waste anything in their life. So God can teach you through current events. But again, in some ways, we're teaching you to, and you're teaching your group to think theologically about everything. Jesus Christ was the Lord of every inch of our life, right? What scripture passages come to mind as a result of these current events that are happening in your thinking? Right, so now all of a sudden, people are putting passages of the scripture to everything in their life, right? Songs, secular or religious, so "Amazing Grace", you could go over each stanza, and talk about how you know what stands out for you. What does this mean? Why? I think, especially in the past, we're like, theological topics, like, "Abide with me fast falls the Eventide" is the topic of our mortality, in faith of certain death and what are you going to do about it? Right? I mean, at the time, okay, goes through it to the least stanza, before my closing eyes, you know, shine through the gloom and point me to the sky, heaven's morning breaks and earth and vain shadows in life. Right, and so "abide with me", so some of us that are older and going and see some of these things, shadows, our ability. A lot of these songs will relate to people's lives and They will. Okay, how about secular? I got "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "show me your way" But "show me the ways" by sticks and I actually have the lyrics. So this is from "Bohemian Rhapsody" queen. "Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? How do landslide escape from reality open your eyes. Look to the skies and see I'm just a poor boy…

I need no sympathy. Because easy come easy go a little high, a little low.  Anyway, the wind blows doesn't really matter to me. You know, there are so  many theological I mean things where you got some Proverbs in there  somewhere, you know, what doesn't really matter? Look up to the skies and  see, but bear in there. I mean, there's, I think it's not only a really popular song,  but I think it's an anthem of many young people, do they that they really they're  really living their lives by the wind, the wind blows, and blows their way? What  difference does it make in the end? Right? So I'm gonna grab what I can right  now. While I have that and let the chips fall where they may a lot of young  people are living quiet lives in despair, the suicide rate has never been higher.  And I think it's this mentality because people are letting go God, but also to in  the first line is the real life or this just fantasy? Those are two philosophy there's  modernism and post modernism, right, in one sentence, it's probably why  everybody identifies the the song, the song that into the zeitgeist, the comment  of how people think. So here's another one. This is by sticks. Show me the way  every night I say a prayer in the hope that there's a heaven.. But every day, I'm  more confused. As the saints turn into sinners. All the heroes and legends I  knew as a child have fallen to idols of clay, and I feel this empty place inside, so  afraid that I've lost my faith. And then it goes, show me the way, take me tonight  to the river and wash my illusions away. Please show me the way. I think that  like that chorus is so powerful, because I think just searching, yeah, that people  are looking. And it could be people in your Bible study that, you know, they're  facing certain things in their family, Lord, show me the way. Or they got some  difficult decisions to make about their futures. And I don't know what to do show  me the way, right. And so the secular songs because these are people, some of  the secular people are still God's people. They're created in His image. And  there's that he placed that sense of eternity in the heart of people, men and  women. So they're going to communicate some of these things. These are  universal thoughts and feelings that people have. So you can have a Bible  study. So what are we trying to show here? We're trying to show that any topic  that comes to you any way whether it's a book, or whether it's television, or  whether it's the news, or whether it's art or whether people went to a play, is like  we need to help people think theologically and biblically, right like there's nothing

that God isn't in, and there's nothing that God isn't interested in your life, and  everything can be turned into a theological battle. All right, so we'll meet again  next time.