GET INTO THE STUDY 5 minutes DISCUSS: Draw attention to the picture on PSG page 70 and ask Question 1: What makes you feel safe and secure? SESSION 6 GOING OUT GUIDE: Refer group members to The Bible Meets Life, PSG page 71 to the author s comments about the bunker business and people s desire for safety and comfort. SAY: There is a danger when the church has a bunker mentality and its primary purpose is the safety and comfort of its members. GUIDE: Introduce The Point on PSG page 71: Engaging others with the gospel means going where they are. PRAY: Begin the Bible study with prayer. Ask God to help us change to become outwardly focused rather than inwardly focused more concerned with others than ourselves. The Point Engaging others with the gospel means going where they are. The Bible Meets Life The majority of churches in America are not closed to outsiders; they want other people to visit and even get involved. But extending a sincere welcome to those who visit is not enough, because most people never come to the church building. Instead, the church is to go where people are and extend the invitation. Instead of waiting for others to come to us, believers are to go to them and invite them to come to Christ. The Passage Acts 16:6-15 The Setting Acts 15:36 18:22 records the events of Paul s second missionary journey. Acts 16 details how God stopped Paul from going into various regions of Asia Minor. God also gave Paul a vision of a Macedonian man pleading for Paul s help. Recognizing this vision as divine direction, Paul and his companions crossed over to Macedonia and began spreading the gospel message in the region. 72 Session 6
Acts 16:6-8 6 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia; they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 Passing by Mysia they went down to Troas. 1 Verse 6. The first three verses in the focal passage serve to detail as much about where Paul did not travel as they do about the regions Paul did travel in. [A good map of the various places discussed in this session will be extremely helpful.] Paul and his companions (Timothy and Silas) traveled through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia. Phrygia was located partly in the Roman province of Asia and partly in the province of Galatia. Galatia was divided into northern and southern regions. The northern region of Galatia was considered uncivilized and was populated by Celtic tribesmen. The southern half was more civilized and included the cities of Pisidian Antioch and Iconium. The exact nature of Paul s activities in these areas is debated. Some hold to the view that Paul and his companions simply passed through these areas, while others believe they spent time evangelizing the areas and visiting previously established churches. Paul and his team wanted to go to Asia, which was to the west of Phrygia and Galatia. Asia could have referred to the Roman province of Asia, which included Lycia, Lydia, Mysia, and portions of Phrygia. On the other hand, Asia could have been referring to the area including the cities between Philadelphia and the coast of the Aegean Sea. Some commentators suggest Paul was wanting to travel to the city of Ephesus. Whatever Paul s intent, the Holy Spirit forbade him from preaching the gospel in Asia. How the Holy Spirit intervened in this case is not detailed, but God obviously had other plans for Paul and his companions. Verse 7. Heeding God s message, Paul and his companions traveled north to Mysia. Mysia was located in the northwestern part of Asia Minor. Paul and his companions were most likely traveling up the eastern border of Mysia. From Mysia, Paul had intended to go further north to STUDY THE BIBLE Acts 16:6-8 SUMMARIZE: Before reading the passage, refer to The Bible Meets Life and The Setting on page 72 to establish the context of the passage. READ: Ask a group member to read Acts 16:6-8. 10 minutes LEADER PACK: Display Item 5: The Second Missionary Journey of Paul. Point out key locations in this passage: Phrygia, Galatia, Asia, Mysia, Bithynia, and Troas. SUMMARIZE: Refer to Bible Commentary 1 on this page and page 74 to provide further explanation about the geographic regions mentioned in this passage. SUGGESTED USE WEEK OF OCTOBER 7 73
THE POINT Engaging others with the gospel means going where they are. SUMMARIZE: Refer to Bible Commentary 2 to explain how the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Jesus affected where Paul and his companions traveled. GUIDE: Refer group members to PSG page 73 to what might keep us from having the same kind of passion and perseverance in sharing the gospel? Prosperity. Busyness. Faithlessness. DISCUSS: Question #2 (PSG, p. 74): When have you felt a strong sense of guidance from the Holy Spirit? Alternate: Why are we quick to give up instead of persevering when there are roadblocks to sharing the gospel? TRANSITION: In the next verses, we will see how a vision changed the trajectory of Paul s journey. Bithynia, another Roman province (a combination of Bithynia and Pontus) located along the southern shore of the Black Sea. Paul probably intended to evangelize the cities of the region, which included Byzantium, Nicea, and Nicomedia the seat of Roman power in the region. 2 For a second time, Paul and his companions were not allowed to enter the area as planned. This time, it was the Spirit of Jesus who would not allow them to travel as they had intended. The Spirit of Jesus may have been a vision of the resurrection Jesus or another title for the Holy Spirit. Again, Paul and his companions were sensitive to God s leading in their evangelistic efforts. Why did the Spirit not allow the missionaries into this region? Luke did not give a reason. However, this did not mean the gospel would never be preached there. While Paul did not travel to these areas, the gospel eventually reached the people of those regions as indicated by the apostle Peter s first letter (1 Pet. 1:1). Verse 8. Obedient to the Spirit s leadership, the missionaries passed by Mysia and went on to Troas. Passing by could mean either they did not stop there to evangelize, or that they traveled along the northern coast of Mysia since there was no main road through the region to the coast. Eventually, they reached Troas (Alexandria Troas), a Roman colony located on the west coast of Asia Minor about thirty miles south of the ancient city of Troy. Troas was a major seaport for northwest Asia Minor, having an artificial harbor. It served as a primary access route to Macedonia. Acts 16:9-10 9 During the night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, Cross over to Macedonia and help us! 10 After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 74 Session 6
Verse 9. Paul lived out the truth that when God presents us with new opportunities to represent Christ we need to embrace them. While at Troas, Paul had a vision during the night. The vision was of a Macedonian man who pleaded that Paul cross over to Macedonia to help the Macedonians. Macedonia was a Roman province located across the Aegean Sea from Asia Minor and was the northern part of ancient Greece. The province of Achaia to the south was the southern portion of Greece. Whereas Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) was located on the continent of Asia, Macedonia was located in Europe. Verse 10. After receiving the vision, Paul apparently shared what he had seen and heard with his coworkers as they immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia. As noted above, God had twice blocked them in their efforts at evangelism through the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16:6,7). They interpreted this vision as yet another indication of the direction in which God was leading them. However, in this case God had given Paul and his companions the green light to sail across the Aegean Sea to Macedonia. God had called them to preach the gospel to the Macedonians. 3 Macedonia was first organized under Philip II. When he was assassinated in 336 BC, his son, Alexander the Great, inherited the strongest military in Greece. With Macedonia as his base, Alexander conquered the Persian Empire and extended his rule from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Indus River in India. The Greek term translated to preach has the general meaning of addressing someone with good or joyful news. In the context of the New Testament, the term means to proclaim the good news of the gospel. The gospel is the good news of salvation available through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. God had called Paul and his coworkers to make a bold change of plans. Preaching in Macedonia would mark a new beginning in the spread of the gospel. Paul and his companions were up to the task, immediately making plans to undertake the journey to Macedonia. They embraced the opportunities God had given them. While Luke went into great detail in this passage concerning the cities and provinces where the group traveled, the geography is secondary. The primary focus is on God s leading. When God directs, He closes some doors and opens others. He does this so that we may take part in His plan to reach lost people enslaved by sin with the liberating, life-changing good news of the gospel of Christ. STUDY THE BIBLE Acts 16:9-10 10 minutes READ: Ask a group member to read Acts 16:9-10. LEADER PACK: Use the map Item 5: The Second Missionary Journey of Paul to point out the key location in this passage: Macedonia. SUMMARIZE: Refer to Bible Commentary 3 to provide some background on Macedonia. 75
THE POINT Engaging others with the gospel means going where they are. GUIDE: Refer group members to PSG pages 74-75 to show Paul s immediate obedience. A posture of ready awareness to God given opportunities God is essential for the success of all mission endeavors. These truths motivate us to always be ready: Jesus is coming back. Opportunities are all around us. We have the tendency to drift. DISCUSS: Question #3 (PSG, p. 75): When have you sensed God s prompting to share the gospel with someone? Alternate: Where do you have a specific opportunity to share the gospel? TRANSITION: In the next verses, we discover the result of Paul s obedience. STUDY THE BIBLE Acts 16:11-15 15 minutes READ: Ask a group member to read Acts 16:11-15. In an interesting side note, the narrator changed how he referred to Paul and his coworkers. Up to this point the narrator referred to the group in the third person as they. However, in this verse for the first time in the Book of Acts he began writing of the group in the first person as we. Traditionally, both the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts are held to have been written by Luke, the dearly loved physician (Col. 4:14). Very little is known about Luke. He was an associate of Paul and was present when Paul wrote the letters to the Colossians, Philemon, and 2 Timothy. These letters were penned by Paul during the times he was in prison in Rome. Much speculation exists regarding Luke s hometown thought to be Antioch of Syria. Some believe at this time Luke was living in Philippi and as a doctor was traveling between Philippi and Troas. Luke was already a believer when he joined Paul. Luke apparently remained in Philippi after Paul and the others left. It is at that point the first we passage ends. 1 Acts 16:11-15 11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, a Roman colony and a leading city of the district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for several days. 13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. 14 A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. 15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house. And she persuaded us. 76 Session 6
4 Verse 11. When we encounter new people we should share Christ with them. The missionary zeal of Paul and his companions to spread the gospel certainly serves as an excellent model. Having received a vision from God in Troas that they should go to the region of Macedonia and preach the gospel, Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace. Samothrace is a small, mountainous island about thirty-eight miles south of the coast of Thrace, a Roman province in southeastern Europe. Samothrace s mountains rose to a height of five thousand feet above sea level. The next day the missionaries arrived at Neapolis, 149 miles from Troas and the port city for Philippi. Neapolis, meaning new city, was located ten miles from Philippi in northeastern Macedonia. Sitting on a piece of land between two bays, the town possessed a harbor in each bay. The mention of Samothrace and Neapolis, while on the surface seeming to be incidental to the account, serve to provide details to the eyewitness account of Luke. 5 Verse 12. The missionary team did not stay in Neapolis, making the ten-mile walk inland along the famous Roman road called the Egnatian Way to Philippi. This route connected the Aegean Sea and the Adriatic Sea across the Greek peninsula, a major road throughout the centuries. Philippi was settled because of the region s copper and gold deposits. Philippi was named after the Macedonian Phillip II, father of Alexander the Great. Phillip took control of the city and the region s gold mines during the fourth century BC. The city came under Roman rule in 168 BC, and in 42 BC the plains to the southwest of the city served as the site where Antony and Octavian defeated Brutus and Cassius (who had murdered Julius Caesar) in their war over the rule of the Roman Empire. In 31 BC, after Octavian (Augustus) solidified his rule over the empire, he granted Philippi the status of a Roman colony, settling many of his military veterans in the city. Citizens of a Roman colony received Roman citizenship, were governed by Roman law, were free from paying taxes, and had a city constitution that was modeled after that of Rome itself. Philippi is the only city in the Book of Acts specifically identified as a Roman colony. Philippi was also a leading city of the district of Macedonia. When Macedonia came under Roman rule, it was divided into four districts for administrative purposes. The region was reorganized as a single district with Thessalonica as its capital. The claim that Philippi was a leading city may have been due its historical significance. 2 LEADER PACK: Use the map Item 5: The Second Missionary Journey of Paul to point out key locations in this passage: Troas, Samothrace, Neapolis, Philippi, Macedonia, Thyatira. SUMMARIZE: Refer to Bible Commentary 4 to provide further explanation about the geographic locations mentioned in this passage. SUMMARIZE: Refer to Bible Commentary 5 to share with group members background information about Philippi and why it was a leading city in the district of Macedonia. 77
THE POINT Engaging others with the gospel means going where they are. SUMMARIZE: Refer to Bible Commentary 6 to explain the approach that Paul customarily took when sharing the gospel in a new city: Approach the city s Jewish population on the Sabbath in the synagogue. After sharing with the Jewish population in the town, Paul would bring the gospel to the Gentiles in the city. In Philippi, there apparently was no synagogue, possibly due to an insufficient number of male Jews (ten or more) required to form a synagogue. Without a synagogue, the Jews met outside of the city gate by the river, where they established a place of prayer. DISCUSS: Question #4 (PSG, p. 76): Where can we go to engage with non-believers to share the gospel? The missionary team stayed in Philippi for several days. Apparently they were waiting to begin their evangelization efforts on a Sabbath day. 6 Verse 13. Paul s customary practice when evangelizing in a new city was to first approach a town s Jewish population on the Sabbath in the synagogue. After doing this, he would bring the good news to the city s Gentile population. Apparently no synagogue had been established in Philippi. This implies that there was an insufficient number of male Jews in the town to make up a synagogue. Jewish law required ten or more Jewish men for the formation of a synagogue. Without a synagogue, the Jews of Philippi met outside the city gate by the river where they had established a place of prayer. The Romans at times were ill at ease in regards to foreign religions. While Judaism was recognized as a religion by the Roman government, the fact that there was no established synagogue may have been an additional motivation for the meeting being held outside the city. The river referenced was most likely the Gangites River, which was about a mile and a quarter from the city gates. The access to the river would have been beneficial for Jewish rites of ceremonial cleansing. That Paul and his companions expected to find a place of prayer suggests that they may not have been certain of the location where the Jews gathered. Luke did not state whether the place of prayer was an open-air site or if there was some kind of enclosure where the group met. The Greek word for place of prayer was often used by the Hellenistic Jews as a synonym for synagogue. Paul and the others joined the worship service which was made up of mostly, if not all, women. Sitting down was the customary posture a speaker assumed. Paul waited for an invitation to address the women gathered, worshiping by the river. 7 Verse 14. One of the women who had come to worship that day was named Lydia. She was a Godfearing woman, meaning she was a Gentile who believed and behaved like a Jew but without becoming a full convert. Gentile women were more open to Judaism since only baptism and an offering were required. Men additionally had to go through the painful ritual of circumcision. Her name was the same as the region she 78 Session 6
was from; therefore, Lydia may not have been her real name. She may have taken the name of her native land, or it could have been her trade name. She was the woman from Lydia, a region located in Asia Minor. Its capital was Sardis, one of the seven churches addressed by Jesus in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 3:1 6). Lydia s hometown, Thyatira, was situated in an area with an abundance of natural resources. Many trade guilds had developed around these resources. Thyatira was a center for the trade of purple dye. Lydia s occupation, as a dealer in purple cloth, indicates that she was probably a wealthy woman. Purple cloth was expensive and was associated with the wealthy and with royalty. Thyatira was located in the Lycus Valley in western Asia Minor (modern Turkey) at an intersection with roads leading to Pergamum, Sardis, Magnesia, and Smyrna. Because of its location, the city was an important economic center. The city had a population of Jews, and at some point a Christian church was planted in the city. Thyatira is another of the seven cities addressed by Jesus in the opening chapters of the Book of Revelation (2:18-29). Lydia may have been serving as the local representative of the dye manufacturer s guild of Thyatira. Her business was evidently prosperous she owned a large house, and had the means to accommodate the four missionaries in her home (Acts 16:15). As Lydia listened to Paul s presentation of the gospel, the Lord opened her heart. The Greek term translated opened means to open the mind/heart so that a person not only hears and understands, but accepts what is being presented. The Greek term for heart was used to describe the center of one s being, the seat of the intellect (the mind), feelings, and desires. God used Paul s preaching to open Lydia s mind/heart to see, understand, and believe the gospel of salvation. Although it was Paul who proclaimed the gospel, it was God who saved this woman through Paul s proclamation. Verse 15. Lydia s conversion had a ripple effect. After Lydia s conversion, she and her household were baptized. The word household is sometimes used to describe a family with children. Lydia s household probably included any children living at home along with her servants. This is the second time Luke mentioned the salvation of an individual and his or her household. The first time concerns the centurion Cornelius and his house (Acts 11:14). This is also the first time Luke mentioned the baptism of an entire household along with the head of the SUMMARIZE: Refer to Bible Commentary 7 on page 78 and this page to explain how Paul approached the Gentile women and to provide background information about Lydia: After sharing the gospel with the Jews in a community, then Paul would share the gospel with Gentiles. Many Godfearing Gentiles would gather in close proximity to the Jewish synagogues or places of prayer to glean more understanding about the Jewish faith. In Philippi, Paul shared the gospel with Lydia. Lydia s designation as a Godfearing woman indicated that she was a Gentile who believed and behaved like a Jew without becoming a full convert. GUIDE: Refer to PSG pages 77-78 to things we can learn about sharing Christ with others: Sharing Christ requires a verbal testimony. Responding to Christ requires the work of God. Sharing Christ produces ripples. DO: Encourage members to take a few minutes to complete the activity and share responses to Go and Tell on PSG page 78. 79
THE POINT Engaging others with the gospel means going where they are. DISCUSS: Question #5 (PSG, p. 78): What can we learn from Acts 16:6-15 about becoming a more welcoming group? Alternate: How can we be prepared to share Christ with those we encounter? OPTIONAL ACTIVITY: Invite group members to accept the following challenge: Pray for three people who are not Christians. 1. 2. 3. Identify five people you can invite to our group or church. house. Shortly after these events, Luke would detail the second time with the baptism of the Philippian jailer and his house (16:33). As one commentator notes, there is no evidence in these cases of the baptism of a person and his or her entire household that such a baptism included any infants. Baptism is always the result of personal faith in and obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Throughout Acts baptism is based on personal faith and commitment, and there is no reason to see otherwise in the household baptisms. 3 Lydia invited the missionaries to stay in her home, just as the Gentile Cornelius had asked Peter to stay at his house (Acts 10:48). It was her way of showing the missionaries that she genuinely believed. The Greek word translated believer also has the meanings of faithful, true, and trustworthy. She was putting her new-found faith into practice. Her works were proof of her faith (Jas. 2:18 26). Later Luke wrote that her home had become a gathering place for the Philippian Christian community (Acts 16:40). And, like a smart business person, she was well versed in the art of persuasion. Her insistence and her changed life urged the men to accept her hospitality. And they did. 1. Clinton E. Arnold, Acts in Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, vol. 2 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002), 368. 2. John B. Polhill, Acts, vol. 26 in The New American Commentary (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 1992), 347 48. 3. Ibid., 350. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Commit to learn one specific way to share the gospel. Write down the name or initials of one person you will share the gospel with. 80 Session 6
LIVE IT OUT The church should not be a bunker. To truly be a welcoming church, and to obey the commission of Jesus, we cannot sit around and wait for people to come into the church building. We must instead take the initiative and go to where the people are. > > Pray about fear. What is your biggest fear or apprehension about sharing the gospel with someone else? Share that fear with someone in your group and ask them to pray for you to overcome it. > > Seek the opportunity. Who is one person in your relational circle you know who does not believe the gospel? Pray and look for the opportunity to share with that person. > > Serve together. Brainstorm with your group about practical ways you can go out together to serve and speak the word of the gospel. LIVE IT OUT 5 minutes GUIDE: Emphasize The Point: Engaging others with the gospel means going where they are. REVIEW: Review Live It Out (PSG, p. 79); (see text to the left). Encourage each group member to follow through this week with at least one of the applications. WRAP IT UP GUIDE: Remind group members of our need to go where people are who need Jesus. Encourage members to be sensitive to those around them who might be receptive to the gospel. PRAY: Father, help us to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit and boldly go and share the good news with people who need You. Grow with other group leaders at the Groups Ministry blog. LifeWay.com/GroupMinistry 81
HOW TO FRUSTRATE A GUEST BY DWAYNE MCCRARY We want new people to visit and join our Bible study groups, right? The life of open, ongoing Bible study groups depends on guest attendance. When traveling, I will sometimes attend a Bible study group as a guest. In doing so, I have gathered a list of things that can make a guest scream with frustration. 1. Make them walk across the room to find a chair. You enter the room (usually late because you had to find where the group met) and the only empty chair is on the other side of the room. In some cases, the group leader is positioned in such a way that makes it impossible to simply slip in unnoticed. Please be sure at least one or two chairs are available near the door. 82 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE
2. Provide them a name tag that is different from everyone else s. Everyone wearing a printed name tag lets me know I am not in the club. Handing me a red marker when everyone else has name tags in black also raises my suspicions. Let me be a part of your club! 3. Put them on the spot. One way is asking them to introduce themselves. Didn t anyone in the group catch my name earlier? If I didn t share during the group time, why would I want to share now? Guests also can be put on the spot in so many more ways: the leader directs a specific question toward the guest or puts the guest in charge of an activity, or the leader asks a guest to read or pray aloud. 4. Make it hard to participate. Be sure to have extra resources on hand. Give the guest a Bible and a personal study guide, if needed, to make it easy for them to participate. If they want to keep the Bible or resource provided, let them do so. 5. Tell inside jokes, stories, or terms. Every group has a code, and the order of doing things and the way you reference things make up part of that code. Experiences within the group also make up that code. You remember how that worked out when we were building that playground for the community means nothing to the person who didn t even know the community had a playground. Don t be so exclusive. Guests need you to clue them in to what happened with that playground and explain inside jokes or unspoken rules. 6. Forget their names. Most of us like it when people remember our names. If your group has so many guests that you can t remember their names ten minutes after you met them, then maybe it s time to start a new group! 7. Ignore them. It s one thing to not put guests on the spot, but it s another thing to ignore them altogether. If a guest wants to contribute to the discussion, let her do so. If he volunteers to read aloud, by all means, encourage him to do so. After the group time is over, make the effort to talk to guests or contact them. We want to know that someone noticed we were there! G. Dwayne McCrary is a project team leader for ongoing Adult Bible study resources at LifeWay, including the Adult Explore the Bible resources. He also teaches an adult group and preschool group every Sunday in the church he attends. This article originally appeared on the Groups Ministry blog. For more articles on leading your group, visit: www.lifeway. com/groupministry. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 83
4 WAYS TO MAKE LEARNING MORE VISUAL BY KEN BRADDY Let your teaching appeal to the visual learners in your group. I m in that category of learner it s my preferred method for learning. Tell me and I ll forget. Show me and I ll remember. Many of the people in your group are sure to be visual learners. No matter what kind of group you teach, here are a few ways to make learning more visual: 84 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE
1. PowerPoint or Keynote. Either of these electronic presentation tools is great for helping visual learners connect with the Bible study topic. With technology today, you can actually run either of these programs from your tablet or smartphone. You can purchase connectors that will convert the signal to HDMI at office supply or electronics stores for about $25-30. But a note of caution: don t use this every time you lead a group! It s true that too much of a good thing isn t a good thing. 2. Vivid stories. Stories, you say?! Yes, stories! Although you may not think of a story as visual, when you spin a vivid narrative full of details, people create pictures in their minds. The apostle Paul was great at generating word pictures by talking about running races, boxing, farming, and other things that planted images in the minds of his readers. Jesus did similar things as He taught through parables. Don t underestimate the power of a vivid story to appeal to your visual learners. And don t gloss over an added side benefit: this activity also appeals to your auditory learners, too! That s a bonus. 3. Demonstrations. These create wonderful visuals that are live and in person. Once, for example, when I was teaching from Ephesians 4, I brought two raw eggs into my adult Bible study group. I divided the group into two teams, and gave each team thirty plastic straws and about a foot of masking tape. I instructed them to create something that would keep their egg from breaking when I dropped it from a height of eight feet. They collaborated, created, and then demonstrated. It was a powerful visual that helped me drive home the main point of that Sunday s Bible study. 4. Documents. Maps, charts, posters, handouts, diagrams, pictures, and drawings all help visual learners engage and understand the concept you are teaching. These things are neither hard nor time-consuming to produce. This leader guide includes some suggestions for things like these. Ken Braddy blogs weekly with great ideas for becoming a better Bible study leader. Follow his blog at kenbraddy.com. He is the manager of Adult Ongoing Bible Studies at LifeWay. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 85