p { font-size:24px: }

Bible Discussion Guide

Mack Thomas wrote a pair of books to aid in individual and group Bible study called The Complete Bible Study Guide Old Testament and The Complete Bible Study Guide New Testament. He provides a set of questions applicable to reading any chapter of the Bible:

  1. what does this chapter tell me about God’s character and personality?
  2. what needed corrections or adjustments in my habits or character come to mind as I explore this chapter?
  3. what are the key verses, key phrases, the key words?
  4. What are the key points or principles – and how do they work in my life?
  5. In this chapter do I see any commands to obey, promises to claim, standards to live by? examples to learn from?
  6. What three-to-six word title could I give this chapter to help me remember its teachings?

He then provides a set of questions applicable before diving into any book of the Bible:

  1. if you are familiar with this book, which passages are your favorite parts of it?
  2. If this were the only book in the Bible you knew about or had access to, what things could you still find out about God?
  3. As you scan this book, what types of Bible literature does it appear to contain? (Poetry, historical, reaching, law, parables, proverbs, prophecy)
  4. What appear to be the main divisions of this book?
  5. From what you understand about this book, who wrote it, and for what original audience was it written?
  6. From what you see in looking over this book, what would you say the author was trying most to accomplish?
  7. Which chapter in this book would you say is the key chapter, the one that best summarizes or reflects or unlocks the meaning of the entire book?
  8. From what you see in looking over this book, what kinds of answers and guidelines and solutions in life do you think we can reasonable expect to find in this book?
  9. What four-to-six-word title would you give this book, to best summarize its content and significance?
  10. When you get to Heaven, if you asked God, “Why did you include this book in the Bible?” how do you think He would answer it?

The remainder of the book has individual questions for each book and chapter of the Bible. I highly recommend purchasing copies of these books for your Kindle and then using them in your individual and group Bible study.

As you prepare to discuss the chapter with others the author suggests to “Read the chapter … reread it … and reread it again.”