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How do your women feel about Bible study homework?
Do they hate it?
Do they fail to get it done?
You’ve probably heard these Bible study excuses:
- I’m too busy.
- I don’t like to do homework.
Since many women don’t like Bible study homework and don’t complete it, we can’t help but wonder…
Is Bible study homework necessary?
Why not just meet once a week, listen to a teaching or video, and then discuss it? Isn’t that enough?
Aren’t women already regularly engaging in God’s Word during their personal quiet time? Unfortunately, research tells us otherwise. According to the State of the Bible 2020 only 9% of Americans use the Bible daily. That’s a sharp drop from 14% in 2019.
Daily Bible study is on the decline.
And if you think that doesn’t apply to your group, I encourage you to distribute the My Bible Study Habits survey. You’ll find it in this post and in the Rethinking Women’s Ministry Workbook.
Your women are not studying God’s Word as much as you may think they are.
How can we encourage our women to regularly engage in God’s Word?
Let’s start by looking at what God says about His Word:
- Is living and active (Hebrews 4:12)
- Revives our soul (Psalm 19:7)
- Is for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
- Should be stored up in our hearts (Psalm 119:10-11)
- Is sweeter than honey (Psalm 19:10)
- Renews our mind (Romans 12:2)
- Is a light (Psalm 119:105)
Being in God’s Word has many benefits, but how often do we really need to be in the Word.
Is daily Bible study biblical?
A couple of years ago, as I prepared for a keynote talk on Joshua 1:9, God directed my attention to the two verses right before it.
Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Joshua 1:7-8
The idea of meditating on scripture day and night seemed to hint at studying the Bible at a minimum of twice a day.
As I dug deeper, I discovered that the Israelites would have known the phrase “day and night” to mean always. Not just twice a day, but continuously.
Joshua’s success was dependent on knowing God’s Word and obeying God’s Word. His strength and courage came from God through the Book of the Law (which would have included the first five books of the Bible).
One could draw the conclusion that there is a connection between our success (not necessarily monetary success) and God’s Word.
Back to the Bible has some eye-opening research.
People who engage with the Bible 4 times per week or more are:
- 228% more likely to share faith with others
- 407% more likely to memorize scripture
- 59% less likely to view pornography
- 30% less likely to struggle with loneliness
And those are just the highlights. Bible study makes a difference!
If one of our ministry goals is spiritual growth (and it should be), encouraging regular engagement with God’s Word through Bible study homework should be a priority.
How much Bible study homework is too much?
Some of the women in your group may have large chunks of time available for Bible study homework, and others will struggle to find ways to get even the smallest amounts of Bible study homework done.
Offering homework that allows women to go deeper if they have the time can be helpful.
Bible study reading and homework that require an hour every day may not be realistic for most of your group members.
Yet, we don’t want the homework to be so brief that women can complete it easily in one sitting. We hope that they will engage with God’s Word on multiple days (beyond Sunday mornings and once a week at Bible study).
If you’re looking for a Bible study with a manageable amount of homework, I encourage you to check out my READ Bible Study for Groups. The weekly worksheet guides women through the study of one chapter of the Bible each week, and it can be completed in less than 20 minutes a day (there’s a 4, 5, and 6-day suggested pacing included). Group facilitators lead women through the worksheet during their discussion time (women love the discussion time).
How can we encourage women to complete their Bible study homework?
There are many things we can do to encourage our women to complete their homework.
- Set an expectation that homework is to be completed. Some Bible study leaders make the mistake of telling women it’s okay if they don’t do the homework. While we should welcome women to attend if they don’t do the homework (God’s Word does not return void), they will get much more out of the study if they do the homework.
- Send an email in between meetings with a reminder of the homework assignment and a note of encouragement. You might share how the homework that week has been a blessing to you. Or give them a heads-up if there’s a day that may take a little more time. Be their homework cheerleader!
- Provide ample time to discuss the homework during your Bible study meeting. Some of your women will complete their homework because they want to be prepared for the discussion. But women will stop doing the homework if it isn’t discussed. You may need to shorten your prayer or teaching time. Part of engaging with God’s Word is talking about it. Many women aren’t used to talking about God’s Word so give them time to practice.
- Help women find time in their schedule for homework. With rare exception, we all choose how we spend our time, and most have pockets of time that we could spend differently. Social media can be a huge time suck for some of your women. Challenge them to do their Bible study homework before checking their phone. Some of your women might need to get up 30 minutes earlier. Some of your women may need to trade TV time for time in God’s Word. Sharing how you make time to get your homework done may be helpful.
- Offer Bible studies that include homework that is meaningful and manageable. Women will lose patience over fill-in-the-blank homework or homework where the author hands the answer to them on a silver platter. Homework should be challenging, but not so challenging, that women who are new to studying God’s Word cannot answer any of the questions.
In my book, Rethinking Women’s Ministry, I share about my friend Melissa. Melissa’s very first Bible study ever was a Beth Moore Bible study. There were hours of homework, and it was necessary to look at several different scripture passages every week. Just finding those verses in the Bible was challenging for Melissa. It would have been easy for her to give up, but she didn’t. She may not have attended every week, but she tried, and she stuck with it.
Our Bible study leader certainly encouraged Melissa to work at her own pace and never made her feel less than for incomplete homework. But I believe it was the fellowship and friendships she was developing in our group that kept her coming back week after week.
We all have to start somewhere.
The goal is not perfection, but growth.
Bible study homework is one way to encourage strong, healthy growth in the women in our groups.
May we not forget that Bible study can transform relationships with God and others.
You may also want to read:
Teaching Women to Read the Bible
Three Keys to Consistent Bible Study
How to Be a Great Bible Study or Small Group Leader
Why I’m Tired of Bible Study Books
How to Launch Your Next Bible Study Session
Tips to Increase Your Women’s Bible Study Attendance
Bible Study Facilitator Training
This is so timely as my group is starting in-person Bible study meetings in the next two weeks. Some people are still hesitant to meet in person, but I am hopeful that we can get them used to getting together again making them comfortable with the steps we take to meet.
During the pandemic, I happened upon an idea (after flopping on Zoom) to “text” a devotional. A group of nine of us have kept connected through texting by commenting on what we read as well as sharing our struggles, which has led to prayers using texts. It’s worked well, but rest assured we are looking forward to meeting in person again. I have ended up choosing one person each day (M-F) to pray for together each day. Wow! It’s been such a blessing to all of us as well as the person being prayed for. We have seen God’s timing so perfect because the person prayed for has responded with the need to be covered on that very day.
Wanda, I am so glad you’ll be meeting in-person again soon! Thank you for sharing the idea to text a devotional to your group and to encourage prayer. <3
help me with bible topics for discussion
Hi Irene, I recommend selecting a book of the Bible to study with your group. Slowing down and working through 1 chapter a week is how my READ Bible study is structured (www.readbiblestudy.com). If you want to select a book, I recommend my course on How to Select the Best Bible Study for Your Group here https://womensministrytoolbox.teachable.com/p/how-to-select-a-bible-study.
Love this article. As a Bible Study writer, I have often pondered the question of how much homework is too much homework. For me, starting with God’s word is essential and I often have them look up and read larger passages. I also like to create questions that inspire application to the readers life. I have been in some studies where the expectation is that participants can’t talk unless they have done the homework and memorized the weekly verse and other studies where showing up is all that is required. I genuinely believe both can be beneficial but I have gotten more out of the studies where I put in the time and do the work.
Penny, thank you for your comments. 🙂 I agree, I find I get more out of the studies when I put in the time and do the work.
Thank you for always promoting the Word of God – it tranforms lives. We have had ongoing in person studies since the beginning of the year. We are doing book studies and have steered away from ‘personalities and videos’ to get our women digging for themselves. Thank you for all you do for women’s ministry
Reyna, you are welcome. Knowing and following God’s Word is critical to our spiritual growth. I’m thrilled you’re teaching your women to dig for themselves. Thank you for your comments. <3
It is funny, or possibly ironic that this is the blog post you sent out today…..at least for me. I am currently in 2 Bible studies. One with a group of Lutheran ladies, and one at my home church with a diverse group of ladies- some who don’t regularly attend church. Homework really, usually, is not a problem for me at all; but, this time I am struggling. Not because I have two study journals to do but, because one is more like a high school literature class.
I do not enjoy finding the “hidden deeper meaning” behind authors words. I believe especially with the Bible: God means what he is saying. Does He use metaphors and hyperbole? Yes! But I would rather allow the Holy Spirit to do His job than try to do it for Him. I also do not enjoy rewrites of scripture in our own words or re-writing of the examples the study author gave. I enjoy thought provoking questions in which we are allowed to share what Holy Spirit laid on our heart for the questions, but I do not want to simply be re-writing the authors study.
Anyway I do finish my homework even when I find it less enjoyable because I enjoy my time with the Lord in it.
Thank you again for giving us a toolbox Cyndee!
God bless!
Niki, thank you for your comments. You make some great points about different types of Bible study homework questions!