For many of us—whether we’re students or leaders—reading the Bible can feel like eating broccoli. Like, “I know I should do this, and I know it’s good for me on some nutritional level, but can we cover this in cheese sauce or something?”But I’d like to pose some yummy “What if?” questions:
What if reading the Bible is not simply good for us nutritionally—but delicious?
What if reading the Bible is kind of like broccoli, but also like cheesecake?
What if the psalmist wasn’t being weird when he said in Psalm 119:103, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”?
What if leaders and students alike could open their Bible and not only proclaim, “This will be good for me,” but also proclaim the same words we say after biting into a slice of birthday cake: “This is so good!”?
Here’s the general thing I’m getting at: What if Bible study is not like we thought it was?
It’s Like…Cake
I always say that I used to read the Bible the way I watch a movie (just letting the scenes pass by) but now I read the Bible the way I eat a piece of cake (savoring each bite and randomly shouting, “Yum!”). When I learned some simple Bible study tools beyond simply reading, I noticed that my delight in God’s Word shot up like a rocket. Ever since, I’ve been grabbing everyone I can and trying to teach them these same tools. Truly, I don’t want anyone to miss out of the delight, hope, and healing that can be found within the pages of scripture!
It’s Like…Peanut Butter Cups
Because of how much I like the Bible, I’m on a mission to help girls like their Bibles—and I have a theory this mission is best completed by helping girls know how to study their Bibles. Why? Because liking something and knowing how to do something are like peanut butter and chocolate, a made-for-one-another pairing in which one thing brings out the flavor of the other and results in more a delightful experience for everybody. Oh, the things we can learn from Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups!
It’s Like…Roller Skating
Or consider what we can learn from roller skating: My young kids don’t like roller skating because they don’t know how. A neighbor gifted us two pairs of hand-me-down skates recently, and the kids were thrilled at first, but they crashed to the ground within minutes. That dampened the mood considerably, and everyone cried. Even still, I know that when they learn how to skate, there’s a major chance they’ll like roller skating.It’s always easier to do something when you like it, and it’s easier to like something when you know how to do it.
Want to Help Them Like It?
So, would you like Bible reading to be a little easier for your girls and therefore a little more likable? Do you want them to stop thinking of Bible reading as broccoli and start thinking of it as a delicious feast? Do you want them to stop metaphorically crashing to the ground when they try to read God’s Word and start skating?Then I’d love to show them how to study the Bible—and like it. That’s the goal for my new study, Better Than Life: How to Study the Bible and Like It.
What the Study Is Like
Over the course of nine weeks, we’ll deep-dive into an especially delicious passage (Psalm 63) that has a few weird parts. (For example, the writer saying God will feed his enemies to jackals is a bit of a mind bender. Are we even allowed to say that?) We’ll approach the whole thing (even the weird parts) with a recipe that’s been tested over decades, and armed with this recipe, your girls will be better equipped to read the Bible in a transformative way for the rest of their lives.At the beginning of each week, you’ll watch the teaching videos with your group and have a group discussion. The study includes questions designed to spur conversation and guide your discussion.While the videos enhance your experience tremendously, it is not required to complete the personal study. However, I highly recommend you should at least check out this video on the COIA method as you lead the group discussion.
As you close each group session, encourage girls to complete the four personal study days on their own before you meet again. These study days are designed to be engaging and to help the concepts of the study sink down deep.Finally, there is a leader guide (located at the back of the study book) filled with ideas and encouragement to help you facilitate each week’s group time.
What Do I Need to Lead?
To lead your group well, be sure to grab one Leader Kit ($59.99) for your group and a Student Book ($13.99) for each participant. This study is designed to be a celebration of the Bible, so be thinking of ways you can cheer your girls on and celebrate as they grow in their study skills and love for God’s Word!
To find out more and to place your order today, you can either click “Shop” at the top of this page or head directly over to Lifeway.com/BetterThanLife.
Hey—you know that confetti on the cover? Imagine me throwing it over your head and cheering. I am genuinely delighted to partner with you as you lead your girls! May they learn how to study the Bible—and like it.Caroline
CAROLINE SAUNDERS is a writer, pastor’s wife, and mother of three who believes in taking Jesus seriously and being un-serious about nearly everything else. She loves serving women through writing, through her church, and through a parachurch women’s ministry she started with her best friends (StoryandSoulWeekend.com). Find her writing, resources, and ridiculousness at WriterCaroline.com and on Instagram @writercaroline