For Group Leaders

Whether you’re choosing a study for your Bible study group or getting ready to lead one, you’ll find practical help here for planning, preparing, and guiding your group through a Treasuring God’s Word study.

It’s a hard and fast conviction of mine that Bible study should study the Bible, and that’s what these studies do. It’s not my words that change lives – it’s His Word.

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How do the studies work?

Treasuring God’s Word studies mix personal study with group discussion. As they work through the study guide, women spend time in the biblical text for themselves, working through questions that will guide them through each lesson’s passage.

During group meeting times, you will gather so your group can discuss what they’ve seen and share with each other how they can apply what they’ve learned to their everyday life.

These studies are organized by Lessons and Parts rather than weeks and days. It may be semantic, but I’ve found that this small wording change frees women from feeling tied to a calendar and allows them to move at a pace that works with their lives. They’re never “three days behind.” They’re just on Part 2, with motivation to keep going.

Parts 1–4 of each Lesson guide participants through their personal study . A Part generally takes about 30 minutes, although that will vary by person and passage. Part 5 prepares them to discuss what they’ve discovered.

Download a Lesson so you can see for yourself! Lesson 1 of Call to Worship

6 Lessons*

You can choose how often to meet. I find that one Lesson every other week is a great pace for many groups.

5 Parts

Parts 1–4 are the guided study:

Prepare Your Heart begins with prayer and introduces the study that follows.

Dig In guides students through observation and interpretation of the passage, with opportunities to go deeper with cross-references and attention to context.

Meditate gives students time to reflect on what they’ve learned and consider how it applies.

Group Discussion

Part 5 functions as a discussion guide with questions to help your group remember what they have worked through during the week and talk about what they have learned.

*Yet I Will Rejoice contains five core Lessons plus an optional sixth Lesson.

What are the Go Deeper and Bonus Studies?

When I wrote these studies I had a mix of women who were balancing toddler life with homeschooling and church responsibilities, alongside retired widows who’ve spent a lifetime studying the Word. I wanted the studies to meet the needs of both of these groups, and everyone in between. That’s where the Go Deeper and Bonus Studies fit in. These optional sections allow you to move your group at a slower pace for the gals who honestly have little extra time in their schedule, while still giving those who want to spend more time digging something to work on.

Go Deeper

Found at the end of selected Parts

These sections take students through extended cross-references, more complex reasoning, or outside resources that complement what we studied in that Part.

Bonus Studies

Found in the Bonus Packet download (accessed by the QR code at the end of each Lesson)

For Psalms studies, these studies offer a chance to independently study an additional psalm related to the one we worked on in the Lesson. In other studies, these are often topical explorations of a key idea in the Lesson that needs more time than the four Parts allow.

How does Part 5 work for group discussions?

Part 5 of each Lesson is included as a discussion guide. It is divided into two sections: Refresh, which helps the group remember what they’ve studied, and Reflect, which moves from understanding the passage to considering its application.

Refresh

Review what you’ve studied

Refresh walks the group back through the biblical text and the main observations from the Lesson. Depending on the passage, you might review what you learned about a person, what the text reveals about God, or what is happening in the chapter or verses you studied.

The questions are intentionally open ended, helping participants recall what they discovered and giving everyone a common starting point for discussion. As a leader, you can determine how much direction you need to give your group. Some groups will do well with the simple open-ended prompt, while others may do better as you taking the time to go verse by verse, prompting them to share what they see.

Because they’ve done their own study, it’s possible that by the time you’ve walked through this section, your group has already had a rich discussion.

Reflect

Consider how God’s Word applies

Reflect provides several application-focused questions based on the Lesson. Participants are encouraged to spend time considering their responses and may journal their answers in the study or in a separate notebook

This section intentionally has more questions than most people will have time to answer. As the leader, you can choose the questions that will be most helpful for your group. These questions are suggestions, not a checklist to walk through. Listen to your group as they share. Where has their study taken them? What is going on in their lives? What questions can help them put their thoughts into words and share how the Word applies to what they are going through?

Every group is unique, and no one will know your group better than you. I want these study guides to be a tool for you, something that will give you confidence as you lead whether its your first time or your fiftieth. You’ll have a starting point as you go into your group, and you’ll be equipped to shepherd the ladies the Lord has entrusted to you as you continually point them back to Him.

What if someone doesn’t finish?

Ideally, participants will complete Parts 1–4 before the group meets so they can contribute what they’ve discovered through their own study. But life happens. If someone doesn’t finish a Lesson, encourage her to come anyway. The Refresh discussion will help her follow what the group has studied, and she can still participate as the group returns to the biblical text together.

After the group meets, encourage your group to start fresh with the next Lesson. Their tendency will be that they need to finish the previous Lesson before moving on. If your group is beginning Lesson 3, encourage them to start Lesson 3, even if they didn’t complete everything in Lesson 2. Trying to catch up can quickly turn a Bible study into a burden and make it harder to rejoin the group.

“Didn’t finish the Lesson? Then be SURE to come to group!“

What does the leader need to do?

You don’t need to have all the answers to lead a Treasuring God’s Word study. Your role is to help your group engage with Scripture and learn from one another as you study together.

As a leader, you’ll want to complete the study yourself, prepare for the discussion, and become familiar with the questions in Part 5. You don’t need to come up with a separate teaching or discussion guide. When you meet, use Refresh to walk back through the text, then choose the Reflect questions that serve your group.

Isaiah 55:11 has been what I call my “promise” verse for leading studies. God is faithful, and He has never let me down no matter how insecure I have felt walking into a discussion. He is the teacher, and He will accomplish what He has set out to do through His Word.

The goal isn’t for the leader to do all the teaching. It’s to help everyone in the group become a better student of God’s Word.

What help is included for leaders?

Each study includes a For Small Group & Ministry Leaders section in both the workbook and in the Bonus Study Packet with practical help for leading your group. You’ll find guidance on the role of a small group leader, preparing for and guiding discussion, encouraging participation, handling rabbit trails, building community, and keeping the group focused on Scripture. This is exactly what I have used for many years to equip small group leaders in my own church.

In addition, I am available via email if you have any questions about the study or would like to brainstorm ideas for your group. This is one of the benefits of being a small-scale author. You as an individual are very important to me. I love to hear from leaders who are using these studies with their groups, and it is my privilege to get to pray for you by name.

What study should we try first?

There really isn’t a wrong place to start. Each study will have your group digging deeply into Scripture, but each one has a different emphasis. Think about where your group is right now and what would serve them well. Here’s a quick look at what you’ll find in each study.

Call To Worship

A good starting point for groups that want to grow in their Bible study skills while exploring different types of Psalms

Yet I Will Rejoice

For groups that are ready to dig deeply into Habakkuk and consider what it means to live by faith when circumstances are difficult of confusing

Songs of Our Creator

For groups that want to explore what the Psalms reveal about God as Creator and deepen their understanding of His character

Again I Say Rejoice

For groups that want to study Philippians and explore how the gospel shapes joy, humility, righteousness, peace, and contentment

Compare All Four Studies →

How do I order books for my group?

When you are ready to order for your group, complete the form and I’ll follow up with you to confirm the details.

Groups ordering 10 or more copies of the same study can purchase books for $12 each with free shipping. Group orders are drop-shipped directly from Amazon, so please allow 2–3 weeks for delivery when planning your study.

Group ordering is only available within the United States. Groups outside the United States can order books directly from their local Amazon.

Group Order Request

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Submitting this form does not place your order. I’ll contact you to confirm the details and arrange payment before your order is placed.

More help for Bible study group leaders

Being a Bible study group leader involves more than choosing the right study. These practical resources can help you prepare for discussion, encourage participation, and navigate some of the challenges that come with leading a group.