Teaching in small groups

• The group can ask questions for clarification. This is huge. In other teaching contexts, we receive critical feedback only after the fact. This might at times mean that the teaching was ineffective or even regrettable. In a small group, people ask when they do not understand and you are able to clarify on the spot. Cultivate such interaction.
• People can challenge our interpretation. In previous steps, we talked about only teaching that which we are sure of. But, even so, we might still get it wrong from time to time. Our groups must be taught that they can always challenge our interpretation—so long as they show us their concern from the Bible. We can even pray this way before the study begins: “God help me teach faithfully, and if I say anything wrong, please give someone here wisdom to catch it and correct me.”
• Participants can share their struggles and testimonies of grace. God's word is excellent. Seeing someone wrestle with it and be changed by it is phenomenal. Small groups give space for both to occur.
• We can live out the implications of the text together. Plan a group outreach, extended prayer time, service project, worship time, etc—whatever the text you study teaches you to do, do it as a group!

Avoid the pitfall

The Me-Hermeneutic as described by one demon writing to another...

Convince them that the proper question for all Bible study is either: “How do you feel about the text? What did you get out of it?” Or, our favorite: “What does the text mean to you?” Oh, I nearly fall from my seat waiting to hear their answers! Joanne feels like the Enemy was a tad harsh with his mother at that wedding. And look, Darrin is getting much out of the text! No doubt he is receiving a wonderful sense of annoyance from our idea that Paul was a bit of a sexist in his letter to young Timothy. And to James, “God is love” means that it is of little consequence whether or not he stops sleeping with his girlfriend. Let them commune with their feelings and opinions while the Enemy’s book lies open on their laps. Make the apostles’ teaching the occasion to tell stories about how tough their week has been or to soapbox about whatever makes them most passionate. Never let them be confronted with the words of Moses, Isaiah, Paul, John, Peter, or, through them all, the Enemy himself. —Article by Greg Morse (Desiring God)

Luther’s convictions bound by the truth of God’s word...

Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen. —Martin Luther

The place of the subjective