How to Start a Bible Study: A Simple Guide for Any Group

The short answer: to start a Bible study, invite a few people, pick one book of the Bible (the Gospel of John or Mark is a great start), and meet at a regular time in a home, café, or workplace. Read a short passage together, retell it, and ask three questions: What does this show us about God? What does it show us about people? What will we do about it this week? Pray, share food if you can, and keep it simple enough that anyone could lead it.

Why Start a Bible Study?

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

That is 2 Timothy 3:16–17, ESV. God's Word is how He grows His people. When the church was born, the first believers "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2:42, ESV). A Bible study around a table puts those four things in one room. And Jesus promised, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them" (Matthew 18:20, ESV).

Step 1: Pray and Invite

Ask God who to invite. Start with the people already in your life: friends, neighbours, coworkers, the person you met on a Friday night. You do not need a big group. Two or three is enough. A simple invitation works best: "A few of us are going to read through the Gospel of John on Tuesday nights. Want to come?" If inviting feels hard, read invite them once, and map your people with what is an oikos.

Step 2: Pick a Place, a Time, and a Book

• Place: a living room, a kitchen table, a café, a break room. Somewhere people already go.
• Time: the same day and time every week. Consistency matters more than length. An hour is plenty.
• Book: start with a Gospel. John shows who Jesus is; Mark moves fast and is great for people new to the Bible. Read it in order, one passage at a time.

Step 3: Use a Simple Pattern

A pattern anyone can lead keeps the focus on the Bible, not on the leader. Here is one that works:

• Read. Read the passage out loud. Then have someone else read it again.
• Retell. Ask someone to retell it in their own words. Others fill in what was missed.
• Ask about God. What does this passage show us about God, or about Jesus?
• Ask about people. What does it show us about people, about us?
• Obey. What will I do about this, this week? Be specific.
• Share. Who will I tell about what I learned?

Next week, start by asking how it went: did you do it, and did you tell someone? That one habit turns hearing into doing. "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22, ESV).

Step 4: Pray Together

End by praying for each other. Ask for one request each and keep the prayers short so everyone feels free to pray. If people are new to praying out loud, model it with a few honest sentences. The frame in how to pray with someone in sixty seconds works in a group too.

Tips for Leading Well

• Ask, do not lecture. Let the Bible do the teaching. Your job is to ask good questions and keep people in the text.
• Welcome every question. If you do not know, say, "Great question. Let's look into it together."
• Keep the main thing the main thing. Gently bring side debates back to the passage.
• Share food. A table turns a study into a family. See your table is already a mission field.
• Raise up the next leader. After a few weeks, let someone else lead. A study that only you can run will not multiply.
• Stay connected to a local church. A Bible study is not a replacement for church. It is a way to grow together during the week.

Can Non-Christians Join?

Yes. Some of the best Bible studies include people who are still exploring. Reading a Gospel lets them meet Jesus for themselves, in His own words. Keep it welcoming: no insider language, no pressure, and plenty of room for honest questions.

Common Questions

How do you start a Bible study group? Pray, invite two or three people, choose a regular time and place, and pick one book of the Bible to read through. Use a simple pattern: read, retell, ask what it shows about God and people, decide what to obey, and pray together.

What book of the Bible should a new Bible study start with? A Gospel is the best start. John focuses on who Jesus is; Mark is short and fast-moving. Read it in order, one passage each time you meet.

How long should a Bible study be? About an hour is plenty: some time to connect, 30–40 minutes in the passage, and time to pray. Meeting consistently every week matters more than meeting for a long time.

Do I need training to lead a Bible study? No. If you can read the passage and ask good questions, you can lead. Let the Bible do the teaching, stay connected to a local church, and be honest when you do not know an answer.

Open the Word. Open your table. Let Him do the rest.