Scroll to the bottom if you would like to see the two books I recommend for how to study the Bible!
Although this is not the first blog post on this blog, this is the beginning of a short series entitled, Loving God with all of your Heart, Soul, and Mind that I will be starting which is based on the topics and conversations had during a young women’s Bible study group in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan during the months of August-November 2021. This series is a way to document the topics and conversations for encouragement for others as well as myself looking back on a time when a worldwide pandemic was taking place around us.
This group was founded based on a single event that transpired in July.
A newer believer, a young woman came to me and asked me to mentor her. She told me she admired that I was bold in my faith, and that she wanted to know more about how to study the Bible, and be a Christian woman. The Lord had provided a similar conversation with another few ladies who were in similar life situations. I’ll admit, I was proud and honored at this request, and before replying, I had to say a quick prayer and do a quick heart check. “Lord, help me in honoring you above myself!” I accepted her request, invited a few other ladies, and prayed some more. “God, please let this group bring honor and glory to you!”
After being humbled by the Holy Spirit, I realized that I knew nothing about mentoring. I even told this young woman who had approached me. I’ll admit, I was flattered that she even had thought to ask me. I also didn’t feel ready. So, I went to an older woman that I trust and respect a lot, and asked her what she thought. It was a warm August evening on the porch near the Great Lake Superior, and I aired my concerns to my mentor. How would I know what to say? What if I didn’t feel ready? What if I was scared? What if I was doing this for the wrong reasons, and my motivations weren’t right or correct? My mentor warmly smiled, and told me that she had received a tidbit of advice from a woman that she admired and looked up to. “She looked me directly in the eyes and said, ‘You don’t have to be perfect to speak the truth.’”
I went home encouraged, and filled with joy. I didn’t have to bear the burden of being perfect! Jesus had already done that for me! Duh!
Reflecting back on my own personal experiences with teaching about mentorship, I had been to a Christian Youth Camp in the Summer of 2017 or 2018 in Wisconsin where I had learned about the Biblical model of mentorship from Paul and Timothy. After doing some research on my own, I came to realize that Paul also mentored a young pastor named Titus. Paul, in his letter to Titus, helps Titus and the church navigate how to successfully appoint people who embrace truth, so lives are purified. I think Chuck Swindoll’s overview of Titus perfectly encapsulates mentorship, and what is truly at the heart of it. Motivation.
“God’s grace is the motivation for all good deeds. Paul gave instructions to Titus about the roles of specific groups of people—older men, older women, young women, young men, and slaves—as well as general instructions to all believers about their conduct. Right living was essential because Christ “gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed,” saving us “by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 2:14; 3:5).” Insight for Living Ministries (2021).
What I think is the most important thing to take away from Titus is that Jesus was the ultimate role model.
Keeping in mind that no ministry, or person can replace Jesus as the ultimate mentor. I learned this as I dove into this Bible Study and Mentorship preparation.
A few ministries that I consider earthly mentors, or people that I really look up to as “warriors of the faith” are Bethany and Kristen from Girl Defined Ministries and Jen Wilkin. After reading Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin a few years ago with my Youth Pastor’s wife, reading many articles on mentorship from Girl Defined, and praying, I felt ready. But, what I realized is that I hadn’t even opened my Bible yet, and decided that that’s what I should have done at the beginning in the first place! I turned to Titus 2:3-5 where Paul is giving Titus instructions on the behaviors of individuals within the church.
“Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled” (Titus 2:3-5).
“Huh!” I thought. “Teach what is good. I seem to remember a verse somewhere about loving God with all your mind. I wonder where that is?”
Sure enough, I did a quick Google search and found Matthew 22:37-39.
“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39 ESV)
This verse in particular really struck me. I had read Women of the Word a long time ago and I needed a refresher course. Graduation from college with my Elementary Education degree, getting married, and moving all within a few months had fuzzed up my brain. But, I was back now.
What does it mean to love the Lord with all our heart? To give him our emotions, and our desires.
Our soul? He wants us to love Him through our bodies, the way we conduct ourselves, and in every aspect of our being.
All our mind? He wants us to learn to love Him through studying His word, and through meditation (or recalling/memorizing scripture).
I decided to make those two verses from Titus and Matthew the foundation of the group, and why we were doing what we were doing. As I talked to more young ladies, the reason we existed became much more clear. We all were somewhat newer to the area, and wanted to connect with more Christian women. We were all desiring friendship not only with each other, but with our Savior as well. We wanted to learn how to read and study God’s word, and share it with others. We wanted encouragement in our journeys of life. We wanted accountability with one another.
Our first meeting was in a park on a warm August day, and we were able to meet and connect with one another, share our joys and our sorrows, and pray for each other. It made me think of Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
The Lord is truly with us wherever we are in whatever circumstances we are. He is with us always (Matthew 28:20).
Now! To answer the question: “How do I start a Bible Study?”
You don’t start it. He does.
Fin.
There are two books that I think would be really good for learning about how to read scripture.
Women of the word by Jen Wilkin (This is the book that I have recommended to the young ladies in our Bible Study lately)
Living by the book by Hendricks (This book was recommended to me by a dear friend who studies the Bible more than I do, and is amazing at it!)
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