Bible studies.  They are something that almost every ministry has to offer.  Young adult ministry is no different.  And yet, you really don’t often hear of a great young adult Bible study, right?  I hope this blog can help you as it identifies several common pillars to making a great young adult Bible study.

Relationships. It starts and ends with relationships. This is the most important piece of anything that we do with Church.  Whether it be church service, outreach event, youth group activity, potluck or Bible study – relationships are an important piece of everything that we do at Church.  Relationships make it easier to have good discussions, to get deeper and more honest with issues, and to keep people involved in your Bible study even if they do not feel like it some weeks.

Re-something with God. While it might seem obvious to say, surprisingly it isn’t.  A good young adult Bible study needs to include God in the purest forms.  Prayer.  Bible reading.  Theological conversation.  The content of the study must be about God.  Deep down inside, this is what people want.  Deep down inside, they crave something spiritual.  This is a perfect time to satisfy those cravings.  Let God be the “meat” of your Bible study – and make no apologies for it (although I apologize because I could not think of a good word starting with “r” for this one…).

Relevance. Here’s a big one: a good young adult Bible study has to be something that is worthwhile and relevant to people’s lives.  It has to be something that they can easily plug into their own reality and experiences.  There has to be elements of relevance in the content and context of the Bible study, or else you will lose people as quickly as you gain them.

Response. A call to action.  A challenge.  Something to do.  We need to not treat our young adults like babies or kids or teenagers.  They do not just want to be entertained. T hey want a chance to respond and put their faith into action.  So always include a way for them to respond to the content that they are hearing.

Add in some cookies, coffee, and a few well-placed ice-breaker games – and you are well on your way to having a great young adult Bible study.

God bless!