Five Ways to Find a Bible Study
1. If it is a challenge to find a Bible study in our territory, what should we do, and why?
1 Have you found it a challenge to find someone with whom to study the Bible? Keep trying. Jehovah blesses those who do not give up in doing his will. (Gal. 6:9) Below are five suggestions to help you.
2. How can we use the direct approach to start a study?
2 Direct Approach: Many people know that we offer The Watchtower and Awake!, but they may not know that we offer Bible studies. Why not try the direct approach when going from house to house? You could also ask interested people whom you call on whether they would like a Bible study. If they decline, you can continue leaving literature and cultivating the interest. One brother had been calling on a married couple for years as part of his magazine route. After leaving them the latest magazines, he turned around to leave but as an afterthought asked: “Would you like a Bible study?” To his surprise they answered yes. Now they are baptized.
3. Should we assume that meeting attenders are studying the Bible with someone? Explain.
3 Meeting Attenders: Do not assume that interested ones you see at congregation meetings already have a Bible study. One brother reports: “More than half of the studies I’ve had were started by speaking to those who attended meetings.” One sister decided to approach a shy woman whose baptized daughters were in the congregation. The woman had been attending meetings for about 15 years and always came into the Kingdom Hall just as the meeting began and left as soon as it was finished. The woman agreed to a study and eventually came into the truth. The sister writes: “I’m just sorry that I waited 15 years to ask her if she would like to study!”
4. How could we find a study by means of referrals?
4 Referrals: One sister endeavors to accompany others on their Bible studies. With the teacher’s permission, at the conclusion she asks the student if she knows any others who might enjoy having their own study. When offering the Bible Teach book to someone you have been calling on, you might ask: “Do you know anyone else who would enjoy a copy?” At times, circumstances do not allow publishers and pioneers to conduct a study with someone they meet in the territory. So let others know that you are available to conduct a Bible study.
5. Why might we ask unbelieving mates of congregation members if they would like to study?
5 Unbelieving Mates: Are there publishers in your congregation who are married to unbelievers? Some unbelievers resist talking about the Bible with their Christian mate but would accept an invitation to study with someone outside the family. It is often best to consult with the believing husband or wife beforehand in order to determine the best approach.
6. How valuable is prayer when trying to find a study?
6 Prayer: Do not underestimate the power of prayer. (Jas. 5:16) Jehovah promises to listen to our requests when they are in harmony with his will. (1 John 5:14) One brother who had a very busy schedule began praying for a Bible study. His wife wondered if he would have the time to care for a student, especially if the student had many problems. So she made these concerns known to Jehovah when praying for her husband to find a study. Their prayers were answered about two weeks later when a pioneer in the congregation found a man who wanted to study and turned the study over to the brother. The wife writes: “To any who may feel that conducting a Bible study would be more than they can handle, I say: Be specific in your prayers, and don’t stop praying about it. We have had more joy than I could have imagined.” With perseverance, you too may be able to find a Bible study and experience the joy of helping someone onto “the road leading off into life.”—Matt. 7:13, 14.