Q.U.I.L.T. Bible Study Leader Packet. Acrostic Overview Suggested Scriptures Personal Study Guide Leader Guide Meeting Guide Inductive Approach

Q.U.I.L.T. Bible Study Leader Packet Acrostic Overview Suggested Scriptures Personal Study Guide Leader Guide Meeting Guide Inductive Approach Acros...
Author: Wilfrid Shields
6 downloads 3 Views 924KB Size
Q.U.I.L.T. Bible Study Leader Packet Acrostic Overview Suggested Scriptures Personal Study Guide Leader Guide Meeting Guide Inductive Approach

Acrostic Overview The Q.U.I.L.T. study theme is:

God wastes nothing but weaves everything together for His glory and our good. for His glory and our good. The weekly scripture passages and how they can be used in the members’ lives are like the different pieces of “fabric” that are stitched together in many ways and create a quilt of God’s truth. Using the daily Personal Study Guide and participating in the Q.U.I.L.T. group discussions, members find that the scripture comes alive and is applied differently to their particular life situations.

Many different kinds of quilts have been made throughout the centuries. Typically a pattern is chosen, matching fabric purchased, pieces cut out precisely, and stitched together to form a beautifully color coordinated quilt. Another form of quilting, the Crazy Quilt, inspired this Acrostic study. Each Crazy Quilt is unique unto itself; therefore no two Crazy Quilts are alike. It follows no pattern, uses different textures and types of fabric, and is stitched onto one foundational piece of material that holds the quilt’s shape.

This Acrostic study is unique since the suggested scripture studies do not follow a particular topic, a Biblical character, or book of the Bible. Your group will be amazed at how God weaves the Old and New Testament passages together as they study the different passages in the Bible from week to week.

Crazy Quilts became a family’s scrapbook of memories where no piece of fabric was wasted but purposely woven together for a lifetime of warmth and memories. The crazy Q.U.I.L.T. theme emphasizes that God wastes nothing in our lives but uses everything

TM

“ACROSTIC” Bible Studies

Powerful Impact, Easy To Facilitate

TM

1

The Q.U.I.L.T. Acrostic is used as the basis for the Leader and Personal Study Guides:

Q Questions Underline U I “I”personalize   Life lessons L Truth “2go” T  



~ Answer three questions and summarize ~ Key words, phrases, and “aha’s” ~ The scripture passage

~ List truths, principles, and lessons learned ~ Life Application

Suggested Scriptures QUILT #1

QUILT #2

Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week

Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week

1: Psalm 1 2: I Peter 1:3-12 3: Ephesians 2:1-10 4: Joshua 1:1-9 5: Matthew 6:25-34 6: Isaiah 55 7: Titus 3:1-8 8: Romans 8:1-16 9: II Peter 1:3-11 10: Deuteronomy 11:8-31

1: Philippians 3:1-11 2: Psalm 139 3: I Corinthians 13 4: Isaiah 40:12-31 5: Proverbs 16 6: John 14 7: Jeremiah 17:5-8 8: Romans 8:18-30 9: Psalm 27 10: James 1:1-8

QUILT #3

QUILT #4

Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week

Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week

1: Philippians 4:4-13 2: Proverbs 17 3: I John 1 4: Romans 8:31-39 5: Deuteronomy 30 6: I Peter 5 7: Psalm 23 8: Luke 15 9: Ephesians 6:10-18 10: Mark 6

2

1: Psalm 103 2: Matthew 7 3: Colossians 3 4: Philippians 2:1-11 5: Isaiah 43 6: Romans 12 7: Genesis 3 8: Galatians 5:16-26 9: I Thessalonians 5 10: Matthew 28

Personal Study Guide The Q.U.I.L.T. Acrostic handout is used as a five day Personal Study Guide for the members to complete each week in preparation for the Bible Study discussion. Each week the scripture passage is assigned for the following week’s Bible Study discussion. Instruct the members to daily read the passage, pray for understanding, and complete that day’s Q.U.I.L.T. acrostic letter.

formed. Each day the Holy Spirit reveals deeper meaning, new discoveries, and added insights into the passage studied.

For example: Day 1: Read the assigned scripture and

complete the “Q” on the guide.

Day 2: Read the assigned scripture and

The Acrostic Bible Study encourages group members to read and study the scripture passage each day for five days using different methods of discovery. This approach to scripture can be compared to looking at a mountain range from five different angles. From each perspective a more complete picture is

complete the “U” on the guide.

The leader can assemble Q.U.I.L.T. notebooks with weekly Personal Study Guides and a Q.U.I.L.T. cover sheet - or simply copy the Personal Study Guides and distribute each week.

Leader Guide The Q.U.I.L.T. Acrostic Study is designed to encourage group participation, learning, and sharing among the members with the goal of facilitating open discussion and honest sharing. Imagine your group has vacationed at the Grand Canyon. After the trip they gather to tell their stories. Some viewed the canyon from the observation decks, others from the back of a donkey traversing the canyon, others from a raft trip on the Colorado River, and still others from a helicopter “fly over”. Each brings a unique perspective and as they share their experiences a 3-D panoramic picture of the Grand Canyon emerges. Just as the Grand Canyon is seen in greater detail through many eyes, so will the scripture passage be expanded as the group works through the Q.U.I.L.T. Acrostic Bible Study letter by letter. The Leader Guide includes useful questions and ideas that expand the Personal Study Guide for group discussion. The questions are designed to elicit thought from the big idea to the personal. Remember, questions are not for the leader to ask and answer but for the group members. The leader notes are italicized in the right column paralleling the Q.U.I.L.T. Personal Study Guide.

3

Q.U.I.L.T. God wastes nothing but weaves everything for His glory and our good. Week: __________

Scripture: __________________________

Each day read the scripture, pray for understanding, and complete that day’s acrostic letter.

QUESTIONS

Answer three questions and summarize: What is the “big idea”? Ask members to share their answer.

Jesus, and the Holy Spirit?

What did this passage say about God? What did this passage say about Jesus? What did the passage say about the Holy Spirit?

3. How does this passage remind you of

what is true about God, your circum- stances, or yourself?

Day 1

1. What is the “big idea” ? 2. What do these verses say about God,

State: The truest thing about God, you, and your situation is what God says in His Word … How does this passage remind you of what is true about:

Want help in leading an effective discussion? Read more

UNDERLINE



Key words, phrases, “aha’s” in the passage

1. What key words or phrase stood out to you? 2. What was your “aha”? 3. How did God speak to you today through

Ask for volunteers to share what they underlined in the scripture and why it was meaningful to them.

these verses?

If some struggle with writing in their Bibles, suggest they print off the scripture passage from www.biblegateway.com for underlining.

Ask if anyone would like to share how God spoke personally to them through this passage.

Day 2



• God? • Yourself? • Your Circumstances or Situation?

As you listen, observe what each participant shares, as it will educate you on their needs and desires. These insights can be used in follow-up conversations outside of regular Bible study time, giving you the opportunity to connect with members on a personal basis.

4

“ I ” PERSONALIZE

The scripture passage

Read the passage as though God is speaking directly to you ... use your name and first person pronouns. Choose the verses most meaningful to you and write a personal note from God to you!

Have the group takes turns reading the passage in first person pronoun. For example read James 1:2-3 as:

Dear______________[your name]

“When trouble comes [my] way, [I will] let it be an opportunity for joy. When [my] faith is tested, [my] endurance has a chance to grow. So [I will] let it grow, for when endurance is fully developed, [I] will be strong in character and ready for anything.”

On the third day, the member is to write in their Personal Study Guide a note to themselves from God. This exercise will foster a more intimate relationship with God and encourages them to learn to read Scripture as if God is speaking directly to them!

Day 3







For example using James 1:2-3 read:

Dear______ [your name] “When trouble comes your way, I want you to let it be an opportunity for joy. What is hap pening is your faith is being tested, but be- lieve it or not your endurance is having a chance to grow. So please let it grow, for when endurance is fully formed in you, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.”

Love, God



Love, God

Ask for several volunteers to read their personal notes from God. Discuss the impact of having God speak personally to them.

Reading the Bible as if God is speaking directly to you is the difference between reading an article about someone or having a dear friend communicate the same content to you personally and practically. This is a powerful tool that causes the Word of God to come alive in a persons heart and mind.



• What did they hear? • How did it make them feel? • What verses in this passage meant the

most to them and why?

5

L IFE LESSONS

List truths, principles, and lessons learned

1. List the truths, principles, and lessons. 2. Circle the action words. 3. Describe how Jesus modeled one of these

Generally the majority of your study time will be spent in this section. You may want to divide a large group into smaller groups for this discussion.

Life Lessons.

Day 4

For LARGE GROUP DISCUSSION, ask the whole group to share the truths, principles, and life lessons that they have discovered from the passage being studied. Talk about how Jesus’ life demonstrated these truths and how the truths are relevant to their lives today.

TRUTH “2go”

For SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION, ask the group members to compare their lists of life lessons and principles with each other. When the group comes back together as one, have someone from each of the smaller groups summarize and share their findings.

Life Application

1. List one Life Lesson you will trust God with

and write a personal prayer of surrende to Him.



share your life lesson with this week?

This section is designed to encourage the members to become “doers of the Word and not just hearers of the Word”. Applying God’s truth to our lives and sharing it with others causes our faith and convictions to solidify and grow!

2. Pray and ask God who He would have you 3. When?

Day 5

Ask: What one thing are you going to do with what you have learned? Have several volunteers to share their “prayer of surrender.” Don’t be afraid of silence! Resist the temptation to start off with your own prayer. Ask: Who had an opportunity to share with someone this past week?

• With whom and what did you share? • What did you learn from this sharing

experience? Ask: With whom has God has put on your heart to share today’s lesson?

6

• What will you share?

First Meeting Guide Begin with Coffee & Conversation (10-15 minutes)



Sharing a cup of coffee, tea, or juice (snack optional) fosters friendship and community.

Q.U.I.LT. Bible Study (30-45 minutes)



Gather Group to Begin

Invite the group to sit, if they haven’t already done so, and begin by having each person state their name and answering one Short Answer Question. (see nbs2go.com - Open Bible: Short Answer Questions) “Where were you born?” “What did you want to be when you grew up?” “What is your favorite season of the year?” “If you could redecorate any room in your house, which one would it be?” “How many siblings do you have and where are you in the birth order?” “What is your favorite junk food?” This is a quick way for the group members to get to know something new about each other. If you have a group of six or less, you may want to ask an extra question or two. You also may want to begin each week this way until your members are more familiar with one another.

Explain the Bible Study Acrostic, Theme, and Scripture Chosen ►

Refer to Acrostic Overview in the Bible Study Leader Packet for explanation and put this in your own words. See the Acrostic Bible Study Series Inductive Approach document for ideas on communicating with your group about the benefits of this learning style which is woven into the fabric of each Acrostic Bible Study.

Demonstrate How to Use the Acrostic Personal Study Guide ►

Give each member an Acrostic Personal Study Guide sheet or the notebook you have prepared with the Study Guides included.

z See another option at the end of this meeting guide Explain that the Acrostic Bible Study encourages group members to read and study the scripture passage each day for five days using different methods of discovery. This approach to scripture can be compared to looking at a mountain range from five different angles where each perspective forms a more complete picture.



Choose a short passage of scripture (ex: Philippians 4:4-7; James 1:22-25; Matthew 7:24-27, Psalm 23; Proverbs 3:1-6) to walk your group through and demonstrate how to use the Acrostic Personal Study Guide.

Have everyone turn to the selected passage and ask a volunteer read it aloud.



7

Together, answer the daily questions. (Or, if you have a large group, split into smaller groups with each group taking one of the day’s questions to work through. Allow the groups about 15 minutes to discuss their questions and then bring everyone together again to share their answers and insights.)

First Meeting Guide (Con’t)



Explain the Weekly Study Preparation



Make sure the members understand that each week the scripture passage assigned
 will be discussed at the following week’s Bible Study meeting.





Instruct the members to daily pray for understanding, then read the passage and complete one Acrostic letter for that day.



Share Your Personal Excitement for the Acrostic Study ►

Encourage the group to invite others to join the study at any time. This creates a welcoming environment and invites community – along with protecting the study from becoming ingrown and stagnant! ►

Emphasize that there are no “right or wrong” answers to the daily questions. Assure them that the Holy Spirit will take His Word, the circumstances of each member’s life, where they are in their spiritual journey, and teach them personally what He desires them to know and apply to their lives.

Your NBS members may likely represent a variety of different religious backgrounds or may possibly be un-churched. It is better not to openly share prayer requests or have members pray out loud in order to avoid intimidation, gossip, and/or any unintended offense.

Explain How to Facilitate the Weekly Acrostic Bible Study ►

Illustrate that your weekly Bible study time will be much like gathering together after taking a vacation to the same destination, like the Grand Canyon. Each person brings a unique perspective and as they share their experiences, photographs and discoveries, a 3-D panoramic picture of the Grand Canyon (passage of scripture studied) emerges. Share that you will be using the A,B,C,D’s of discussion:

Leader Closes with a Short Prayer

z Using the Compact Personal Study Guide You may choose to use the half sheet Personal Study Guide also included in the Acrostic Bible Study packet. Each member answers the questions in their own blank notebook.

A - Audible (be loud enough for all to hear) B - Brief (statements not stories) C - Christ and Content Centered (stay focused) D - Discuss without Division (don’t talk about politics, denominations, or controversial issues) )

8

Meeting Format Begin with Coffee & Conversation (15-20 minutes)



Sharing a cup of coffee, tea, or juice (snack optional) fosters friendship and community. Have group members take turns providing refreshments.

Q.U.I.LT. Bible Study (30-45 minutes)



Leader opens with a simple prayer



Lead the discussion

Remember you are leading a Bible study, not a prayer group. Keep your prayer simple and to the point.

Guide your group’s discussion, letter by letter, using the Q.U.I.L.T. Personal Study and Leader Guide. It is very important to regularly remind your group of the A,B,C,D’s of discussion:

For example: “Father, we ask that You would be present with us, that You would guide and teach us as we study Your Word, and that our words and discussions would be pleasing unto You. Father, we thank you for every woman here today. In the name of Jesus, Amen.”

A - Audible (be loud enough for all to hear) B - Brief (statements not stories) C - Christ and Content Centered (stay focused) D - Discuss without Division (don’t talk about

politics, denominations, or controversial issues) Additional questions to keep the group discussion going: • What else did you notice? • What do you mean by that? • What else can anyone add to that? • Could you explain that more fully? • Can you rephrase that statement? • Would you explain that? • What reason can you give for that? • What do you think it means to ... ? • How would you react to that? • What can we learn from ... ? • What impressed you most about ... ?

Your NBS members may likely represent a variety of different religious backgrounds or may possibly be unchurched. It is better not to openly share prayer requests or have members pray out loud in order to avoid intimidation, gossip, and/or any unintended offense.



Lead the group in reciting the QU.I.L.T. Acrostic Study theme:

God wastes nothing but weaves everything together for His glory and our good. ►



Assign the following week’s scripture passage

Handout the Personal Study Guide to the group if not using study notebooks.

Read passage to be studied



9

Leader closes with a short prayer-

Acrostic Bible Study Series The Inductive Approach

“It is only when truth is self-discovered that it is appropriated. When a man is simply told the truth it remains external to him and he can quite easily forget it. When he is led to discover the truth himself, it becomes an integral part of him and he never forgets it.” William Barclay, Theologian

Acrostic Bible Studies use the Inductive Approach to Learning The Inductive Approach to learning involves actively exploring, discovering, and evaluating all the data before coming to a conclusion. The Deductive Approach starts with a predetermined outcome in mind and then seeks to prove it. Detectives gathering information at a crime scene use the Inductive Approach by asking good questions and observing all the details around them. Lawyers defending a client in court wanting to drive the jury to a predetermined conclusion use the Deductive Approach. By using the Acrostic Bible Study method, participants learn to actively study the Word of God for themself. They learn to become self-feeders, personally discovering and applying God’s transforming truths. The Holy Spirit is each participant’s teacher, not another person or a workbook. The Holy Spirit speaks through the Scripture passages to each person individually based on their spiritual journey (seeker, new, or mature believer), season of life, background, or circumstances. In this way the Acrostic study method is unique and simple, whether a person has been a Christ follower for five weeks or five decades, whether they are a child or a senior, everyone can use this creative inductive approach to discovering deeper truths in found in scripture.

Using the Inductive Bible Study Method with Acrostics (Photos taken of the Swiss Alps can easily illustrate this method)



• Observation: What does the passage say? Big picture, main idea, overview (panoramic photograph of the Swiss Alps)



• Interpretation: What does the passage mean? Questions, key words and phrases, life lessons and truths (single snapshots of the Swiss Alps taken from a variety of angles and placed in a photo album)



• Application: How does this passage apply to me? Holy Spirit guided personal application (one selected Swiss Alps photo to be framed)



The Acrostic study method also creates engaging Bible study discussion. As the group shares from their personal discoveries and application of God’s Word, the conversation tends to be rich and varied. Group discussion also clarifies and hones what has been discovered. Real and lasting life change is the result. Using a simple Acrostic week after week for personal study and discussion makes the process of selfdiscovery of God’s transforming truths fascinating. It is a simple guide for the participants to confidently use in facilitating their own Acrostic Bible studies in the future. Additional helps: Warren Wiersbe’s commentaries are available for every book of the Bible • Biblegateway.com – all Bible versions available for free study and printout • Smart Phone Bible App: YouVersion © 2013 NBS2go / nbs2go.com

10