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In most of the Catholic young adults groups in the area, we use Letcio Divina for our Bible studies. We read the Gospel reading for the day, three times. We meditate on it, and pick out words or phrases that stick out. Then we discuss how Christ is speaking to us through the scripture/ how it applies to our life. Then we usually end by looking up the actual meaning of the verses in the Gospel and a priest usually summarizes.
Has anyone ever been to a Bible study and how are they usually done?
I'm just wondering since I thought of trying to find one.
I used to go to a Bible study. But it was a Search for Truth (oneness Pentecostal) bible study which is published by the United Pentecostal church. To me it was just a cult indoctrination. There was no room for discussion other than, this is right because it's what the UPC says is true. It seems similar to a Jehovah Witness Bible study, in that it's assumed the person being taught knows nothing or whatever they believe is falsehood, and the teacher is correct. But in actuality the teacher only knows what the material says.
This is why I am wondering if normal Bible studies are a one way or two way discussion.
I know when I teach it's definitely a two way discussion.
All followers of Christ have the Holy Spirit, and if a person has the Holy Spirit, God is able to speak through any of them.
One of the best classes I had was when a guest was present, and he was going thru a tough marriage and a possible divorce, and one of our members at the time had been divorced and remarried - and was really able to give a support and perspective that I couldn't give - and the guest was so thankful. The Scripture was on 2 Corinthians 1 on comforting others, so that whole scenario fit the topic for the week.
In most of the Catholic young adults groups in the area, we use Letcio Divina for our Bible studies. We read the Gospel reading for the day, three times. We meditate on it, and pick out words or phrases that stick out. Then we discuss how Christ is speaking to us through the scripture/ how it applies to our life. Then we usually end by looking up the actual meaning of the verses in the Gospel and a priest usually summarizes.
I've been in Lectio Divina classes a couple of times. We have a member of the parish who is a former priest who teaches with that method with another group on the outside, and a couple of times he did it as a Lent or Advent activity.
I attend a weekly Bible study at a Methodist church. It is focused on the scriptures the pastor will be preaching on the following Sunday (usually following the Revised Common Lectionary), and the pastor generally has a few discussion questions prepared but mostly lets the conversation go where it will. We have many diverse views in the group and always have an interesting discussion. I would not be interested in any "Bible study" like you describe, OP, and I don't think they do much to help one develop an understanding of the scriptures.
Has anyone ever been to a Bible study and how are they usually done?
I'm just wondering since I thought of trying to find one.
I used to go to a Bible study. But it was a Search for Truth (oneness Pentecostal) bible study which is published by the United Pentecostal church. To me it was just a cult indoctrination. There was no room for discussion other than, this is right because it's what the UPC says is true. It seems similar to a Jehovah Witness Bible study, in that it's assumed the person being taught knows nothing or whatever they believe is falsehood, and the teacher is correct. But in actuality the teacher only knows what the material says.
This is why I am wondering if normal Bible studies are a one way or two way discussion.
I once accompanied a international student friend to a bible study, which was given under the carrot of being part of a free dinner. The "teacher", went ballistic when I asked him questions. Everyone was supposed to eat what they were fed without any questioning. But then again, I accompanied another friend to her Assembly of God service, and while the church is founded on the false prophet Paul's discourse, it also served up actual parts of the Word, the Law and the prophets, which over shadowed their basic fallacies of being "saved", as in the false gospel of grace/cross. While the food they served was a mix of leaven (hypocrisy) and wheat (the good word), the wheat/good portion overwhelmed the hypocrisy for one with ears to hear. My friend wound up in hell on earth, for she moved to New Jersey. While she was a child of God, her indoctrination kept her from discerning good from evil. Maybe some day, she can escape from the "daughter of Babylon" (Zechariah 2:7), the Protestant church, and leave hell on earth (New Jersey). It is actually possible for you to directly learn from the bible without a structured "bible study". It may require reading the bible multiple times, but it is possible then to discern the seed of the "wicked", the tare seed, from the good seed, the word of the kingdom (Matthew 13:19). The tare seed is found in the same field as the good seed, the NT. (Matthew 13:25)
Has anyone ever been to a Bible study and how are they usually done?
I'm just wondering since I thought of trying to find one.
I used to go to a Bible study. But it was a Search for Truth (oneness Pentecostal) bible study which is published by the United Pentecostal church. To me it was just a cult indoctrination. There was no room for discussion other than, this is right because it's what the UPC says is true. It seems similar to a Jehovah Witness Bible study, in that it's assumed the person being taught knows nothing or whatever they believe is falsehood, and the teacher is correct. But in actuality the teacher only knows what the material says.
This is why I am wondering if normal Bible studies are a one way or two way discussion.
Maybe there are JWs who approach prospective Bible students as you presume. Maybe there are others who don't. Regardless, there are many JWs who were converts from other beliefs including former clergy. I wouldn't presume they knew nothing.
I think the apostles including Paul set the example of a normal Bible study.
There were people who believed in falsehoods or knew next to nothing. All those Gentiles who found satisfying answers to questions they may have had.
Then, there were Jews who regularly attended the synagogues and were well versed with whatever Scriptures were available up to that point.For example, the Bereans. Despite their convictions they were open to reason, willing to acknowledge the validity of the explanations offered and accept them as truth after carefully examining Scripture.
Then, there are Bible studies that are for fellowship with like minded believers.
Oneness Pentecostalism as a doctrine is just as valid as any other Bible based doctrine. Some evangelical churches claim to be Bible based, but what that really means is that they focus on a very small section of passages, expounding upon them until they meaning nothing. And they often contradict core messages in the Bible. To me they are very anti-biblical.
I would just look at the people involved in the study. What do you think of the people? Would you enjoy spending time with them week after week.
Maybe there are JWs who approach prospective Bible students as you presume. Maybe there are others who don't. Regardless, there are many JWs who were converts from other beliefs including former clergy. I wouldn't presume they knew nothing. I think the apostles including Paul set the example of a normal Bible study..
I find Paul, like Jesus, referred or quoted from the old Hebrew Scriptures as the basis for setting an example.
They both show how the Scriptures correspond with each other, thus showing internal harmony among the writers.
If interested there is an on-line Bible study at www.jw.org, and information at www.jwbroadcasting.
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