Home Small Group Leaders Articles for Small Group Leaders To Curriculum or Not to Curriculum, That is the Question

To Curriculum or Not to Curriculum, That is the Question

There are a plethora of small group Bible studies available. Just check out your local Christian bookstore. There will most likely be shelves and shelves of them (If you hit a LifeWay Christian store you’ll find one entire section of just Serendipity by LifeWay Bible studies.).

But do groups really need published Bible studies written and edited by professionals? A few questions might help us answer that question…

 About Biblical Truth:

  • Is there someone in your small group with enough biblical/theological knowledge to be certain biblical misinterpretation doesn’t occur?
  • If there is someone like the person mentioned above in your group, will that individual speak up?
  • If that individual speaks up, does that individual have enough clout with the group for the entire group to believe what they say?
  • And if they speak up, can you be sure they know what they’re talking about in this particular instance?

 About the Heart Journey

(which is brought about by guided discussion made up of a carefully designed series of questions):

  • Does the person creating the questions know how to craft each question in such a way that it gets to the heart, not just the head?
  • Does the person creating the questions know how to order the questions in such a way that the questions flow from the shallowness of surface conversation to the depths of the soul.
  • Does the person creating the questions know how to group questions in such a way that they accomplish both points mentioned above and the conversation feel natural and authentic?

Great Bible studies are written/edited by people gifted by God to create Bible studies that transform, and those same curriculum writers, if working for a biblically driven publishing company, are expected to drive the group meeting to truth that leads to transformation.  


Used with permission from SerendipityBlog.
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rhowerton@churchleaders.com'
Rick has one passion… To see “a biblical small group within walking distance of every person on the planet making disciples that make disciples.” He is presently pursuing this passion as the Small Group and Discipleship Specialist at LifeWay Church Resources. Rick has authored or co-authored multiple books, studies, and leader training resources including A Different Kind of Tribe: Embracing the New Small Group Dynamic, Destination Community: Small Group Ministry Manual, The Gospel and the Truth: Living the Message of Jesus, Small Group Life Ministry Manual: A New Approach to Small Groups, Redeeming the Tears: a Journey Through Grief and Loss, Small Group Life: Kingdom, Small Group Kickoff Retreat: Experiential Training for Small Group Leaders, and Great Beginnings: Your First Small Group Study, Disciples Path: A Practical Guide to Disciple Making. Rick’s varied ministry experiences as an collegiate minister, small group pastor, teaching pastor, elder, full-time trainer and church consultant, as well as having been a successful church planter gives him a perspective of church life that is all-encompassing and multi-dimensional. Rick is a highly sought after communicator and trainer.