Monday and Tuesday the blog focused on the pros and cons of DVD Bible studies. These were simply facts. Today, I’m going to give my own opinion on when it’s appropriate and when it’s not appropriate to use DVD-driven studies.
Do Use DVD-driven Bible studies when…
1. You’re a new church plant and a few people are doing a massive number of jobs.
2. You have no one in the small group with the spiritual gift of teaching.
3. Your group wants to cover a topic that demands an expert and there is no expert in the group.
4. You have a fast growing small group ministry and you don’t have adequate time to train small group leaders well.
5. You have a fast growing small group ministry and you need leaders. People are more apt to sign up to lead/host a small group if they don’t feel the pressure of teaching the Bible or equipping and empowering someone else to.
Don’t Use DVD-driven Bible studies when…
1. The people in your group need to learn to use their Bibles.
2. Your group has someone with the gift of teaching in the group.
3. Your church is a disciple-making church. The best way to learn is to teach and by allowing group members to teach you also allow them to grow in their knowledge of God’s Word and how to motivate others to depend on God’s Word.
4. Your small group pastor has adequate time, is capable of, and is training training small group leaders and Bible study leaders to teach the Bible in a conversational setting.
5. Your group system has as a primary objective for small groups to multiply. In a healthy church each time a small group multiplies young believers are apt to join a group. Young believers need the biblical discussion that takes place in a conversational Bible study.