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Why Your Small Group Needs to Study Biblical Women

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Heroes of the Bible.

When you hear this phrase, who comes to mind? 

  • David, a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).
  • Joshua, a leader who brought God’s people to the promised land (Joshua 1-5).
  • Peter, the one on whom Jesus built his first church (Matthew 16:18).
  • Paul, an Apostle to the Gentiles (Ephesians 3:1-12).

All of these are incredible people who, by God’s grace, knew God and made Him known in powerful ways. We learn from them. We are inspired by them. We, in many ways, want to be more like them.

But, who might we be missing?

Some other heroes of faith often take longer to come to mind.

  • Ruth, a widow self-sacrificing, kind, and devoted (Ruth 1).
  • Deborah, a catalyst courageously speaking truth (Judges 4-5).
  • Anna, a prophet dedicated to fasting and praying (Luke 2:36-38).
  • Lydia, a hard-worker worshipfully showing hospitality (Acts 16:11-15).

These are just the beginning of women of faith who, by God’s grace, also knew Him and made Him known through their lives. 

Why study biblical women?

In our small groups and Sunday schools, we have strong reason to not overlook the sometimes shorter or less emphasized stories of the Bible, including the stories that highlight women.

In fact, we miss out when we do not study these.

  1. We all need the example

Amid a culture of women’s rights and feminism, and within the church’s subculture of egalitarianism and complementarianism, what it means to be men or women and the ways we handle biblical manhood and womanhood are intensely debated. We can look to what’s happening around us and our experiences within us to try to make sense of it all. But, why not the Bible?.

Just as we look to people in the Bible to learn how to deal with suffering, to learn what fruit of the Spirit we should have, or to explore what it means to trust God, we can look to the Bible to see what it means to be women who follow God. Whether we need this advice or whether we need to encourage women in our life toward seeking God, we can learn from what women (just as we can learn from men) did, what they said, how they prayed and praised.

  1. They show unique expressions of faith

As we dig into their stories, we will learn from their lives. First, we can see their relationships with the Lord. We can see the ways they talked about Him. We can look for the way the knowledge of God shaped how they spent their days. We can see the expressions their faith took: worship, prayer, fasting.

We can also see how this relationship and fear of the Lord impacted their relationships with people. We can see the ways they were loyal, courageous, truth speakers, justice seekers. We can learn from their actions about how to lead lives that model God’s truth and grace.

What and how can everyone learn from biblical women?

Women in the Bible can show us far more than we might imagine.

They can show us about relationship with the Lord. They can show us about relationship with others. They can encourage our faith. They can shed light into the sometimes difficult and often deeply personal discussions of manhood and womanhood.

Yet, just as any story in the Bible, they can bring us further into the heart of God and spur us forward into a life compelled by God’s love (2 Corinthians 5:14). 

What can we learn from biblical women? Much more than we might imagine.

How can you get started? Try studying, walking through the very texts of Scripture where these women are chronicled.  It starts with scripture. Seeking out the stories of women and diving in. 

But we don’t want to leave you alone in your search. We can help you and help you lead others on this study. LifeWay’s Women’s Ministry Specialist, Kelly D. King, walks us through six stories of biblical women in Bible Studies for Life: Living by Faith – Women who Trusted God. She’ll lead you into the stories of Rahab, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, the poor widow, and the Samaritan Woman. 

What you’ll find? Hope, strength, perspective, wisdom, and so much more. Find out more here.

Deborah Spooner is a Minnesota-born analytical creative serving as a Marketing Strategist for LifeWay’s Groups Ministry. As a pastor’s daughter with a background in Digital Communications and Media and Biblical & Theological Studies, you can find her at her local church, in deep conversation, or with a book or pen in hand as she seeks to know Christ more and make Him known.

 

Group Leadership

A Word to the One Who Has Failed as a Mother

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Mother’s Day is approaching. If you lead a group that includes moms, share this word with them. 

For those times when you feel like you blew it with your kids—whether you yelled at them, didn’t listen, accidentally played favorites, was too controlling, or was too lenient—you’re not alone. I wonder if the following women ever felt that way. Consider their background.

  1. Tamar was married to a wicked man, so wicked that, well, let’s just say God “took him out of the picture.” Tamar was angry with her father-in-law, so she tricked him into having sex. Tamar raised twin boys in a dysfunctional family setting (Gen. 38).
  1. Rahab was a prostitute in a seriously evil city, Jericho. Now she did a good thing when she protected the Israelite men who had come to spy on Jericho before they attacked (Josh. 2), and she is remembered for her faith and trust (Heb. 11:31). Yet I wonder if guilt over her past affected her parenting, or if her children were laughed at because their mother had turned tricks.
  1. Ruth had a story we love to tell. She was not Jewish, but she embraced the faith of her mother-in-law Naomi. But one part of her story usually gets glossed over. Boaz was a man related to Ruth’s deceased husband, and in their culture, he was a candidate to step in and marry her. But instead of just informing Boaz, Ruth went to where Boaz was sleeping and layed down. Scholars disagree on how much of a sexual advance we should read into this—and if that was Ruth’s intent, Boaz was righteous enough that he did not take advantage of the situation. This may not have been Ruth’s intention, but she sure made it easy for the whole scene to take a bad turn.
  1. Bathsheba had an affair with King David, which resulted in an unplanned pregnancy. After her husband was killed, she married the king and her child died. She had at least one other child, Solomon, but her entrance into motherhood was marred with sin.

There you have it—four women whose background would make them suspect in the local parent-teacher association. Were they good mothers or bad mothers? We don’t know, but I can assure you of one thing:

God used them.

All four of these women are mentioned by Matthew in his account of the genealogy of Jesus. He didn’t mention Eve, Sarah, or other women who surely had better pasts. He mentioned these four women by name. Yes, they were not perfect women—and by extension, we can assume they were not perfect mothers—but God used them to ultimately bring us the Messiah. 

God uses us in spite of our mistakes. If there are things you can correct, do so. If you need to ask for forgiveness, ask. But rest also in God’s grace and ability to work in the lives of your children—even your wayward children.

God is not through with your kids. And He is not through with you.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Lynn Pryor is a team leader for adult resources at LifeWay. He is serving a Nashville church as their transitional interim pastor. Lynn and his wife, Mary, have survived raising two sons to adulthood. A graduate of Southwestern Seminary, Lynn has previously pastored and served churches in Texas. Read more from his blog at lynnhpryor.com.

 

Church Leadership, Group Leadership

When Mother’s Day Hurts

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Mother’s Day. It’s almost a sacred institution in our culture. If you think I’m exaggerating, ask any preacher who’s ever failed to preach on the topic or have a Mother’s Day emphasis on the second Sunday of May. 

I’m all for honoring mothers, but not everyone looks forward to Mother’s Day, such as:

  • Those who grieve over what once was. Many people still feel the pain of the death of a mother or a child.
  • Those who grieve over what could’ve been. Many women have suffered a miscarriage. (Read The Silence of Miscarriage.)
  • Those who grieve over what never was. Many women want children but have never been able to conceive.

Let’s find ways to encourage people to honor their mothers while being sensitive to those who hurt.

  1. Acknowledge the hurt. Most of those struggling with painful emotions on Mother’s Day do so in silence. They endure the emphasis during a worship service, but it’s not easy. Let’s be open and acknowledge that many of us feel pain when we talk about motherhood. People are encouraged when they don’t feel forgotten or overlooked.
  1. Avoid overstating the worth of mothers. I’d better explain that. Mothers are important. The Bible is clear on the importance of the family, and its pivotal role in all our lives. But consider the message we send when we make motherhood the greatest task a woman can undertake. For those women whom God has not blessed with children, they can be made to feel they have no worth. For women who’ve lost a child through miscarriage or death, they can be led to think their worth has been taken from them.
  1. Make it a day to appreciate our own mothers. To put it bluntly, my role as a church leader is not to honor all mothers; my role is to encourage and challenge everyone to honor their own mothers (and fathers). That’s biblical.

“Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise” (Eph. 6:2).

We can honor our mothers whether they are living or not.

  • Honor is seen in our attitude toward them.
  • Honor is seen in what we do when we’re with them.
  • Honor is seen in how we talk to them or respond to their advice.
  • Honor is seen is how we talk about them.

Make this Mother’s Day a day that honors Christ in the way we both honor mothers and love those who are hurt.

Lynn Pryor is a team leader for adult resources at LifeWay. He serves a Nashville church as their transitional interim pastor. Lynn and his wife, Mary, have survived raising two sons to adulthood. A graduate of Southwestern Seminary, Lynn has previously pastored and served churches in Texas. Read more from his blog at lynnhpryor.com.

Friday Features

Unhappiest Woman in America

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A few months ago, I had an informational meeting with some new people at a little coffee shop in our small town. After I got my coffee, I walked over toward two women sitting at a table in the corner and asked if they were there for the same meeting. They replied with a quick “yes” and then continued their conversation, completely ignoring me.

Unsure if I was interrupting them, I pulled one of the other chairs at the table away from them and sat down, as if the space would create some type of emotional barrier between us. It didn’t work, but at least I tried.

Getting more and more insecure by the moment, I tried to grasp what they were talking about so I could jump into the conversation. They mentioned a name that was familiar to me, so I jumped in, “Oh, I know her!”

They both gave me the strangest looks. Then one of them replied in a rather snobbish tone, “Her, is a him.”

Ahem. Blush.

Obviously, I stopped trying to figure out who they were talking about and just sat quietly, feeling like a complete fool.

In the midst of the awkwardness, I was reminded of how important it is to know the context of a situation. We can’t always just jump into conversations assuming we know what’s going on.

Which is also true about studying the Bible. Sure, there are no Bible-reading rules saying we can’t open our Bibles, read a verse in one book, and then jump to a verse in another book.

But taking the time to understand what’s happening where we pick up in the story, understanding who is who, and studying a story inside and out is valuable. It’s important so that we don’t miss out on what’s really happening.

God doesn’t require you to have a ton of previous knowledge about the Scripture passage you’re studying. Jumping into the middle of a story is fine. But, usually we gain a deeper understanding of the story by learning more of the background. God is the best teacher—always welcoming our questions, our curiosities, and even our doubts. There’s never a snobby response back from Him if we get something wrong or don’t understand things. But, when we understand the whole picture of what we’re studying, we gain amazing insight.

I want to talk about your journey and share a little more about mine. For way too long comparison stole so much from me. It made me miss out on the special, unique, and incredible plans God had for my life. It kept me looking to the left and to the right, missing what was right in front of me. I was miserable in my lane of life. And my license plate could have read, Unhappiest Woman in America.

I have a feeling you’ve had a moment or two like this in your life, too. Because no matter how confident the woman, at some point she’s been compared to someone else, and she’s done the comparing. None of us are given a pass on this struggle. I’ve discovered most of us women love to shout our successes, but we seldom speak of our sorrows.

And battling comparison, unlike wanting to quit, being disorganized, or not having it all together, is a struggle we rarely admit.

Maybe you’ve not allowed yourself to admit the struggle of comparison in your life. Or maybe you’re so fed up with this struggle you are ready to suffocate it.

But we’re here. Together. Ready to do the best we can do to combat this comparison compromise.

By the end of this study, I want you to have a greater understanding of what God thinks of you. When we shift our minds to resting in what God says and thinks about us, we’ll shift our thinking and words about ourselves.

This was an excerpt from Rachel & Leah by Nicki Koziarz—Week One, Day One. Through six sessions, you can arm yourself with biblical truths to combat comparison by studying the account of Rachel and Leah. Find out more here.

Group Answers Podcast

Group Answers Episode 57: Heather Zempel

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On this week’s episode, Brian and Chris join Heather Zempel, the discipleship leader at National Community Church in Washington, D.C. Heather answers the following questions:

  • How does discipleship work in a transient community, such as Washington, D.C.?
  • What is the most difficult part of identifying and developing leaders in a big city?
  • How can the church do a better job raising up more women leaders?
  • What are the keys to discipling millennials?

The Group Answers Podcast is a weekly show designed to resource, train, and encourage small group leaders. Each episode considers current trends and resources as well as timeless truths and methods of discipleship. It is hosted by Brian Daniel, a Bible study and discipleship expert in LifeWay’s Groups Ministry, and Chris Surratt, the small group and discipleship specialist at LifeWay and author of Small Groups For The Rest Of Us.

GUEST: Heather Zempel leads the discipleship efforts at National Community Church in Washington, D.C. Heather oversees small groups, directs leadership development training, and serves on the weekend teaching team. Heather can be found on Capitol Hill enjoying the adventures of parenting with her husband Ryan as they raise Sawyer, their fun-loving and energetic daughter. Heather is the author of Sacred Roads, Community is Messy, and Amazed and Confused. You can keep up with Heather here.

Friday Features

See How God Reveals Himself Through Scripture

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A 10-Session Study in Genesis from Author and Speaker Jen Wilkin

It all began with the Word.

The opening chapters of Genesis teach us fundamental truths about God. We watch Him bring light after darkness, order after chaos, and rest after toil—all through the power of His Word.

Over 10 sessions of verse-by-verse study, dive into Genesis 1-11 by following three critical stages of understanding: comprehension, interpretation, and application. Revisit familiar stories and historical figures, challenge your basic knowledge, and discover deeper meanings in the text. As God reveals Himself through Scripture, we can only begin to understand ourselves when we first glimpse the character, attributes, and promises of our Creator.

Group Leadership, Uncategorized

Links We Love

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Here are some of the top articles LifeWay Groups Ministry has been reading and sharing:

Michael Kelley: Christian, Discipline Yourself to Forgive

http://michaelkelley.co/2017/11/christian-discipline-yourself-to-forgive/

LifeWay Women: Learning From Leaders – Four Essentials When Bringing People on the Team

https://www.lifeway.com/womensministry/2017/11/20/learning-from-leaders-four-essentials-when-bringing-people-on-the-team/

LifeWay Men: How to Respond to Distractions to Your Productivity

http://blog.lifeway.com/leadingmen/2017/10/24/how-to-respond-to-distractions-to-your-productivity/

Eric Geiger: 4 Ways Leaders Can Express Gratitude to Those They Manage

https://ericgeiger.com/2017/11/4-ways-leaders-can-express-gratitude-to-those-they-manage/

LifeWay Leadership: Seven Costs to Being an Evangelistic Leader

https://www.lifeway.com/leadership/2017/11/10/seven-costs-evangelistic-leader/

What links have you been reading and sharing? Share your favorites in the comments below!

Friday Features

Beth Moore’s The Quest

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As we await what will only be revealed in the light of Christ’s face, what is at our fingertips in God’s Word and what is discoverable of Him beyond are still more than we could exhaust in a lifetime. We can tremble in fear over all we can’t see or revel in every speck we can, for in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Hidden. Not displayed. This is holy hide and seek. We dig and discover. It beats archeology by a landslide because the words are still alive. Imagine digging up the fossil of a fish that can still swim. If we sit with empty arms crossed, pouting over what Jesus is apparently unwilling to show us, we forfeit laps spilling over with treasures He was happy to uncover. Buried treasures are planted right there in the soil of your path where you can seek them and find them.

Buried treasures are those set for discovery on a holy timer. They are appointed words in due season. Nothing on earth is like divine revelation. Nothing compares to the Holy Spirit quickening His own words, making them clean air to our pollution-congested lungs and lamplight to our clouded understanding. When we don’t find what we seek, we still don’t shut His Word empty handed. Like rummaging through closets and drawers in our homes, we stumble on one meaningful thing looking for another.

Scripture is too high to get to the top of it. Scripture is too deep to get to the bottom of it. However, if we brave our brief lives walking, crawling, swimming, sitting, and wading right in the middle of it, we will gain more wisdom than the world’s sages.

Keep pleading above all else for Jesus to show you glimpses of His glory, His kingdom, and His ways on the page, and, there in the periphery, He will always show you what you need to know about yourself. Make the most of seeking Jesus, and He will leverage every ounce you bring to the mix and will make the most of your life offering. You steward His gifts, and He will steward you. The breathtaking you the world needs to see is the one drenched to the bone in Jesus. You have no idea how gorgeous you are, soaked in the radiance of His glory. You don’t have to go find yourself. Spend your life hunting Jesus down, and He’ll make sure your full calling—start to finish—hunts you down. Seek Him with your whole being even if you’re in a thousand pieces, and He will sweep you up in His unseen arms, equip you, grow you, develop you, and show you where to set your foot next.

This was an excerpt from Session 5 of Beth Moore’s latest study, The Quest: An Excursion Toward Intimacy with God. In this six-week excursion with Jesus, Beth Moore uses questions from Scripture to lead you into intimacy with the One who knows you best. Learn to dig into the Word, respond to the questions of God, and bring your questions before Him. The crooked punctuation mark at the end of a sentence speaks of curiosity, interest, and perhaps doubt—let this mark be the map that points you into a closer relationship with the Father.

 

Group Leadership

Links We Love

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Here are some of the top articles LifeWay Groups Ministry has been reading and sharing:

Thom S. Rainer: Seven Ways to Overcome the Overcommitted Church
http://thomrainer.com/2017/09/seven-ways-overcome-overcommitted-church/

LifeWay Women: Leading Well – Why All Leaders Can Benefit from Training
http://blog.lifeway.com/womenallaccess/2017/09/18/leading-well-leaders-can-benefit-training/

LifeWay Men: Why Following Jesus is Not a To-Do List
http://blog.lifeway.com/leadingmen/2017/09/07/following-jesus-is-not-a-to-do-list/#.Wb_eeNOGPUI

Eric Geiger: The Biggest Hindrance to a Leader’s Growth
https://ericgeiger.com/2017/09/the-biggest-hindrance-to-a-leaders-growth/

LifeWay Leadership: God’s Glorious Name Drives Our Prayers
https://www.lifeway.com/leadership/2017/09/15/gods-glorious-name-drives-prayers/

What links have you been reading and sharing? Share your favorites in the comments below!

Friday Features

The Purposes of God

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Let’s look closely at Ephesians 2:10. It helps us remain encouraged in God’s plans for us and how we will be able to accomplish them for His glory.

This verse makes four powerful points. You are (1) a masterpiece, (2) created anew, (3) to do good things, and (4) to act according to His plan. The New American Standard translation calls you God’s “workmanship,” but the New Living Translation paraphrases the word as “masterpiece,” which paints a highly descriptive picture of what Paul was saying.

We are priceless works, meticulously crafted by the hands of our Creator.

He recreated us at salvation, fully equipping us in Christ and by His own Spirit to handle what God’s will requires.

We are being prepared and called to do “good works”—God-sized acts that facilitate His kingdom agenda and purposes on the earth.

These types of activities can’t be accomplished in our own power. We walk in them as Christ expresses Himself in and through us.

As you seek to hear God’s voice and discover His plan, rest in His sovereignty. Relax in His omniscient, preordained plan and journey for your life. He’s a good architect. He has sketched a design with detailed attention to the nuts and bolts of your existence. Your individual interests and passions can be expressed within His purposes for you, as part of His purposes for you. Sticking to the framework of what He has created will ensure an outcome that will be beyond anything you can fathom.

When He speaks, don’t circumvent it or take the easy way out. If the cross you are being asked to carry feels a bit heavier than you expected, trust that He Himself intends to pick up the slack.

Your job is to just keep walking it out.

This is an excerpt from the 7-session study Discerning the Voice of God, by Priscilla Shirer. This excerpt comes from Week Five, Day One.