A well-balanced study of Scripture
I liked this short post from Laura at “Laura’s (Tangential) Writings” called “Communal Bible Study is Like a Potluck.” She says:
If everyone brings the same thing, it’s a boring meal.
If only a few bring something, there may not be enough food.Solution: All prepare.
Since more people have started taking part in our study of Scripture on Sunday mornings (and other times), I’ve noticed something interesting. After our time of study, I end up with a broader perspective of the passage, not just the perspective that I had during my own study. So, continuing Laura’s potluck metaphor, the study is also more “balanced”.
By the way, concerning Laura’s solution of “all prepare,” several months ago I decided that I would study Scripture each week so that I would be prepared for our time together on Sunday morning. I do this when I am scheduled to teach, when I’m going to facilitate our discussion, when someone else is scheduled to teach, or when someone else is going to facilitate our discussion. It has made a huge difference in my own understanding of Scripture and teaching and learning.