Are you a Group Guide, Co-guide, or Group Member scanning study questions and wondering where to begin come discussion time? Who’s done what questions? Do we discuss all 16? Pick a couple – but which? Before you get overwhelmed, be encouraged; WordGo questions are ready-made tools, not a set of rules! They’ll help you engage with Scripture on your own, but can also powerfully serve to unlock deeper conversation when you gather. So let’s consider a few practical ways to customize the weekly questions for active discussion...
Before you even get to the questions… what about the week’s Scripture? Whether you’ve done the full study or fallen behind, together, refresh the gathering anytime by reading aloud.
- Once through at the top...
- All the way through before closing prayer...
- Or break up discussion by WordGo’s daily Scripture readings...
One person reads, two read, everyone reads a verse at a time or takes a moment to read in quiet and regroups; any way you read God’s Word, it’s a refresh!
WordGo study questions are structured for a daily study rhythm – but have you tried harnessing the structure for discussion? Grab one-question-a-day from Days 2-5 aiming to cover four different types:
- a factual question eg. what’s literally happening in the passage?
- a theological question eg. what truth does Scripture teach us?
- a reflection on God’s character eg. what's God revealing about Himself?
- a personal question eg. what's He revealed in my heart or circumstance?
Maybe you’ll even find an opener in Prepare or a closer in Reflect.
When you can’t pick between questions, craft a combo. Does a factual question naturally flow to a personal one? It’s okay to go off script and simplify! Here’s an example from Isaac Week 1, Day 2:
Original Questions: 1. From both passages, what words or phrases reveal truths about God? 2. How do God’s dealings with Ishmael and Isaac reveal His will, faithfulness and power? 3. When have you experienced or heard of God answering specific prayers or keeping His promises?
Combo Deal: What does this passage reveal about God in its language and events - when have you experienced these truths of God?
Start your combo with a reading refresh of the day's Scripture for a flexible discussion.
Stuck on how to discuss a study day? Try setting up with a summary - pre-scripted, unprompted, or even ask for a volunteer. Then open the floor for questions that follow. Looking at Isaac Week 1 Day 5 questions, you might say:
Summary set-up: In this section, Abraham sends off Hagar and Ishmael, but God draws near to them in the wilderness… (open the floor) so what do you think about questions 12-14? What about God’s care do you see?
WordGo courses are full of reflective questions. We may not naturally pick what’s personally convicting, revealing, or challenging; so when it comes to discussing these study questions, allow time and space. Prime the floor with a reading or a summary set-up, read that personal question, and let the pause linger without fearing the silence. Trust the Holy Spirit to move the response!
Abraham is upset by Sarah’s words, but God calls him to trust and obey… (WG Personal Question) ...so “In what situations do you find it hard to follow God’s Word and trust His promises?” *Pause, peace*
When looking for a simple way to break up discussion patterns, pick a question to pair & share. Instead of one person speaking at a time to the group, take five minutes to pair off and turn to your neighbor. Group members get to engage directly with one another, and the noise of multiple voices will re-energize your space!
Ever come across a WordGo question that required you to look at the study notes to understand what it was asking? Or, maybe you relied on the “insights” for your answer, or you went right to the audio teaching for further explanation. Chances are, other group members did too. WordGo resources are there for this reason! So go ahead and ask for a resource reflect:
What did you all get from the notes, the teaching audio, or insights to understand question 7 better?
Maybe your gathering doesn’t need to be a discussion of study questions at all. What if you turned next week into an audio cafe instead? Gather your friends around coffee, a meal, or take it outside; listen to the audio Bible teaching together and take a few notes. Then talk about what you learned this week. Let the teaching audio be the ground for your pre-written study responses and fresh thoughts to spring from!
Be encouraged: God has gathered this discussion for His purpose. No matter what questions you land on, no matter who guides the conversation, God is the one in control. So if you’re a Group Guide, a Co-guide, or a group that takes turns guiding, remember no gathering is outside of God’s will for His good in your life and the lives of those around you.
