Count on it. Something unexpected is going to happen every season you lead a Bible study. Maybe you will face run-of-the-mill obstacles like childcare hiccups or location snafus. Or maybe the twist will be a global pandemic. Whether you are a brand new leader or a seasoned pro, you will never be able to prepare for every curve ball.

Instead of trying to predict all the possibilities, arm yourself with the big picture: what is the goal of a transformational Bible study?

The goal for a transformational group is — you guessed it — transformation. This means life change. You want people to leave your group different from the state in which they arrived. That raises the question: how do people change? And specifically: what are the ingredients of a transformational Bible study (as opposed to another type of group)?

Information. Information is a necessary ingredient for transformation, but it’s not sufficient. In other words, grandma’s famous caramel cake can’t be made without flour, but it can’t be made with only flour, either. (Stick a pan of plain flour in the oven at 350, and you’ll get a flat, boring inedible dessert.)

A Bible study or a small group that only exists to impart information is like the cake made only of flour. There’s some nutritional value, but it doesn’t leave people wanting more. Likewise, a group that is primarily informational rarely transforms people. People may leave the group knowing more, but they aren’t feeling differently or acting differently from when they started.

Community. Community holds things together, but community alone doesn’t mean you’re in a transformational Bible study — book clubs, sports teams, and high school cliques all experience community. Transformational, Biblical community is different. It’s safe, yet challenging. It’s prayerful, yet risk-taking. It is grieving, yet hopeful. Most of all, this kind of community finds unity in the love and promises of Christ as it walks amidst the brokenness of the world.

How do you foster this community? Follow a Biblical example by being inclusive, being vulnerable, and loving the people in your group across barriers of age, stage, or background. Cast vision for being brothers and sisters. Pray for one another and do life together outside of the Bible study time and day.

Leadership. Leadership can be a scary word. Sometimes we think being a “leader” means being an expert, being extraverted, or making the correct choice every time. Sometimes we think leaders must be ingenious or dominate. Biblical leadership is different.

First of all, we see a pattern in the New Testament of Christ’s followers leading together, often in pairs. (Don’t lead alone!) Second, we see leaders leading imperfectly, with humility, because they know how soundly they miss the mark of perfection. Finally, we see leaders who fully understand God’s big story, or meta-narrative. Trusting God as we lead is a great solution to all of our deficiencies because He is perfect and is continually working toward transformation in his people and the world.

God’s power. Relying on God, talking about God, and worshiping God together is exponentially powerful. The meta-narrative, or “big picture” of the God’s story is Creation, Separation, Redemption, Completion. He is not only working this out in history, but He works this out in our lives and in our groups.

The more we pray for God to do his work and celebrate how He’s doing it, the more we will be connected to His power. We don’t need God and His Spirit if we are just going to manage our circumstances — but we do need Him if we are going to live with faith, risk, and expectation.

Invest in Biblical Leadership. Partner up with people in your church or community to lead a Biblical group. Look for resources together. Encourage each other. Challenging everyone you know to either be in a group or lead a group.