Summary: Hermeneutics Small Group

This is a summary of our small group on hermeneutics, designed so others can learn from our format and materials.

 

Choosing a Format:

I was in charge of the group, and I’ve never had a class or any training in hermeneutics.  Since it seemed silly to have me do any sort of lecture, we made the “class” a book club and ran it as a small group.  We decided to keep it relatively short and set the length at 8 weeks. 

 

Choosing a Text:

I spent several weeks looking at possible books, and ended up choosing the recommended How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, by Fee and Stuart.  It was billed as a college-freshmen-level text, and I would say that was accurate. 

Second place was Grasping God’s Word, which almost won because it had great homework assignments already built in (plus lame PowerPoints available online, but don’t get me started on lame PowerPoints).  I eventually decided not to go with Grasping because it was longer, more expensive, and more focused on the reading of the Bible itself, not the hermeneutics.

 

 

Group Dynamic:

Our group was advertised in our smallish church as a “How to Study the Bible Hermeneutics Class.”  This actually pulled in two kinds of people: those who have never been able to read the Bible and were hoping for help doing basic reading, and those who had studied the Bible a lot and were looking for an upper-level type class in hermeneutics itself. 

For several weeks before the first meeting, I tried to figure out a way to make both of these groups happy.  I couldn’t figure one out, and defaulted back to the upper-level hermeneutics class.  I would make this clearer if I offered this again.  

The group size was 10 people – perfect for a small group in our home.

 

Homework Format:

We asked the group to read a particular chapter of the book before each meeting, and occasionally a section of the Bible.  They were encouraged to write in their books in order to aid discussion when we met.

Before Week 1: Read Chapter 1, bring readable Bible, notebook and pen

Before Week 2: (two week break) Read Chapters 2 (A Good Translation)-3 (The Epistles), read ALL of Philippians, study Ch 1-2 of Philippians using a technique discussed here.

Before Week 3: Read Chapter 4 (The Epistles), look up Bible verses mentioned and mark them in the book’s margins.  Study Ch 3-4 of Philippians if you have time.

Before Week 4: Read the book of Ruth (first) in your chosen translation.  Then read Chapter 5 (Old Testament Narratives) of the book.

Before Week 5: Read Chapter 5 (the Gospels)

Before Week 6: Read Chapter 9 (the Law(s): Covenant Stipulations of Israel)

Before Week 7: Read Chapter 10 (the Prophets)

Before Week 8: Read Chapter 13 (Revelation)

 

Class Format:

As mentioned before, we met in a home as a “small group.”  We prayed, then discussed the chapter plus any relevant meetings.  I hooked up my tablet laptop to the TV and had simple summary slides on the screen to help people follow along.  This was also useful for the occasional diagram or notes.  I encouraged different group members to summarize different parts of the chapter, but nobody had to answer if they didn’t feel they understood the material.

We welcomed discussion about some of the more controversial topics (should Bible translations be gender neutral?  Does Old Testament law apply to us?  Do women still need to be quiet and cover their head?), but in general most people felt that the hermeneutical guidelines set forward in the book were sensible and God-honoring.

We spent about 60 minutes on the discussion.  We then ended each meeting with a time of prayer, and then one song I chose to listen to for silent worship.

 

Conclusion:

Considering I found NO other curriculum for a small group that focused on hermeneutics, I felt this format went very well.  The book required focused reading, but was in general follow-able by laypeople.

Those who joined the group looking for a thoughtful introduction to hermeneutics were very satisfied.  Those who joined looking for help reading the Bible in general were much less so.  These people tended to be less nimble readers in general and struggled with the book.  There is a strong need for a curriculum to help these people… that is on my list of projects.