So now that you’re ready to “Go and make disciples” by starting a Bible study on the job, you’re going to need a few details on how to get this started. I promised it was easy, right? These are the steps I took to start my group. Each workplace will be a little different but the basics should be the same.
1. Pray for wisdom, direction, and that God will show you the steps and help you build the group. Pray expectantly, waiting for God to reveal where He’s already working. Remember James 1:5-6: If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought.
2.Clear your plans with Human Resources or your manager. This is a courtesy that should help ensure tolerance at the least and may instead garner support. If you’re asking yourself about your rights to do this, to host a Bible study at work either at lunch time or after hours, here’s what David C Gibbs Jr, president of the Christian Law Association, wrote in an article on CBN.com (www.cbn.com/finance/rbrwitnesswork.aspx for the whole article):
Title VII Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides general rules for all private workplaces employing fifteen or more people. It stipulates that a company that allows employees to engage in non-work related conversations, such as those about politics, family, sports or other such topics, may not prohibit voluntary religious discussions between employees either. The water cooler and employee lunchroom are a type of public forum where citizens share ideas and interact at a variety of levels. In informal settings, such as break rooms or hallways, and at times when workers voluntarily interact about non-work issues, employees may discuss their religious views or voluntarily pray together. The same rules apply as would to any other private conversation.
3. Pick your Bible study. Since it’s easier to advertise your group if you have the study in hand, find the study before you have the group. This is another area where you must pray for direction. From experience, I’d say that it’s easiest to begin this kind of group with a study that covers Christian basics or certain pieces of Christian life (e.g., prayer, study, service) without heavy study burdens. One of the elements of success is the convenience of the lunch hour, time that can easily be given to study. At the beginning of the group, be wary of choosing a study that requires intense daily study. Of course, that’s where this is heading: making disciples, mentoring. For now, just open up the discussion with a study that gets people talking.
4. Build your group. To do this, you’ll need to start talking: to coworkers who you believe will be interested in joining first and then to people you think have zero interest. Both can be important but for different reasons. Those supporters will encourage you to keep going. Those with zero interest…they’re the ones you’re trying to reach.
5. Meet together. As soon as you have a group interested, find a location and plan your first meeting. You may do this to determine the best time to meet or just to get to know everyone. The best day and time to meet is, of course, when it will be easiest for everyone involved. Before or after work might be best, but lunch time is a natural time, a great break in the middle of the day to remember what’s really important. As far as days of the week go, both Monday and Friday are difficult to work with, so try another day. I like Wednesday at noon because of the pick-me-up study and the reminder of who I work for and why provide me.
6. Establish the rules. The best time to lay out the ground rules is at the first meeting. A group like this, made up of different views and backgrounds, only works as long as there is an understanding that respect is the most important rule. There are others that will make the group more effective and enjoyable for everyone, but the one that you cannot compromise on is respect. Right or wrong, discussion is only possible as long as everyone involved treats every member with respect.
7. Make sure everyone has a book and understands the structure of the study. Whether you purchase all the books or ask each person to get one independently, the first meeting is the time to make sure everyone’s ready. And then discuss the schedule. For example, the group will meet every Wednesday at noon for the next six weeks.
8. Get started! Once you have the group, the study materials, and the schedule, you’re all set! Prepare to be encouraged by the group and what God does through each person. And before you finish this first study, you should probably be thinking about the next. Some of your group will be eager to find out more!
