Saturday Sisters: Study Buddies

One problem with group Bible studies is that everyone needs something different.
  A goal of the Discipleship Walk (cursillo) is to group participants in accountability groups, to help us continue to grow after the fantastic weekend.  Some seem to fall into the perfect grouping, but others find it difficult. 
  i was one of the ones who found it difficult to get with the right group.  However, here's some  tips that i've found to help.  Maybe one or two will work for you too.

First of all

   i should say that, though i'm basically a loner sort of person, i do believe in getting together to talk over ideas & pray.  For this post, i'm assuming that you agree with me that this is important and you truly want to work to make it happen.
   Life happens.  Stuff happens.  Some groups & times don't work out like we think.  Maybe this isn't a good time to participate.  But there can be a way.  Beware of people who tell you things like, "You don't need a Bible study right now," especially if this is part of  a pattern leaving you isolated.

Time

  The common advice is, Choose a time and commit to THAT TIME no matter what.
  That's a group killer.  Our lives just don't work that way.
  Right now i meet with a prayer group, Monday mornings when we can make it.  Sometimes we have up to 5, but we've got a core of 3, who often end up being 2.  Never know WHICH 2; over the course of the five years we've met we probably actually have two or more of us together half the Mondays, but we are committed to Default to Meet.
  For this group, that works.  It is a Committment.  We catch up, we have breakfast, we pray.
  i also meet with a Study Buddy.
  With SB, it's about getting into Scripture. Our time committment is About Once A Month, on a Saturday Morning.
  We pray, once or twice.  We have breakfast.  We go over our homework and catch up.
  Notice that i started above with accountability, but neither of these groupings is about holding each other accountable for our actions.  We find though that it sort of happens.
  i've also done internet studies.  i've wanted to get involved with the ones Dee Brestin does, which she uses as preparation for forthcoming books,but there are so many other women involved, i simply get overwhelmed. 

Material

 Sometimes you don't need material.  Our prayer group just yaks & prays.  When i am with younger women, we open the Bible, read, and discuss.  (If you're going to do that, it really helps to have someone with a strong background!)
  My Study Buddy (SB) and i took all of last year, and then some, to go through Precept's Sweeter than Chocolate study on Hebrews 11.  Designed as a six-week series, we used two months for each lesson.
  i've found several times that what lesson writers think works as homework for a single meeting, does better spread over two meetings.
  Our new series is  Falling in Love with Jesus .  It has some interesting twists, including a movie night.  i'll share about that later.

Homework or No Homework?

  Someone should prepare, or at least know something about the passage you're studying, have a good background.  Otherwise you're just pooling your ignorance.
  But no one wants to spend lots of time in preparation.  Even though we know that worthwhile stuff does require it.
  Meditation is where the real benefit comes in.  Remember or write your question, the big thought, the phrase that puzzles you, and keep coming back to it mentally.  A lot of times, i'll leave my study guide question blank, then realize when SB & i meet that i do have an answer.
  It percolates, sits on the back burner.
  You're going to be thinking about something anyway.
 The Biblical image for meditation is chewing the cud.  Yes, like a cow or goat.
  Something to - dare i say? - think about.