Bible Talk Topics
Basic outlines for Life-Changing Bible Talks: 2009 – Onyechi Oguagha.
Introduction: Bible Talks are neighborhood-based Discussion Groups that are Visitor-oriented. These Discussion Groups are to bring the Bible to life in very practical ways.
Every member of these Discussion Groups is to strive to be active in inviting his/her neighbors to come and participate.
The more friends we bring out, the more people we will have to study the Bible with. And, the more people we get to study the Bible with, the more people we stand to lead to the Lord. Is that not our purpose as disciples of Jesus?
During the Discussion, disciples are to share from their lives; the things that helped them overcome. This is what makes the Discussions practical and life-changing.
Very Important: Bible Discussions are not forums to discuss issues that are wrong with the Church or issues that are wrong with that particular Discussion Groups.
Bible Talk Format:
*Always start off with an ice-breaker. It helps to diffuse any discomfort that people may feel. E.g.:
*Please say your name and tell us what makes you sick?
*The duration of a Bible Discussion should not exceed 30-35 minutes.
*Ask open-ended questions like “Why”? “How”? “What”?
*Note: An answer to a question could help you ask more questions.
*Always invite people back and encourage them to bring their friends next time. *Very Important: Unless there’s a problem with a standing venue, the Discussions need to be held in ONE location. This provides stability and consistency.
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1: Introduce yourself as the leader;
2: This is an informal Bible Discussion;
3: Ask for active participation;
4: Ask that the comments center on the topic at hand;
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1: Read the passage.
2: Explain the passage.
3: Illustrate the passage.
4: Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Revelation 2: 1-7:
What are some qualities of people who are in love with each other?
*Who was speaking here?
*Who was he addressing?
*What are some great qualities of this church?
*Why is it that these great qualities are not enough? What was missing?
*How can we tell when love has left a relationship?
*What was God threatening to do should they not repent?
*What does the lamp stand symbolize?
*How can we tell when our relationship with God has become a bunch of “Dos” and “Don’ts”?
*Why is it easy to fall into a routine rather than to act in love?
*Is it possible to keep our love for God fresh?
*How can we make sure that we do don’t lose our love for God?
Revelation 3: 14-22:
*Ice breaker: What makes you sick? Or how can you tell who is Hot for the New York Giants? Who is cold? Whose is Lukewarm?
*Who is speaking here?
*Who is he speaking to?
*What is the problem?
*How can we tell somebody who is Hot for God?
*How can we tell someone who is Cold towards God?
*Can we always tell if someone is lukewarm or not? Why is that?
*How can we tell someone who is Lukewarm towards God?
*Why would God prefer somebody to be completely Cold as opposed to Lukewarm?
*What is the greatest criticism of Christianity?
*What are some tragedies of Lukewarmness? Does a Lukewarm person think he/she is Lukewarm? What is so deceptive about Spiritual Lukewarmness?
*Is it possible to be Hot for God?
*How can we be Hot for God?
***BTL: Here’s where you close it out with a zippy summation. Invite people back and encourage everyone to bring a friend next time.
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Matthew 7: 21-23:
Have you ever been sincerely wrong? How?
*Who is speaking here?
*Who is he speaking to?
*Why is it not enough to just say “Lord, Lord”?
*How can somebody be so religious and yet not make it to heaven?
*Why would Jesus call a religious person an evil doer?
John 8: 31-32:
Who is speaking here?
*To whom is he speaking to?
*Why is believing not enough?
*Why is sincerity not enough?
*Is it possible to be wrong and not know it? Why is that?
*Is it possible to know spiritual truths without being a disciple of Jesus?
*What would the truth set us free from?
*Why would somebody be content with just believing, rather than obeying?
*Is it possible to be sincere and right at the same time?
*How can we ensure that we are sincere and in a right relationship with God?
***BTL: Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Matthew 7: 24-27:
What would you need to build a solid house? Or, what is one foolish thing you’ve done?
*Who is speaking here?
*Who are his audience?
*What do the two builders have in common?
*What differences do they have?
*Why would somebody build their house on the sand? What does it take to build on sand?
*Today, what kind of foundations are people building their lives on?
*What does the rain, streams and the winds represent?
*What is the guarantee that these things would hit our spiritual lives?
1 Corinthians 3: 10-13:
*Who is the rock?
*What other test would our foundation face?
*What does the fire represent?
*Is it possible to build on the rock?
*What would it take to build on Jesus?
***Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Matthew 13: 1-9;
What qualities does somebody need to be a great farmer?
*Who is the farmer?
*What are the seeds?
*How many types of soil are there?
*What do the different soils represent?
The Bronx, Queens, Manhattan and Brooklyn! Right?
Vv: 18-23:
*What are the qualities of a path?
*Who is the path?
*Why doesn’t the path understand the message?
*What is the danger of not understanding the message?
*What are the qualities of a rocky soil?
*Who is the rocky soil?
*What’s tragic about the rocky soil?
*What are the qualities of the thorny soil?
*Who is the thorny soil?
*Why is wealth deceitful?
*What are the qualities of the good soil?
*Who is the good soil?
**So, how many types of soil are there?
Two: The Bad soil and the Good soil!
*Is it possible to be the good soil?
*What would it take to become a Good soil?
***BTL: Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Matthew 14: 22-33:
What is one daring thing you’ve ever done?
Set the scene here: Jesus had just finished feeding the 5,000. He must have been very tired, but he still took time out to pray. After, praying he goes out walking on the water towards his scared disciples. The disciples were afraid before he came to them; and now, they are really afraid when they saw him.
*** For the Bible Talk Leader, Divide the Group into 2:
*1st Group: Give reasons why Peter should Peter stay in the boat?
*2nd Group: Give reasons why Peter shouldn’t stay in the boat?
*Why did Peter sink?
*What are the things that could sink our faith today?
*Do you think that Jesus knew that Peter would sink?
*Why would Jesus call a guy who just walked on water “You of little faith”?
*Why would Jesus still want us to walk on water even though he knows we may sink?
*What are some boats that people find themselves in today?
*What are the dangers of not getting off our boats and walking on water towards Jesus?
*Is it possible for us to get off our boats?
*What do we have to do to overcome and be able to get off our boats and walk on water?
***BTL: Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Matthew 15: 21-28:
What is the most amazing thing you have ever seen?
*Can somebody set the scene of what is going on here?
*Does anyone know who the Canaanites were?
*How desperate was this woman to get help? What did she do to show her desperation?
*What was Jesus’ first response to her plea?
*What’s with the disciples?
*Does this woman have good excuses to quit?
*Why do you think Jesus delayed meeting this woman’s needs?
*Who was Jesus really teaching this lesson on perseverance? Why?
*Why is it that we quit so easily when we don’t see a breakthrough in our lives?
*What does quitting say about us as individuals?
*What would it take for Jesus to be amazed by our faith?
***BTL: Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Matthew 19: 16-30:
What is the most unpleasant surprise of your life?
*In a few words, give us an overview of what is going on?
*What are some of the good qualities of this Rich Young Man?
*What are some of his bad qualities?
*What was the one thing that exposed his heart?
*Is Jesus asking everyone to sell everything they have and give them to the poor?
*Why would anyone with great wealth walk away sad?
*Since many of us are not rich, that means that it would be easier for us to enter the Kingdom of God, right?
*What are some of our “riches” that could hinder us from entering the Kingdom? How?
*Why is it too hard for us to give these things up?
*Why were the disciples astonished by the words of Jesus; they weren’t rich?
*What is Jesus asking us to give up?
*Why would not giving these things up hinder us from entering the Kingdom?
*What do we get in return for giving these things up?
***BTL: Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Matthew 25: 1-13:
What has been your biggest rude-awakening?
*What do the 10 virgins have in common?
*What are the differences?
*Who is the bridegroom?
*What does the lamp represent?
*What does the oil represent?
*Why do you think the bridegroom delayed a long time before coming?
*What does it mean to become drowsy and fall asleep?
*Why did the bridegroom choose midnight to come? What would “midnight” represent?
*Are the 5 wise virgins right for not sharing their oil?
*Why do you think the 5 foolish virgins came unprepared?
*What is it about us that like waiting until it’s too late to do things that are important?
*Why would the bridegroom tell the 5 foolish virgins “I don’t know you”?
*How can we keep watch to avoid the same tragic rude-awakening?
***BTL: Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Luke 5: 17-20:
What qualities do you look for in a friend?
*Can somebody please set the scene for us?
*What obstacles do this man’s friends had to overcome?
*Could they have given up with a good excuse? What would have been their justification?
*When Jesus saw their faith…whose faith?
*Why was Jesus impressed with his friends’ faith?
*Where are most “friends” carrying their friends to?
*What does a man’s friend say about the man?
*What kind of friends does God want us to have?
*Is it possible to have faithful friends?
*What will it take for us to have this kind of friends?
***BTL: Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Luke 9: 57-62:
What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve ever made?
*Who could these guys represent today?
*Now, why would the 1st guy tell Jesus “he would follow him wherever he goes”?
*Why would Jesus tell him that the “Son of man has no place to lay his head”?
*Is there any indication that this fellow followed Jesus after hearing this? Why/Why not?
*What is peculiar with the second would-be disciple?
*Does he have a good excuse for not following Jesus?
*”Let the dead bury their own dead”! What’s that all about?
*Why is it that sometimes we feel that our excuses are good justification for not following Jesus?
*Why is the Kingdom of God of utmost importance?
*Now what’s wrong with the 3rd guy wanting to go home and say goodbye to his family?
*Why is it impossible to plow and be looking back at the same time?
*So, which one of these guys made it?
*What excuses are people making for not following Jesus?
*What do excuses say about us as individuals?
*Is it possible to follow Jesus?
*What would it take for us to be followers of Jesus?
***BTL: Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Luke 12: 13-21:
What would you do if you were very rich?
*Why would Jesus respond the way he did to this man and his request?
*Why would this man’s request seen by Jesus as greed?
*What is it that drives people to want to accumulate wealth?
*Is it a bad thing to make investment plans?
*What was wrong with this guy’s attitude?
*What’s wrong with taking “life easy, eating, drinking and being merry”?
*Why would people prefer to be financially- rich and yet be poor towards God?
James 4: 13-17:
*What is our life compared to?
*What is the sin of omission here?
*What are some of the good we need to be doing but don’t?
*Why is it crucial that we are urgent in doing what we know to be right?
*Is it possible to be rich towards God?
*What do we need to do to be rich towards God?
***BTL: Zippy invitation and standing invitation.
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Luke 10: 38-42:
What is one of life’s biggest distractions?
*Why was Martha upset?
*Does Martha have a good reason to be upset?
*What should Martha have done?
*Does she appear cheerful about serving?
*Why would Mary prefer to rather sit and listen at the feet of Jesus than to be distracted?
*How can we be deceived into thinking that worrying and being upset about things would fix the problems that we have?
*Why is that a deception?
*According to Jesus, what is the “one thing that is needed” and why does it appear elusive?
*How can distractions harm our relationship with God?
*How do we protect our hearts from spiritual distractions?
***BTL: Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Luke 13: 22-30:
What is the one thing you accomplished by making every effort?
*Now, why would this guy ask Jesus if only a “few people would be saved”?
*Is this a good question? Why/Why not?
*Why did Jesus not answer “Yes” or “No”?
*What does it take to make every effort?
*What is the narrow door?
*Why is the way to God narrow?
*Why would people make “every effort” to get what they want, and yet not do that to have a relationship with God?
*Many would “try” to enter but would not be able to: Why is “try” not good enough?
*How can we “eat and drink with Jesus and have him teach in our streets”, and yet, “he doesn’t know us or where we come from”? How can we do all that and yet be called “evil doers”?
*Why would people be “weeping” and “gnashing” their teeth on the last day?
*Spiritually-speaking, how could those who are first finish last?
*Is it possible to enter through the narrow door?
*What would it take?
*So, are only a few people going to be saved?
***The answer is “Yes”, but are you going to be one of the few?
***BTL: Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Luke 14: 15-24:
What is the biggest wedding banquet you’ve ever been to?
*Who was the certain man who was preparing the great banquet?
*What is the great banquet?
*What does it take to prepare a great banquet?
*How does it feel to be invited to a great banquet?
***Let’s look at the excuses the invited guests were making.
*What’s wrong with the first excuse?
*What’s wrong with the second excuse?
*What’s up with the 3rd excuse?
*Why is it so easy to make excuses?
*What do excuses say about us as individuals?
*Does the owner of the house have the right to be angry at the excuses?
*Who do the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame represent?
*Is it possible to be invited and yet not get a taste of the banquet?
*What is it that disqualifies people from the great banquet?
*Is there enough room for everyone at the great banquet?
*How can we make sure we get in?
***BTL: Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Luke 15: 11-24:
What is the most expensive thing you’ve ever lost?
*Can somebody please set the scene for us here?
*Who does the father represent?
*Now, why would God allow us to do what we want?
*How does somebody wind up in a pig’s pen?
*What does the pig’s pen represent spiritually?
*Why will somebody want to be in the pig’s pen?
*”When he came to his senses…” Why is this the most crucial part in repentance?
*What makes it difficult to come to your senses?
*What does it take for somebody to come to their senses?
*What was the “mind change” this guy experienced?
*What’s the hope that this man has?
*What does vv: 20-22 tell us about God?
***BTL: Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Luke 16: 19-31:
Where has been the hottest (weather-wise) place you’ve ever been to?
*What do the rich man and Lazarus have in common?
*What are the differences?
*Why do you think the rich weren’t ready to face judgment?
*What are some facts about hell we can take out from this passage?
*What makes hell a miserable place?
*What happened to the rich man in hell?
*Do you think the rich man has a point about sending someone from the dead to go and preach to the living?
*Why is it impossible to convert the living from the grave?
*Is the fear of going to hell good enough to prevent people from going there? Why not?
*Rather than making hell our fear factor, what should motivate us to live for God?
***BTL: Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Luke 17: 11-19:
What was the biggest ingratitude you’ve received after a good deed?
*Can somebody set the scene for us?
*What is leprosy?
*What was the public policy towards people with leprosy in Israel?
*Why would theses lepers stand at a distance and call out to Jesus?
*How desperate were these lepers to getting well?
*Why do you think the 9 failed to come back and say “Thanks” to Jesus?
*What makes people ungrateful?
*Why is ungratefulness a spiritual issue?
*Why would Jesus tell the Samaritan leper that “his faith has made him well”?
Why is gratitude a faith issue?
*Is it possible to be ungrateful to God and not even know it? Is that a justification?
*How can we show our gratitude to God?
***BTL: Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Luke 18: 35-43:
What has been one desperate thing you’ve done to get what you want?
*What was Jesus’ ultimate destination on this trip?
*What was going to happen to him?
*What makes a man call out publicly for help?
*Why was this man calling out for mercy from Jesus? Why “Mercy”?
*What obstacles did he face?
*What does it take to shut down potential followers of Jesus?
*Now, why would Jesus ask this guy what he wants? Isn’t that obvious?
*”Your faith has made you well”. “How did this guy show his faith”?
*What obstacles should we expect if we are serious about coming to Jesus?
*What should obstacles and challenges produce in us?
***Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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Luke 19: 1-10:
What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever seen or done?
*Who were the tax collectors?
*What kind of reputation did they have?
*Why would rich Zacchaeus want to know who Jesus was?
*What were his obstacles?
*When was the last time you saw a very rich man climbing a tree to see someone famous?
*What do you think was going through Jesus’ mind when he saw this guy on a tree?
*What do you make of the people’s attitude about Jesus hanging out with Zacchaeus?
*What can we learn from Zacchaeus about his desire for salvation?
*What could have held him back from proving his repentance by his deeds?
*What has kept many people from repenting?
*What are the consequences of not making every effort to change?
*Is it possible to come back after we have sinned?
*What will it take for us to have the attitude of Zacchaeus?
***Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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John 5: 1-15: What’s the most you’ve ever waited for something?
*Can somebody set the scene for us?
*How long has this guy been waiting to be healed?
*What can we say about his outlook about life?
*How much effort do you think he’s made in wanting to get well?
*Was Jesus’ question to this guy justified? Why/Why not?
*What can we learn from this man’s answer?
*Is it possible that some people may feel comfortable about been paralyzed spiritually?
*Why is it easier to blame others for our failures rather than taking personal responsibility?
*How would this man’s life change if he were to be healed?
* V: 13: What does it say about this man’s character that he didn’t know who just healed him?
*Can we get well spiritually?
*What are some steps we must take if we are to get well spiritually?
***BTL: Zippy summation and standing invitation.
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