10 Bible Studies for Women That Are Worth Doing
Are you looking for a Bible study for women? When you’re just getting started studying the Bible, sometimes it helps to have a good Bible study guide. Here are 10 Bible studies worth doing!
Whenever I write a new post, I always research the web to see what’s already been written on a topic. I do this for several reasons.
First, I don’t want to duplicate what someone else has already written, and second, I want to know what it is people are recommending or teaching on a certain topic.
For example, in today’s post I’m sharing some of my favorite Bible studies for women that I think are worth doing.
As I researched for this post, I kept getting more and more frustrated. Every single search of “Bible study for women” didn’t turn up Bible studies at all. What I found were books written by women for women on a specific “women’s” issue.
Can I just say that “Bible study” should mean that the book actually helps you STUDY the BIBLE?
I’m growing increasingly frustrated with Christian bookstores marketing to women in such a ridiculous way.
These books are useful, yes. I’ve read many of the ones that turned up in the search engine, but they are not Bible studies. They are books about Christian living.
Ladies, we can be students of the Bible.
We don’t have to water down our study of God’s Word with extrabiblical material.
I like a good guide as much as the next person. But ladies, we have to be discerning when we head into a Christian bookstore (or any bookstore) looking for a resource that will help us dig into the Bible.
God has given us the Holy Spirit to help us interpret the Scriptures, and through community with one another, we can grow in our understanding of the Bible while rightly applying it in our lives without purchasing a single “Bible study for women.”
It is enough to open the Bible, choose a book to study, ask these five questions about that book before beginning, and then dive in verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter until you have covered the entire book.
Within the context of this style of study, you’ll address your heart, your insecurities, your food cravings, your tongue, and whatever else you struggle with.
Now, don’t hear me bashing Christian living books.
I love these books, these authors, and these publishers who work hard to provide quality Christian literature. Just please don’t mistake a book with questions about a Christian topic as a Bible study for women.
That’s all I’m saying.
And now that I have sufficiently belabored this point, let’s get to the real point of this post, shall we?
10 Bible Studies for Women That Are Worth Doing
When you’re just getting started studying the Bible, sometimes it helps to have a good Bible study guide. As you grow in your confidence at being able to read and interpret God’s Word, having help from women (and men) further along in their Christian walk can definitely be beneficial.
Below are some of my favorite Bible Study guides that I recommend beause they guide you into deeper study of God’s Word. In a lot of ways, they actually teach you through modeling how to study the Bible more effectively.
By the way, I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. I am also an affiliate of other affiliate programs for individual companies. You can see my full disclosure policy here.
Lord I want to Know You by Kay Arthur
God of Creation: A study of Genesis 1-11 by Jen Wilkin
Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted by Priscilla Shirer
The Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer
Putting on a Gentle and Quiet Spirit by Elizabeth George
Growing in Wisdom and Faith by Elizabeth George
The One True God by Paul Washer
The God Who Cares and Knows You: Inductive Bible Study on the Book of John by Kay Arthur & Pete De Lacy
Praising God Through Prayer and Worship: Inductive Bible Study on the Book of Psalms by Kay Arthur
All of these resources are an excellent place to start when you’re just getting started studying God’s Word, or if you just need the accountability of a Bible Study guide.
Bonus
Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds, by Jen Wilkin
Also, I want to recommend you check out Jen Wilkin’s book on how to study the Bible for yourself. It is by far the best book I’ve read on this topic.
It’s especially helpful, I think, because it is written by a woman for women specifically, so it addresses some of our particular temptations when we approach the Bible. It’s just so good.
You can read my complete review of Jen’s book here.
Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin Book Club Recap
Also, I partnered with a couple of other ladies to do a book club around Women of the Word. It was such a fruitful time of discussion, and we recorded all of it, so you can check out all of the discussions here.
“While Medieval Christians were separated from the Bible by ecclesiastical authority, many modern Christians are separated by apathy. Herein lies the first and most vital principle about the Bible for Christian living. In order to guide faith and life, the Bible must be read and used. The most potent enemy of Christian life has always been neglect of Scripture.” ~Holman Bible Handbook
I think apathy is definitely a contending villain for our lack of godly living, but I think even more than that is the lack of awareness in the need to let the Scriptures speak for themselves.
I would say that the most potent enemy of the Christian life as women isn’t so much the willful neglect of Scripture, but choosing the wrong tools to aid us in our study of God’s Word.
So, let us be women who are wise.
Let us consider what it is that we are allowing to guide our understanding of God’s Word, and let us thunder the gates of hell as we equip ourselves with the Gospel of Truth from the Word of God Itself.
What about you? What Bible Studies for women have helped you grow in your understanding of God’s Word?
Other posts you might be interested in:
- Where to Start Studying the Bible
- How to Choose a Good Study Bible
- 5 Questions to Ask at the Start of Any Bible Study
I highly recommend :
“Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood” by Melissa B. Kruger
A Mother’s Purpose-
“And now, to sum up all, consider-
A mother’s charge- an immortal creature.
A mother’s duty- to train him up for God, heaven and eternity.
A mother’s dignity- to educate the family of the Almighty Creator
of the universe.
A mother’s difficulty- to raise a fallen sinful creature to holiness
and virtue.
A mother’s encouragement- the promise of Divine grace to
assist her in her momentous duties.
A mother’s relief- to bear the burden of her cares to God in
prayer.
A mother’s hope- to meet her child in glory everlasting, and
spend eternal ages of delight with him before the throne of
God and the Lamb.”
“Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood” by Melissa B. Kruger
The Sermon on the Mount by Jen Wilkin is one of the best bible studies I’ve done in my opinion.
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/publication/sermon-on-the-mount/
Thank you very much for this article. I have had the exact same issue when searching for Bible studies that study the word. Please feel free to update/add to this list as you discover new Bible studies. A book I would recommend is by Stacey Thacker, “Is Jesus Worth It?” (Book of Hebrews). I am excited to check out the books on your list.
The next bible study I am planning on doing is: Growing in Joy by Kari Denker. It is a study of Philillians. I LOVE her bible studies.
Experiencing God by Blackaby was excellent and extremely challenging to the “go through the motions” mentality I had at the time.
Thank you for keeping your studies centered on the most important topic… Christian living. Too often I find books on motherhood, raising Christian children, being a Christian wife etc. As a 40 year old, never been married, childless woman, it is hard to find studies that suit my life. Lord, I Want To Know You is one of my all time favorites!!
Would you recommend Fervent, the womans book on pursuing prayer?? Its by Priscilla Shrier.
I would. I actually have a post on prayer resources I recommend and it’s listed as one. 🙂 Here’s that post: https://intentionalbygrace.com/10-resources-to-transform-your-prayer-life/
Thank you! Are there any books to guide someone through living a more disciplined life biblically?
I have several resources to help you do that. You can find the three best ones in a bundle here: https://store.intentionalbygrace.com/collections/frontpage/products/intentional-living-bundle (You can buy them separately too). Also, the book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life will help you with knowing what the Spiritual Disciplines are and why you should be practicing them. We currently have a book club running that talks through this book. You can find out more here: https://intentionalbygrace.com/new-book-club-starting-at-intentional-by-grace/
I would love to have a free study Bible and a study guide with it
Thank you for this article and list. I am a newbie Director of Women’s Ministries, and totally agree that it is so difficult to find Bible studies that actually study scripture. I know they are out there, but most of the searches turn up Christian living books. They must have better marketing teams. As a Christian Fiction writer, I do attend conferences where I sometimes find Bible studies, so that helps but your list is great alon with some of the ones in the comments. I would also suggest Andy Lee’s books, A Mary Like Me and her Ruth study.
Do you have any suggestions for studies that focus on women in the Bible? I remember doing Bad Girls of the Bible 15 years ago, but is there anything more current?
I’ve been using 12 Women of the Bible and then 12 More Women of the Bible. Each lesson has a short video and I do a teaching as well. I’m doing this for 18 women in my apartment building who are almost all non Christians! God is working in amazing ways. After teaching in the Church and conferences many years- we need to stop stuffing Christian women and teach them to give their faith to others! I’m looking for new studies for NON CHRISTIAN women who are seeking.
I’m a new author and I just published my first Bible Study. It’s titled, “Death and the Hereafter” by Kelly Foster. Available on Amazon Kindle free 2/1/21-2/5/21.
The published work book should be available this week.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VGVX5SG/?coliid=I1CSS5RAJJPG0R&colid=2Y9JM1APQZLM9&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
I’d love to get your opinion on the Bible study.
Side-by-Side by Brenda Poarch is a wonderful Ladies Bible Study book and she has a companion video to accompany it if you would just like for her to teach it! http://www.letsgetreal.info
Have you heard of the ones who would refute some of Jen Wilkins books online?
Have you looked into this? Your thoughts? We must be very careful that we don’t make the Word fit into our world but to go where He is.Have you heard of the contemplative movement?
I don’t actively seek out those who refute Bible teachers who adhere to orthodox Christianity. Yes, I’ve heard of the contemplative movement. I agree that the Bible should be read on its own terms.
What do you mean on its own terms
I have been a Bible teacher and conference speaker for many years- inside the church so finding studies for Christian women has been easy- I’ve also written many of my own. I’m retired now and living in a beautiful 55 and over apartment community where there are very few Christians. God called me to start a Women’s Bible Study here- 18 women showed up and almost all unbelievers. There are almost no studies for this group- I need suggestions please! The Church ministers to its own but has neglected those who need Him most !
Oh, I love this so much! What an exciting season and opportunity! Can I suggest choosing a book of the Bible to study together? Just choose a book and let them read. Along the way, teach them how to study the Word for themselves. This is my current method for leading my own women’s bible studies. Different demographic, but the same scenario!
Here’s how we do it: We meet to choose the book to study; then I put together a simple guide for that particular book. Week 1 is always GATHER CONTEXT. I guide them in learning who wrote it, when was it written, etc. We look at what life was like at that particular time for people, what else was happening in history, etc. I also have them read the entire book through at least 3 times, in different translations, and encourage them to listen to it read aloud at least once (Bible apps make this possible). When we meet we talk about what we learned and gathered. I come prepared to teach where needed, and I guide the discussion helping them mine out the context for themselves. Then, each week after that we do a few verses at a time. Again,I give them a guide for how to study for themselves. I follow my GIVE method (Gather, Interpret, Verify, Examine), but you can teach them any method for how to study the text for themselves. Each meeting, you simply share what you learned together.
I’m not sure if you find this helpful or frustrating. 🙂 But I can tell you that switching to this style of Bible study has been such a breath of fresh air! The Word can meet us in any season. Let it speak for itself, right? While equipping them with the tools and wisdom to know God for themselves. My guides are simple documents. I use Canva to pretty it up because I’m visual, but it can literally be as simple as a word doc of guiding questions you give them. I hope to do an actual post on this soon. This is a new revelation for me because I was like you, frustrated at the lack of resources. Plus I the “traditional bible study” we’ve been doing in churches felt so constricting to me. This style of study evolved out of a season of desperation and wow! I’m so grateful for it.