Ten Studies in Acts: Introduction

This is the third in a series of three small-group Bible study discussion guides (Luke 1–9, Luke 10–24 and selected portions of Acts) which explore the meaning of "witness." These are designed to accomplish two purposes. One is simply to strengthen believers as witnesses to the work and life of Jesus, both in history and in their lives. The second is to serve as preparation for Urbana®. The Book of Acts is a fascinating account of the early disciples as they formed the early church and spread the Good News of Jesus. Luke, a doctor who traveled along on some of these adventures, tells the story in an interesting, accurate and reliable way. May God give your small group rich and rewarding insights as you study his Word together!

Notes for the Discussion Leader
These studies use the inductive method, a way of looking into the text for the facts, then pondering what they mean, and then considering what they mean for our situation today. You can help your group get the most out of these studies by presenting some guidelines for effective discussion just before you get into the passage. Here are a few to suggest:

Approach the Bible ready to learn.
Let the text speak for itself rather than depending on outside opinion.
Expect the text to answer questions, rather than the leader.
Stay in the passage and on the point under discussion. Sometimes the study guide will take you to another passage for background, but try to avoid "tangents" that take your group away from the main passage.
Listen to each other and urge quieter people to share their thoughts.
Begin and end on time.

The questions in this guide are for your use in preparing and leading. (Note:helpful leader's notes are in italics throughout the guide.) Make the questions your own, and become familiar with them so that you won't have to look down at your page too often. Have your own written responses handy as you lead the study. Decide how much discussion time each group of questions is worth, and leave time for the application questions at the end of each study.

It is easier for study and discussion if everyone has the same version of the Bible. The questions in these studies are based on the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) text. The New International Version (NIV) or the New American Standard Bible (NASB) are other popular versions of the Bible your group may wish to use.

Our thanks to the Western Michigan InterVarsity staff team and area director Carla Bieber for their hard work in preparing these studies for us!

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