Choosing & Designing Bible Study Plans · 10 of 10
Your "I Will" and What's Next
Turn learning into a dated commitment — and a reference to keep.
That’s the whole skill: the list carries the direction, so start where people are and move toward Jesus — borrow a proven list or build one with the four rules, and don’t wait for perfect. Now make it real.
“I will start (or finish drafting) a list for ______ before ______.”
A name and a date — an idea with no name and no date produces nothing. Then take your list to a real group. If you haven’t learned the DBS cycle itself yet, start there. You can also browse ready-made plans in our Bible Study Plans collection.
Keep this: Choosing & designing Bible study plans
The four rules
- Audience first — decide who the group is and where they start before picking any verse.
- Short & story-shaped — 10–20 verses, narrative, easy to retell (so the eat step works).
- A sequence toward Jesus — order the passages to lead somewhere: God, sin, Jesus as Savior.
- Finish-able — 8–12 passages; each study completable in one 60–90 minute sitting.
The two-question test (use on every passage)
① Could this group retell it? ② Can each study finish in an hour? — If not, shorten or swap.
Borrow before you build — proven lists
| List | Who it’s for | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| Progressive Evangelism (bookmark) | Almost anyone; scales 1 → 12 | The prodigal son (Luke 15:11–24) |
| Creation to Christ (15) | Seekers / the whole story of God | God makes the world (Gen 1:1–25) |
| Stories of Hope (6) | Hurting or searching people | God hears Hagar (Gen 16:1–16) |
| Commands of Jesus (6) | New believers ready to obey | Repent & believe (Mark 1:14–15) |
| Identity in Christ (5) | Maturing believers | A new creation (2 Cor 5:17–21) |
| Felt-need packs (8 each) | An entry through a felt need | Courage · Love · Obedience · Peace |
| Whole-book study | Established / maturing groups | Mark, Acts, Philippians, John |
When unsure which to use, ask one question: who is this group, and where are they starting from? You don’t need a perfect list — “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6–7). Keep it simple, keep it short, and start.