The first time I decided to lead a Bible study at the office, I procrastinated for three months. What would coworkers think? Would there be any negative reactions? What would we study? Eventually, I realized I was allowing fear to keep me from getting started.

If fear--or some other obstacle--is keeping you from starting a workplace Bible study, perhaps my experiences since that first fainthearted effort can encourage you to take a first step.

Spreading the Word

Late one Thursday evening after even the cleaning crew had left, I finally posted the announcement. By noon the next day, I had received several positive responses!

Does your company have an employee bulletin board, company newsletter, or coffee room? Any of these are great places to post your initial announcement. One idea that has worked for me is to post a cover from the study guide you plan to use in a highly visible place. On that cover, attach a note listing the date, time, and contact information for your first meeting. Then ask God to bring people to join you.

Picking the Place

You might decide to meet weekly at lunchtime and brown-bag it in someone’s office. One workplace group used a friend’s nearby apartment. A conference room, employee lunchroom, shopping mall lounge area, or restaurant may also work. Meetings can even be held outdoors if the weather permits. Keep in mind, however, that your Bible study will be more than just a casual conversation. You’ll want a comfortable, semiprivate environment.

Setting the Stage

At our first meeting, I shared two verses that helped define what I saw as our purposes for meeting. First, I read 2 Tim. 3:16 to the group: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." Then I read Jn. 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." I explained that my desires for our group were that we would know God’s Son, Jesus, and learn from Scripture how to live better lives.

Next, I gave a short testimony of how I came to place my trust in Christ. I explained to the group members that we all could encourage each other throughout the study by sharing how God was working in our lives and what He was teaching us. Then I invited people to tell why they had come to this meeting. It was a good start, with group members proclaiming that they were "exuberant" and "eager" about what lay ahead.

Relating Righteously

Workplace Bible study groups need to be safe places for members to discuss issues they might feel timid about bringing up elsewhere. Groups in which I’ve participated have talked about addictions and codependency, abortion and adoption, homosexuality, current movie themes, divorce, relationships with husbands and children, deaths of parents, and so on. Because of the depth of sharing that can take place, I prefer limiting workplace Bible study groups to same-sex members.

To avoid gossip, I reminded members to "tell only your own story" of struggles or victories. If a group member revealed very personal details, I reminded group members of the importance of honoring confidentiality.

Sometimes a certain verse or topic triggered a very emotional response from a group member. The best response seemed to be listening, empathizing, and offering hope based on God’s Word. I keep in mind Paul’s reminder from 2 Cor. 1:4 that God "comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."

At times, our group would stop and pray as soon as someone expressed a need. As we became comfortable praying aloud, we spent the last 10 to 15 minutes in prayer. I urged group members to pray for work as well as personal needs. Over time, we sensed a new ability to meet workday challenges with peace and endurance.

One time we read Phil. 4:2, in which Paul urged Euodia and Syntyche to seek harmony with each other. Diane and Barbara, whose work relationship was strained, sat quietly with eyes downcast. Then Barbara turned to Diane and said, "You know this is for us," and they both sighed. In the following weeks, we watched God heal their relationship. We were learning that living by God’s Word can change the way we relate with one another.

Welcoming Questions

Many who join your workplace group will be Christians. But at times, people will attend who are not yet believers. This happened in one group I led. Joanne had agreed to our 3:16 premises, but she was often surprised by what she read in the Bible. "Where does it say that?" "What? I thought that eventually everyone will be in heaven!" "Exactly how do you think God speaks to you?" "What does it really say about homosexuality in the Bible?" For each question, I pointed her toward relevant Bible passages.

One week Joanne announced to our group, "Joining this Bible study is the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. It has also had the best results - my coming to know Christ in a personal way!" Soon afterward, Joanne and her husband began to seek a Bible-believing church for their young family.

If you find yourself in a group with a questioner, try not to argue or force agreement. Instead, gently guide the group to helpful passages. If a question comes up that you cannot answer, table it until the next week. That will give you time to consult Bible aids and references, your pastor, and other mature Christians.

Influencing Others

What can you expect from your coworkers when you start a workplace Bible study? Some may regard your meeting as a support group. You may hear, "If it works for you, that’s OK." There may be a little teasing, but there will probably not be many negative comments since tolerance is "in" these days. In the unlikely event that you experience genuine harassment, discuss the situation with your human resources department.

Use your 3:16 verses whenever you are asked about your group’s purpose. Avoid being labeled a clique by continually inviting new people to the group and by posting announcements regularly.

Be on the alert for coworkers who would be good resources for your group. When we studied Esther, a Jewish colleague told us about her childhood memories of celebrating Purim. When we were studying the Passover, I issued a call for Jewish recipes, and we were flooded with responses. One coworker exclaimed, "We're so excited that Christians care about our traditions. That's so cool!"

Another group caught coworkers’ attention after almost two years of meeting together. We were an unlikely bunch - diverse in ethnicity, race, neighborhoods, and socioeconomic and marital status. Black, white, and Hispanic, we visited each others' churches and prayed for each others’ communities. People noticed as we visibly demonstrated God’s faithfulness and love by our unity.

Communicate clearly about your group. Invite "outsiders" as resources. Model godly relationships. As you do, your group will become an influence for God’s glory.

Counting the Cost

Is a workplace Bible study worth it? It will cost time, a new commitment to your coworkers, extra prayer, maybe even some phone counseling at home. You may find yourself caring about people in neighborhoods far from your own, and traveling to other communities for baptisms, block parties, and family celebrations. You almost certainly will be challenged and changed. Bible studies at work are about more than opening your Bible; they are about opening your heart.

A young woman who had come to faith in Christ through one workplace Bible study wrote, "Opening your heart to a lost soul like me showed me that true Christianity is beautiful and kind." I keep that letter tucked in my Bible as a constant reminder that the cost is worth it. I John 3:16 tells us, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." A Bible study at work is about laying down part of your busy workday to love and serve those around you.

No Longer Fainthearted

When Diane came to my first workplace group - the one I was so afraid of starting - she said, "I've been praying for a Bible study at work. My husband won't let me go to church." A year later, Diane invited us to her baptism. Her husband came, too, and soon afterward, he received Christ. Looking back, I wonder why I ever hesitated to start that Bible study at work.

Do you want to gain a new understanding of who God is and what He wants to accomplish in your work world? If so, start a Bible study at work. What are you waiting for?

Sharon L. Colwell is a freelance writer who, with her husband of 28 years, delights in two daughters, a son-in-law, and two grandsons. Although she currently works for Christianity Today, Inc., she has been involved in secular workplace Bible studies for 10 years. Content distributed by WorkplaceMinistry.org > used for non-profit teaching purposes only.

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