Bible Study Help For The Elderly

[brinley45cal]

anyone have any ideas for a elderly bible study group?Mybe some you could share that i can use?Anything you could share would be helpful.God Bless.

 

[daveleau]

Well, the ideas would be the same except an elderly leader would be in need. Do you have any elderly that are knowledgable and willing to teach that are charasmatic (in a speaking way, not necessarily in a theological way- although there's nothing wrong with charasmatic theology...)

 

[KleinerApfel]

Brinley, I would think it depends more on the individuals concerned than their ages.

For instance, you don't tell us what kind of church/theological background they are from, or whether any of them have been in a home group before etc.

Are they all commited Christians, a mixture, seekers? Male or female?

You could ask them what they want to learn about, then look for suitable materials to guide you all through a particular Bible book or theme.

It might be really good to get them interested in some of the many elderly characters used by God: Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Naomi, to remind them that retirement can be a new begining, and that their wisdom and experience are valuable.

I see Daveleau's point. I'd say getting a leader of their own age would be plan A, but I know that's not always possible.

Have your pastor or elders given you any guidelines?

God bless, Susana

 

[brinley45cal]

Brinley, I would think it depends more on the individuals concerned than their ages.

For instance, you don't tell us what kind of church/theological background they are from, or whether any of them have been in a home group before etc.

Are they all commited Christians, a mixture, seekers? Male or female?

You could ask them what they want to learn about, then look for suitable materials to guide you all through a particular Bible book or theme.

It might be really good to get them interested in some of the many elderly characters used by God: Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Naomi, to remind them that retirement can be a new begining, and that their wisdom and experience are valuable.

I see Daveleau's point. I'd say getting a leader of their own age would be plan A, but I know that's not always possible.

Have your pastor or elders given you any guidelines?

God bless, Susana

OOPs sorry i guess i could have gave a little more info.They are a mixed background of denomanations,its at a retirement home.Our church goes once a month but my wife and i go more then that.And the folks that run the place asked us to come do the bible study because everyone enjoy when my wife and i show up to visit everyone.So my pastor told us to go for it since we are so well liked and seem to mesh with everyone.They dont have anything to do there on saturdays and this will give them something to do.
I do have some material and the lord has given me a few things teach,i was just trying to get some more ideas since we will be having it every saturday.
Im not a total newbie about all this ,iam an ordained minister myself,i was just wandering what others use for there study and get some ideas.Thanks

 

[KleinerApfel]

Thanks for the extra info Brinley.

It sounds as though you and your wife have been winning hearts in that place by showing the compassion of Jesus, so use the Bible to build on that picture you're giving them.
How lovely that you can have this ministry together too.
What a blessing you must be to the staff! Maybe they'll overhear the word of God and seek Him too.

It sounds as though these people may have health problems, so it may be hard for them to sit and concentrate for a long hard session of study.
Answering a lot of questions from booklet study aids might be a quite alien concept anyway, so perhaps a more informal method might be best.

I haven't run a study group like this, but the afternoon prayer meetings I run are largely attended by retired ladies.
Their experience, wisdom, and enduring faith throughout their long lives, humbles me.
Yet still find I have something to give them from my understanding of God and His word; something most of the older people in my church have not been encouraged to explore for themselves: the culture here is that the vicar speaks and the congregation listen and nod!

I always open our meetings with a Bible reading, usually only 2 or 3 verses but sometimes a little more, and give a little background if I feel it would help, and a very few words form myself - how the passage made me feel or helped me see God better.

That's about where I have to leave it, since this prayer meeting is only given a 1/2 hour slot.
The Bible is the lead-in and the foundation, but studying it isn't the purpose I've been given for this time. (I'd love to take it further some time though!)

Maybe you could start like that, and then ask whether anyone has any comments, or if they remember reading that story before, or has anyone evr found that a comforting part of the Bible, a challenge to live up to, a help when things were tough?
Did anyone memorise anything as a child that they'd like to share - this age is the time for reminiscence and the long-term memory becomes extremely active.
Remember to respect and draw on their experience too whilst building up their theological knowledge.

(Oh yes - and avoid controversy if they'e mixed denom!)

I would really love to hear how it's going when you begin. You can give me some tips in case my dream ever materialises of expanding the Bible element in the prayer meeting.

Oh, I just had another idea - leave them with something to keep with them for the coming week. A card with a beautiful verse they can look at to call God's love to mind daily. But remember to write it big and clear since they probably they have restricted vision.

Let us know how it goes.

God bless you both and your very special new group, Susana

 

[plmarquette]

anyone have any ideas for a elderly bible study group?Mybe some you could share that i can use?Anything you could share would be helpful.God Bless.

Our former youth pastor took a full body puppet [ like a ventriloquist dummy ; far less expensive - arms , legs , body... not just hand puppet ] into the nursing home . Though many had Alseimer's and did not remember her name , always remembered the Puppet ... Proverbs 17.26 merry heart good like a medicine

 

[brinley45cal]

Thanks for the extra info Brinley.

It sounds as though you and your wife have been winning hearts in that place by showing the compassion of Jesus, so use the Bible to build on that picture you're giving them.
How lovely that you can have this ministry together too.
What a blessing you must be to the staff! Maybe they'll overhear the word of God and seek Him too.

It sounds as though these people may have health problems, so it may be hard for them to sit and concentrate for a long hard session of study.
Answering a lot of questions from booklet study aids might be a quite alien concept anyway, so perhaps a more informal method might be best.

I haven't run a study group like this, but the afternoon prayer meetings I run are largely attended by retired ladies.
Their experience, wisdom, and enduring faith throughout their long lives, humbles me.
Yet still find I have something to give them from my understanding of God and His word; something most of the older people in my church have not been encouraged to explore for themselves: the culture here is that the vicar speaks and the congregation listen and nod!

I always open our meetings with a Bible reading, usually only 2 or 3 verses but sometimes a little more, and give a little background if I feel it would help, and a very few words form myself - how the passage made me feel or helped me see God better.

That's about where I have to leave it, since this prayer meeting is only given a 1/2 hour slot.
The Bible is the lead-in and the foundation, but studying it isn't the purpose I've been given for this time. (I'd love to take it further some time though!)

Maybe you could start like that, and then ask whether anyone has any comments, or if they remember reading that story before, or has anyone evr found that a comforting part of the Bible, a challenge to live up to, a help when things were tough?
Did anyone memorise anything as a child that they'd like to share - this age is the time for reminiscence and the long-term memory becomes extremely active.
Remember to respect and draw on their experience too whilst building up their theological knowledge.

(Oh yes - and avoid controversy if they'e mixed denom!)

I would really love to hear how it's going when you begin. You can give me some tips in case my dream ever materialises of expanding the Bible element in the prayer meeting.

Oh, I just had another idea - leave them with something to keep with them for the coming week. A card with a beautiful verse they can look at to call God's love to mind daily. But remember to write it big and clear since they probably they have restricted vision.

Let us know how it goes.

God bless you both and your very special new group, Susana

Thank you for the info and encouragement.Yeah i plan on just mybe having it for just a half hour,but if i can get them involved as far as input and discussion ill let them go as long as they want as long as it dosent turn into a holy war.Im going to keep the study basic,you kind of have to feel them out a few weeks to find out where they are at, what they know things like that.Plus i need to see if the day we are going to do it is going to be ok .I might have to adjust the time or day,you kind of have to tweek it as you go,a little trial and error.So we will get it down it might just take a few weeks.
Yeah i always talk to the staff as well and invite them to join us if they can.So praise god we are on a mission,god is definitly taking us somewhere.Ill try to keep you informed on whats going on and how things are going.And thanks again for taking the time to write.God Bless.