Choosing small-group materials can be daunting. So, we thought it beneficial to provide a quick recap of what makes InWord so unique and effective.
- You can’t just add water.
InWord is not a lesson out of a can. You can’t simply show up and read the bold print. We ask for leaders to grapple with the Scripture in a way that leads to personal light bulbs and “holy wow” moments. The session guides then, in turn, help create a group session in which students can grapple their way to light bulbs and “holy wow” moments themselves. We know that at times and seasons you need a lesson “out of a can.” But that’s not us. We like to encourage small-batch, organic preparation.
- Three simple inductive steps.
In every InWord small-group study and devotional you’ll see hints of inductive Bible study that has proven to be one of the most effective tools available for discovering what the Bible says (observation), what it means (interpretation), and how it works in real-life situations (application). InWord has distilled these steps down to three simple requests:
- God, show me!
- God, teach me!
- God, change me!
- Familiarity with a segment of Scripture.
Whether a book of the Bible or a key Bible theme, InWord’s materials will always help students create a warm spot of familiarity with a segment of Scripture. And as you know, God can use any segment of Scripture, no matter how small or large, to knit together His entire redemptive story.
- Multiple Age-Appropriate Session Guides.
Once you’ve completed your personal prep, you have the opportunity to choose online the guide that best fits your setting: middle school, high school, college age, coffee shop. You’ll even find a social media guide for each session that contains 3-4, ready-made posts for you to use with your favorite group/social media app.
To get hyper-practical for a moment, the following “Steps at a Glance” chart, taken from one of our small-group studies, gives you a hit at what’s involved in an InWord study.
| STEP | TASK | TIME |
| 1 | DO YOUR PREP
Use the Prep It in this book as your personal study prior to your session. |
30-60 minutes |
| 2 | CHOOSE YOUR GUIDE
Go to www.inword.org/online-guides to download/print the Lead It guide appropriate for your group (middle school, high school, college age, coffee house) |
5 minutes |
| 3 | PRINT YOUR SHEETS
Along with your Lead It guide, print student pages for your students. |
5 minutes |
| 4 | REVIEW YOUR SESSION
Review the Lead It guide to be sure you’re familiar with the exercises; collect any materials called for. |
10 minutes |
Check out InWord’s small-group materials here, and look for discounts!
Check out InWords’ free teen devos here, all of which follow the simple three requests noted above.