Opening Prayer for Bible Study

Do you ever pray an opening prayer for Bible study?

Usually, when we talk about Bible study we jump straight into tips and tricks for reading and understanding Scripture. I could talk about Bible study methods all day, but do you want to know a secret? The thing that impacts my Bible study most is prayer.

Interestingly enough, prayer is also the part of Bible study we’re most likely to overlook. Prayer is a tool that spurs us into action. It plays a key role and hearing from God and discerning (recognizing truth) what we’re studying.

For that reason, I’m a big fan of having a simple opening prayer for Bible study.

How do you start an opening prayer?

This article will all the questions you have about prayers before the Bible study group in detail. You’ll learn why we encourage prayer before Bible class and view images of sample prayers you can use before Bible study.

Why is a short opening prayer for Bible study important?

A short prayer before Bible study is important for a couple of reasons.

1. It encourages unity in the group.
2. It helps us understand scripture as God intended.
3. It is a verbal reminder of where our focus should be during our time of studying.

Let’s talk really quickly about why these three things are important.

Prayer Before Bible Study Encourages Unity

Do you ever feel like you’re doing this whole faith walk on your own? I know I have. I could be in a room full of people, each with their Bible out ready to study, and still feel disconnected. Why? Because we lack a relationship.

Praying together before Bible study creates an atmosphere of unity in fellowship. It reminds us that yes, we all have our own individual relationships with God, but He meant for us to do this life together. Together we create the body of Christ. Prayer before Bible study brings this concept full circle. It brings out the “encourager” in each of us. We are no longer consumed with our own struggles and needs.

We put courage in one another and walk toward God together.

Prayer Before Bible Study Helps Us Understand Scripture As God Intended

Something I love about group Bible studies is the opportunity to meet new people; oftentimes people are very different from us.

Sometimes the only thing I have in common with the people in the room is the fact that we love Jesus. That’s not a bad thing. Diversity is beautiful.

At the same time, the varying opinions, beliefs, cultural understanding, life experiences etc. can also present some challenges when it comes to interpreting and understanding the Bible.

The goal of Bible study is to adopt God’s perspectives, receive His instructions, and follow Him.

Starting your Bible study with small group Bible study prayer gives everyone the chance to come together in agreement and ask God to help us see things HIS way.

His ways are so much different than ours. Prayer helps us humble ourselves so that our faulty understanding or hard experiences don’t shape scripture for us. Instead, scripture shapes us. That’s just the way it should be.

Prayer Reminds Us Where Our Focus Should Be

Have you noticed how the circumstances of our life can cause us to lose sight of the things that truly matter most; truth and hope?

The truth is that no matter what we face in life, we have hope because of who God is and what Jesus has done for us.

Prayer has a fun way of drawing us back to that; reminding us that no matter what, God is bigger. No matter what, God is faithful. No matter what, I am His. So I have every reason to praise and celebrate. Prayer before a Bible study meeting (or even your personal Bible study time) keeps our lives and faith where they should be; submitted to God.

What Is A Good Prayer to Say Before Reading the Bible?

The opening prayer for Bible study class doesn’t have to be a big, formal, or intimidating thing. Most opening prayers are spontaneous and at the moment but they can be scripted too. Sometimes it’s nice to have a written prayer that everyone can pray together.

Here are 10 prayers you can pray before reading the Bible:

Opening Prayer for Bible Study Meeting

The opening prayer for Bible study usually happens after a few moments of fellowship. Sometimes the group leader will lead it, but most studies I’ve been a part of will invite volunteers to pray. I like that framework because it keeps people engaged and for new Christians, it’s a great reminder that prayer is a gift for them too.

Some ideas for opening prayer:

• Thank God for the ability to gather.
• Ask Him to open your ears and heart to His words.
• Thank Him for understanding.
• Praise Him for allowing His words to penetrate your heart and shape your life.
• For God’s presence in our daily lives

Here’s a sample prayer got before Bible study.

God, we’re so grateful to be able to meet here together and be in your presence today.

We know it’s a gift. Help us never lose sight of that.

While we’re here together studying Your Word (the Bible) we ask that You’d open our ears and our hearts to whatever it is You are wanting to teach us.

Help us to see things through Your eyes and not the lens of our own understanding.

We want to know You more, God.

Thank you for showing us who You are and helping us understand and walk in Your love.

What we learn today we want to act on. Don’t let it become mere head knowledge. Shape our minds, hearts, and actions according to Your word.

Show us how to honor you and love others well with what we learn.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Opening Prayer for Worship

I encourage prayer before worship for the same reason I encourage an opening prayer before Bible study. I want God to take the wheel.

Worship isn’t about the moments I create, but the God I welcome. God is always near, but worshiping together is so special because we get to walk together into His presence. He meets us individually, but He also meets us as a body. Prayer before worship helps prepare us for those beautiful moments.

Tips for opening prayer for worship:

• Thank God for the ability to be in His presence (really, that’s such a miraculous and gracious gift).
• Ask Him to keep you from distractions and give you ears to hear his voice.
• Listen well.
• Lead from a place of joy, but also humility.
• Don’t let the music be a distraction.

Closing Prayer for Bible Study

Remember how I said, prayer leads us into action? That’s why I think a closing prayer for Bible study is a good idea. We don’t want what we learn to just sit in our minds. We want to act on it. Prayer is often the method God uses to show us how.

Tips for closing prayer for Bible study:

• Pray for your people. Ask them if there is a way you can be praying for them. If so, pray for them.
• Consider the needs of your church.
• Consider the needs of your community.
• Consider the people you know that need a relationship with Jesus.
• Thank God for your time together (never ever take it for granted!)
• Ask God to show you how to honor Him with what you’ve learned.
• Ask God to show you how to love others with what you’ve learned.

You can also incorporate ideas from the opening prayer before Bible study section above.

How Do I Start A Bible Study

So we’ve answered the question, what do you pray before Bible reading? Maybe you’re wondering what next? How do I start a Bible study? How can I learn the Bible quickly? Or What is a good study Bible to have?

You can find recommendations for good study Bibles in this article.

Learn simple answers to How do you start studying the Bible? In this article.