Christmas Bible Study Questions for Adults: Turning a Busy Season into Gospel Conversations

For Discipleship Pastors, Education Ministers, small-church Pastors and

SS Class Discusses Christmas Lesson

especially individual Sunday School Teachers, December is a strange mix of full calendars and open hearts. Services multiply, events pile up, and people are pulled in a dozen directions. At the same time, guests, infrequent attenders, and spiritually curious neighbors walk through the church doors more in this season than almost any other. Your Christmas Bible study questions for adults can either be one more thing to scramble for—or a simple way to turn the season into meaningful gospel conversations.

Groups like Barna and Lifeway Research have long noted two realities: many believers genuinely want to grow spiritually, and the local church’s group environments are one of the most important places that growth can happen. Your adult Sunday School and small groups sit right at that intersection during the holidays.

Imagine December in Adult Small Groups

Picture an ideal December Sunday in your adult class:

• The room feels warm and festive, not frantic.

• Guests are greeted by name and can follow the conversation.

• Long-time members are actually opening their Bibles, not just “coasting” through familiar stories.

• People are honest about stress, grief, and busyness—but keep coming back to hope in Christ.

• When the hour ends, some stay to talk and pray, not because of the coffee, but because they feel seen and encouraged.

That kind of room doesn’t require a perfect program. It does require thoughtful, Christ-centered questions that make space for both joy (and pain) in this season.

Why December Is Different (and Why Your Questions Matter)

December brings its own set of discipleship challenges:

• Schedules are disrupted. Travel, school events, and church activities make attendance uneven.

• Emotions run high. Some are energized by the season, others are lonely or grieving.

• Spiritual openness grows. People who rarely think about God may suddenly find themselves singing about Him in a Christmas service.

Well-crafted Christmas Bible study questions for adults can help you:

• Give tired teachers a clear path through the text.

• Help seasoned believers hear the Christmas story with fresh ears.

• Invite newcomers into the story without putting them on the spot.

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Five Principles for Christmas Bible Study Questions for Adults

As you prepare December lessons, you don’t have to reinvent everything. Run your questions through this simple grid:

1. Start with Scripture, not sentiment. Traditions matter, but let Luke 1–2, Matthew 1–2, John 1, and related passages drive the conversation. Anchor questions in specific verses and phrases.

2. Open with wonder, not only analysis. Alongside “What does this mean?” ask, “What about this verse stirs your sense of wonder about who Jesus is?”

3. Make room for real life. Include questions that acknowledge both joy and pain:

   • “What makes this season especially joyful for you?”

   • “What makes it especially hard?”

4. Connect the story to this week. Move from “what happened then” to “what might change now”:

   • “Because of what we see in this passage, how might you approach this week differently?”

5. Keep guests in mind. Ask at least one question each week that any newcomer can answer without Bible background:

   • “What part of this passage would you most want a friend to understand about Jesus?”

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Three Types of Questions That Serve Adults Well in December

To keep things simple, aim for at least one of each of these in every Christmas lesson.

1. Story Questions

These connect Scripture to people’s lived experience.

• “When you hear the angel’s announcement in Luke 2, what early Christmas memory comes to mind—and how has your understanding of Christmas changed since then?”

• “Can you remember a Christmas when God felt especially near or especially distant? What was going on?”

2. Wonder Questions

These pull the group out of routine and into worship.

• “If you had to explain the miracle of God becoming human (John 1:14) to a child in one sentence, what would you say?”

• “Which phrase in this passage makes you most grateful for Jesus right now, and why?”

3. Invitation Questions

These gently tilt people toward mission and hospitality.

• “Who in your world might be more open to an invitation during this season than at any other time of year?”

• “What is one simple way our group could reflect the generosity of God to someone outside our circle this month?”

Those three types—story, wonder, and invitation—can turn even a low-attendance December Sunday into a meaningful step forward for the people who do show up.

What If You Don’t Have Time to Write New Questions Every Week?

Here’s the December tension you already know:

• This is the month when you most want your teaching and discussion to be thoughtful and well planned.

• This is also the month when you and your teachers have the least margin to plan.

You could spend hours hand-crafting questions for every Christmas passage. But in reality, many of your best leaders are also:

• Handling extra services and rehearsals

• Managing year-end responsibilities

• Caring for families who are hurting in this season

This is where ready-made discussion worksheets can be a quiet gift to your

Discussion Worksheets for both Lifeway Curriculums: Explorations and Life Lessons

team.

The worksheets from Steve’s Bible Questions are designed to:

• Keep Scripture at the center

• Use layered questions that move from understanding to reflection to response

• Give teachers a printable, walk-in-ready plan for the hour

You still adapt for your context. You still know the people in the room. But you’re not starting from a blank page on a busy December week.

A Simple December Plan You Can Start Now

As the holiday season gets underway, you might:

1. Pick three key Christmas passages for your adult groups this year.

2. For each week, choose or create:

   • One story question

   • One wonder question

   • One invitation question

3. Provide each teacher with a discussion worksheet so everything is in one place.

4. Remind your leaders that the goal is not to “get through the lesson,” but to help adults see Jesus more clearly in the middle of a noisy month.

You can’t control weather, travel, or last-minute schedule changes. But you can put good, gospel-rich questions in front of the adults who gather—and trust God to work through them.