Where Can Discipleship Ministers Find Good Bible Study Questions for Adults?

Adult discipleship thrives on thoughtful conversation rooted in Scripture. Whether you're planning a Sunday School lesson, a home group study, or a midweek discussion, the right questions can turn a room full of listeners into a community of growing believers.

Many Discipleship Ministers and Sunday School teachers I speak with are asking the same thing: "Where can I find solid Bible study questions that help adults dig deeper?"

That's a good question - and not always an easy one. Some materials are too shallow. Others assume a classroom full of seminary students. Some overemphasize cultural trends, while others avoid life application entirely.

Here are a few trustworthy sources that can help:

1. Lifeway's Explore the Bible Series

Lifeway remains a dependable option for Southern Baptist churches. Their Explore the Bible series offers questions tied directly to the text, with leader guides and video support. The format is structured and consistent - ideal for churches that want a full-year curriculum.

2. The Gospel Coalition Study Guides

For smaller groups or more informal settings, the TGC study guides offer Christ-centered questions that emphasize gospel application. Though not Southern Baptist-exclusive, they are doctrinally sound and often focus on life transformation.

3. Steve's Bible Questions

You didn't think we weren't going to mention ourselves, did you ?

But seriously - With a 40+ year-old archive, (and growing) library of open-ended discussion questions designed specifically for adult Sunday School and small group leaders, we've honed our offerings over the years. Each week's worksheet focuses on a specific passage and includes:

• About 10 discussion questions tied to the text

• Additional supporting verses from other parts of Scripture

• About 5 application prompts (a mix of suggestions, challenges, and questions)

What makes our Discussion Worksheets especially useful for SBC churches is our clear theological alignment with Southern Baptist beliefs and our emphasis on real-life discipleship. The tone is simple but not shallow - ideal for mixed groups with new and mature believers.

4. Video Lesson Previews from Sunday School University

At sundayschooluniversity.com, you'll find videos that support all three of Lifeway's major curriculums: Explore the Bible, Bible Studies for Life, and The Gospel Project. Each week's video walks the teacher through this week's lesson, giving scripture insights, teaching tips, and bible-to-life application points. Many teachers choose to start the week's preparation here, and use the presentations as a template for their own in-class talk. And . . . (I'm thinking this can't last long) but they're currently FREE when you register on the site.

5. Smallgroup.com by Lifeway

This subscription-based platform allows you to build your own Bible study sessions using a library of over 3,000 customizable lessons. It's more flexible than a quarterly curriculum and helpful for churches with rotating topics or sermon-aligned studies.

6. Bible Project Group Studies

For churches wanting a narrative, visual, or thematic approach, Bible Project offers group study guides and videos that explore biblical themes across the whole canon. The discussion questions can lean conceptual, so they may work best when paired with more grounded materials.

A Word of Encouragement:

There's no shortage of Bible study content online-but Baptist-specific quality solutions that serve your people well are worth searching for. Whether you prefer a structured curriculum, a video-based guide, or a simple worksheet, the goal is the same: helping adults encounter God through His Word and live it out together.

And sometimes, the best approach is blending a few resources. A teaching outline from Lifeway, a set of questions from Steve's Bible Questions. and a video walk through the lesson from Sunday School University can make for a rich, well-rounded session.

As always, pray through your choices. Know your people. And don't underestimate how God can use a single Spirit-led question to open someone's heart.

Sample Worksheet