7 Fun Ways to Get Closer With Your Bible Study Group

Apart from your relationship with God, close friendships with other believers are the most valuable thing in your life. Intimate friends increase wellbeing, help you manage stress, and remind you of what is true when you’re too tired or discouraged to remember it. 

A Bible study is a wonderful place to find people to develop quality friendships with. However, it can take a long time to develop closeness with your group. Here are seven ways you can become more involved in each other’s lives and intentionally develop life-long friendships. 

1. Get Coffee 

Ask individuals in your group to get coffee or tea with you during the week. You can also extend an open invitation to the whole group to find out who’s available or interested in pursuing deeper friendships. 

Intimacy is developed through doing life together, and a coffee date is a good way to catch up during the week. It’s also a comfortable setting for asking personal questions so you can get to know people on a deeper level. Remember that to build deep friendships, you’ll have to be vulnerable too. 

2. Go Rock Climbing

If your Bible study is full of active people, organize a day to go rock climbing. Physical activity is a great stress reliever, and climbing with friends can be a lot of fun. If you don’t care for rock climbing, you could always plan to hit the gym as a group for a regular workout session. 

Activities like climbing are perfect for team building because you’ll learn more about everyone’s personalities and personal strengths. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” A diverse group of people can help each other mature. 

3. Take a Hike

Hiking is another excellent bonding activity. Ask your study group if they’d be interested in a sunrise or sunset hike a few times a month. You could also plan to drive to a special location and conquer a mountain together on the weekend. 

Outdoor adventures are perfect for getting to know people because you’re achieving a goal together. You have time to talk, but you aren’t focused solely on each other because there are plenty of things to see and do along the way. 

4. Host a Dinner Party

Eating together is a powerful way to develop meaningful friendships. Host a pizza night, make a stir-fry, or plan a movie night with desserts. The option that works best for you will depend on your group – some people love to eat out, while others get excited about a home-cooked meal. 

Having a meal together is an opportunity to relax, enjoy each other, and catch up on life. It’s also a great option for busy people since it combines socializing with something they already need to do. 

5. Plan a Road Trip

Another way to connect more deeply with your Bible study group is to go on a road trip together. 

Depending on how available everyone is, you could drive across the country to visit a national park or take a short day trip to a nearby city. 

Time in the car is excellent for having deep conversations and connecting with the people in your group. You’ll also learn a lot more about each person’s personalities and preferences by spending uninterrupted time together. 

6. Volunteer Together

Volunteering is another way to bond with your study group. Find an opportunity to work with your church or another local organization to meet needs in your community together. You could visit a nursing home, donate your time to a soup kitchen, pick up litter, or volunteer at an animal shelter. 

If your group is more ambitious, you could also work together to host an event and fundraise for a charity you care about. Whatever you choose to do, you’ll be fulfilling the Scriptural mandate to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:24)

7. Run Late-Night Errands 

Everyone has to run errands at some point, and shopping is more fun with a friend. Text your group to see if anyone’s available to join you the next time you need to run an errand. 

Offering to run group errands is especially helpful for college students, who don’t always have their own car. Giving them a ride can really bless them and build a foundation of trust for your friendship. Late-night errands are great for bonding over your day and making hilarious memories. 

Doing Life Together

Even when you’re being intentional, building quality friendships can take time. Be patient with the process and do your part to become the kind of friend you want to have in your life. 

Use these seven ideas to develop a network of deep friendships in your Bible study group. Doing life together will increase the intimacy of your friendships and help each person in your group mature.