Through this series, we’ll help you discover new studies, new authors, and new topics. This time we’re highlighting Bible studies that also have books. We’ll explain the differences and how they work together.
Have you ever been shopping for a new Bible study and noticed that there is also a book of the same or similar name? You might have wondered things like, What’s the difference? Do I need both? Is it all the same content? Which came out first? To clear up any confusion, here’s a Q+A of what you need to know followed by some of the best Bible study + book combos we have to offer.
Q: Which came first, the book or the study?
A: This varies—sometimes they release simultaneously, sometimes one is before the other. Most of the time an author has a book that she bases the Bible study on. One exception is Beth Moore. She often writes the study first and the book is created later.
Q: Is it all the same content?
A: No way! Only 20% or less of the original book is used in the study. Books often have more storytelling while Bible studies focus on digging into Scripture and applying it to your life. You don’t need both, but if you get both you will get different content out of each one.
Q: When should I use the book and when should I use the Bible study?
A: Books are created more for individual use while Bible studies are created with group use in mind. Studies have group questions to unpack teaching, easy prompts for discussion, and often include a video component. Many women do Bible studies on their own as well, though, as their daily quiet time since studies get them in God’s Word. Books are great for nonbelievers who might find a book more approachable, women who can’t join a group, or leaders who want to know more before facilitating a group.
Q: Why are some books published by publishers other than Lifeway?
A: Lifeway is the expert when it comes to small group Bible studies while other publishers focus their efforts on books. Many authors approach us about turning their book idea into a small group option. And sometimes we ask them when the topic meets a need we are looking for! We are happy to partner with many different publishing houses to make small group studies available for women who want to go deeper in Scripture.
Q: How do I tell the difference if the title is the same?
A: Look for the words “Bible study” on the cover or “Bible study book” in the product description. If you are browsing in a store, the Bible study is typically larger than the regular book. We design studies to make them easier to write in.
While this is certainly not an exhaustive list, the following 12 can give you an idea of just how many studies also have books and how they work together:
We Saved You a Seat + Never Unfriended by Lisa-Jo Baker | 7 sessions
The newest of the crop, We Saved You a Seat comes out May 1! This study is based on the recently released book Never Unfriended. In the study, Lisa-Jo and four of her friends from (in)courage unpack what it looks like to make and keep lasting friendships through 15-minute video segments. Discover genuine, sweatpants-welcome community through this book and study that explores our relationship with Jesus as the ultimate model for authentic friendship.
Proven + Nothing to Prove by Jennie Allen | 8 sessions
We often find ourselves paralyzed by the belief that we are not good enough, talented enough, or spiritual enough to do what we are supposed to do in life. But you don’t have to prove anything because Jesus has already proven everything. In the 8-session study, Jennie walks through key passages in the Book of John to demonstrate how only Jesus is enough. Jennie wrote the book based on her own time studying the Gospel of John and the truths she was learning during that process.
Missional Motherhood by Gloria Furman | 6 sessions
Gloria searches the Scriptures for the mission of God in motherhood. She opens our eyes to God’s life-giving promises–promises intended to empower each and every woman as she makes disciples in her home, in her neighborhood, and around the world. God has instilled motherhood with meaning and purpose as part of His greater plan for humanity. Whether or not a woman has been called to traditional motherhood, she demonstrates her nurturing gifts daily through caregiving, hospitality, discipleship, teaching, raising children, and serving others. The study includes 15-minute videos of teaching from Gloria.
Looking for Lovely by Annie F. Downs | 7 sessions
Find lovely in the midst of ordinary with this book and study. As Christians, we are not promised lives of ease. Often it takes just a small moment of beauty to regain hope and continue on when life is chaotic and unpredictable. Only when we learn to spot the lovely in the midst of hardship can we experience the transcendent peace of God that keeps us persevering when we want to give up. In the Bible study, Annie examines the ordinary people of the Bible—fishermen, farmers, musicians, women—to discover how they sought beauty in their everyday lives to hold on to the hope of God’s perfect timing. Downloadable video bundle also available to accompany Bible study.
A Woman Who Doesn’t Quit + 5 Habits of a Woman Who Doesn’t Quit by Nicki Koziarz | 6 sessions
We all eventually face the temptation to give up. But something transformative happens when a woman decides to persevere in the face of difficulty. A woman who refuses to quit influences her world in ways she could never have imagined. The study walks women through the Book of Ruth, focusing on 5 practical habits to keep our eyes on God: Ruth accepted the assignment of refinement, followed through on her commitments despite her feelings, remained open to the movement of God, gave others what she needed, and moved forward in faith. Downloadable video bundle also available to accompany Bible study.
Me, Myself & Lies by Jennifer Rothschild | 7 sessions
Words are powerful. Especially the words women speak to themselves. All too often, what we say to ourselves when we lie in bed at night or look in the mirror in the morning is not even close to the words God wants us to speak to our souls. If you constantly find yourself thinking thoughts like, I could never do that. They don’t like me. or I am such an idiot! this can have a ripple effect on nearly every area of your life. Replace damaging, negative lies with solid biblical truth, grow in confidence, and silence the negative thoughts as you learn to speak kindly to yourself. The Me, Myself & Lies book was previously called Self Talk, Soul Talk. Jennifer is rereleasing this updated version May 1!
Steadfast Love by Lauren Chandler | 7 sessions – Coming in June!
There are times when worship overflows effortlessly from a heart full of gratitude and praise. And there are times when God seems far and we feel we have nothing to offer. We are tired, thirsty, and caught in the waves of a tumultuous sea. But this is when God shows us His steadfast love. Psalm 107 is a call to worship. It reminds us that each season of life is an opportunity to reveal the anchor of our souls. Walk with Lauren through the book as she shares what she has learned of the steadfast love of the Lord. Use the Bible study to learn to face each season of life with courage and trust in Jesus, and discover how tests in our journeys of faith reveal the true condition of our hearts. For there is no fear for the one who fears the Lord, the one whose soul is anchored in His steadfast love.
The Family of Jesus by Karen Kingsbury | 6 sessions
Karen is so well known for her Christian fiction, but did you know she has also written two Bible studies? This one and The Friends of Jesus each use a combination of storytelling and the study of Scripture to bring Jesus and the people in His life to life in a way participants may not have experienced before. Fall in love with Scripture like never before, and see yourself in the lives of those who lived in flesh with our King. Each week focuses on a person in Jesus’ family—Joseph, Zechariah, John the Baptist, Elizabeth, James, and Mary. The study includes excerpts from The Family of Jesus book using storytelling to relate the Scripture and characters. Karen uses her excellent fiction writing skills in the book to imagine what each of these people would have been like; the study digs into Scripture to explain each person’s strength and struggle, all of which is culturally relevant to our lives today.
Fight Back With Joy by Margaret Feinberg | 6 sessions
Celebrate more, regret less, and stare down your greatest fears with this book and study. Learn to practice defiant joy. Sooner or later, we find ourselves on the battlefield of life and struggle to know how to respond. But God says, “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15). On that fateful day, King Jehoshaphat and his army marched forward rejoicing. Though we can choose from many weapons, God wants to empower us to fight back with joy. The study that will help you embrace a life that’s richer and fuller than you’ve ever known before—a life radiant with joy. The book tells more of Margaret’s story and insights into laying hold of joy for yourself.
The Battle Plan for Prayer by The Kendrick Brothers | 8 sessions
This book and study begin with prayer’s core purpose, its biblical design, and its impact throughout history. Readers will be guided scripturally through the fundamentals of how effective prayer works, inspired towards a closer, more intimate relationship with God, and shown how to develop specific prayer strategies for each area of life. Prayer can accomplish what a willing God can accomplish. It should be your first plan of attack in all of life’s battles, not your last resort. If you want to experience the joy of mightily answered prayer, then it’s time to engage with God at another level.
Freefall to Fly by Rebekah Lyons | 6 sessions
The book is a vulnerable memoir of transformation. Rebekah shares her journey from Atlanta, Georgia, to the heart of Manhattan, where she found herself blindsided by crippling depression and anxiety. Overwhelmed by the pressure to be domestically efficient, professionally astute, and physically attractive, Rebekah finally realized that freedom can come only by facing our greatest fears and fully surrendering to God’s call on our lives. The study is a journey toward a life of meaning as women walk through six stages with Rebekah to find purpose as individuals and within community. The Bible study challenges women to breathe deeply and take similar steps of faith in their personal journey of surrender. For it is only when we freefall that we can truly fly.
Believing God by Beth Moore | 10 sessions
Based on Isaiah 43:10, Beth explores what it means not only “to believe in God” but “to believe Him.” The bride of Jesus Christ in our generation is nearly paralyzed by unbelief. Through studying the lives of Abraham, Moses, and others as examples of persons who believed God, Beth encourages women to deepen their own trust in God and receive a fresh word from Him. Beth says, “God confronted me with the truth that though I had believed in Him for many years, I had hardly begun to believe Him. He made something clear to me that He has sent me forth to say to you: God is so much more than we have yet acknowledged and experienced. He is capable of tremendously more than we have witnessed. I have become utterly convinced that we see so little primarily because we believe Him for so little. Here’s the great news: God wants to change all that!”
Do you have any other questions about the relationship between books and Bible studies? Please ask in the comments!