Bible Study groups meet several times a week here at my Assisted Living facility and I find it interesting that a number of people I know post on Facebook when they are having Bible Study. I am not a participant and do not read the Bible.
If you mean apart from a standard church service and other than my personal studies, not much any more. I have led hundreds of them including when we had our restaurant in Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho. Just so we wouldn’t conflict with the local churches, we had a study on Monday nights at the restaurant because we were closed. When I was in the Rescue Mission Ministry, I would sometimes lead up to 2 or 3 studies a day. Don’t know about the FB studies, but if a decent Christian Forum would pop up, I would be happy to attend those but as of yet, most forums get too redundant and also get interrupted by total non-believers who simply make a nuisance of themselves.
I'll admit that just about anywhere in the Bible can be found examples of proper Christian living. Further study is unnecessary, unless one is gratified with reading all the Thees and Thous. Verily...Hal
We attended a couple of Sunday morning Bible Study at a church in Jacksonville, Florida. It was held during the church service. We had attended the service and wanted to try the Bible Study. The attendance was mainly Seniors who didn't like the loud music of the Praise Band. My wife attended a noon Bible Study at the first job she had in Jacksonville. It was held in the back area of the lunch room. I had lunch with my wife once and found out that the Bible Study was meeting during that lunch time. I didn't participate, but did notice numerous employees giving strange looks to those ladies that were in the Bible Study. There were some complaints, so the group had to stop meeting. I also remember a Drivers Training Supervisor, at Healthcare Company I worked for, try to start a Bible Study, but couldn't get enough employees interested in it. After one meeting and three in attendance, she stopped the meetings. At another job my wife had, a lady wanted to start a Bible Study group, but management told her, behind closed doors, "Sorry, can't happen. Bible Study is one thing that is listed in our company policies that isn't allowed."
I've enjoyed Bible studies when I've been able to find them. If I could find one that meets regularly, I would not be attending formal church services, but they've been scant here in my rural area. COVID has probably suspended the few that used to be. Our pastor has hosted a couple of Bible studies, but I find them to be wanting.
Not really Hal. The Bible isn’t just about Christian living. It’s an anthology containing 66 books and letters which not only outlines God’s relationship with man but reveal an entire historical view of mankind in general, the birth of a nation and more specifically, the genealogy of Jesus from the beginning to His resurrection. Moreover, if you’re not into the “thee’s and thou’s”, get a Bible like the New KJV that doesn’t have the Elizabethan construct.
I sometimes read the Bible to get a sense of connection to some of the religions of this world. I do the same with the Quran and the Bhagavad Gita. All very interesting, written works. All have something to offer, for your daily lives.
All wisdom, no matter where it comes from is a good thing to find. I wonder though how many folks know that the book of Isaiah is perhaps one of the most beautifully written poems of ancient writings? It’s a given that most prophetic writing was done in the poetic form but Isaiah stands out head and shoulders above the rest of them. Or, that the book of Job, even though the author is in question, is so perfectly written that it is (or at least was) mandatory reading for literary students all over the world. That’s why I wrote what I wrote to Hal. The Bible isn’t just a book one simply reads for living a Christian life because there is so much more in those 66 books and letters. If a person like to read about sex, murder, incest, witchcraft, criminals, good guys, mystery......it’s there. If a person wishes to read a love story (or several) or about business, farming, kings and kingdoms and castles and knights, or how to stay healthy, it’s in there. How about religions other than judaism or Christianity, yup, it’s there. Journeys, geography, people, customs, plagues, miracles, redemption, sacrifice, comedy, lust, hatred, love, mercy, drugs, sadness, rage, forgiveness, kindness or makeup a song to a set of lyrics; there isn’t anything a person can think of that isn’t written about in those books and letters.
I tried to read the Quran back in the early 80s. As I recall, I struggled too much with the cultural references. Perhaps I needed a different translation.
There are annotated versions available that tie things together for those not familiar with Islamic culture.