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There are so many “Bible Studies” for women but few of them study the Bible. Why is this the case? In Hosea 4:6 God tells us that His people are destroyed for lack of knowledge and I see this happening in the churches. Too many women don’t know the Word but study false teachings that make them feel good about themselves and in tuned with their “feelings” instead of learning how God commands that they live and love.

Many today don’t believe that Scripture is sufficient. They try to read things into what the Bible clearly states and have “personal revelations” about it. This is a dangerous practice since we are warned not to add nor subtract anything to the Word of God. His Word gives us everything we need for life and godliness!

Some studies of the Bible will have women read a passage in Scripture and then be asked, “What does this mean to you?” This is the wrong question to ask. They should be asked, “What is God teaching us in the passage?” We want to know His will, not what we think it may be based upon our own private interpretation.

I posed this question to the women in the chat room and received many good responses.

Paula: Just my opinion: 1) I think most people these days don’t even read their Bible (way too busy) so it’s hard to find a woman that even feels comfortable enough teaching it to other women; 2) it’s easier just to buy a women’s “Bible study” book to mindlessly read through as a group that appeals to women’s feelings and emotions.

Lindsay: My guess is that there are a few reasons: 1) The teacher is often not familiar enough with the Bible to be confident teaching it directly, so they rely on a book or study that was pre-written for them. This is true for a lot of Bible studies and Sunday school classes, not just those for women.

2) The teacher for a women’s Bible study is usually a woman, and as a woman, she tends to like things that make her feel good and uplift her. Since the Bible has all kinds of things in it which are not purely for feeling good – like doctrine, history, and calling out evil – it is “safer” to pick a study that is on a comfortable topic to ensure that it will feel good.

3) Not only is a female teacher more comfortable with a feel-good lesson, so are her female listeners. She thus wants to please them so they don’t go elsewhere.

4) The books marketed for “Women’s Bible Studies” are usually light on doctrine and heavy on emotion. Women think that is what they are supposed to study because that is what is being marketed to them.

Cheri: The church where I had recently attended, the women’s “study” group wasn’t interested much in the Bible, rather what others (mostly women writers) interpreted what they thought the Bible said. And even with that the thought was to sift out and take only what they would like to hear… things that made them “feel good” about themselves. I tried to gently challenge the woman “leader” of this group to seek a deeper/scriptural study but she seemed only interested in the number of women she could get to attend, therefore it had to be only feel good stuff.

Stephanie: I think that most women’s Bible studies are not accurate because it is not based on the Bible, rather emotions or what appeals to them and like you said those things that make them feel good. I have yet to find a study that is based off of Scripture rather than what makes us feel good.

Tammy: Most women get together to share feelings and personal opinions and don’t really want anyone talking about ways we need to improve.

Lindsay: Yes, women are very much tuned to relationships and smoothing things over, so they avoid confrontational topics that might make someone uncomfortable. That’s fine in a lot of situations, but bad when people need to be taught Biblical truth.

Paula: Yes, and the group often turns to complaining about their husband’s. Sigh.

Nicole: It’s because women’s bible studies are lacking a male bible teacher!

Jamie: For me, I used to teach ladies’ study and there was no one wanting to learn about being submissive to our husband, not nagging on them, and instead having a gentle and quiet spirit and pray, plus there was way too much chit chat and gossip. That was regardless of the topic. Scripture says there’s a time and place for everything and God is a God of order not disorder. So I backed down from teaching and now I teach my girls.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.
Colossians 3:16