The Bible bit - the second part of the evening, from 8:10 to 8:30

If you're going to explore Christianity, you have to go right back to the source. That's why, after the starter, the next thing has to be: looking at the Bible.

However, we don't want it to be like an RE lesson. So we won't ask people to "read round", a verse each, and we'll give everyone a copy of the (very brief) passage - we won't embarrass anybody by asking them to look it up in the Bible, because probably most won't know where to start.

So we may have the passage on an MP3 beforehand, and play it to everybody before splitting into groups; or we may ask you to read it aloud to your small group.

There are six questions each week, which gives you plenty of material to work with - you'll never have to spend more than four minutes on a question! The first question each time is always "Are there any things you don't understand about this passage, and would like explained?"  Sometimes people spend almost the whole twenty minutes just on that one question!

The passages are chosen because they're easy to read and understand, without complicated words or ideas, and yet lead directly into the key ideas we want people to be thinking about. Just so that you know what you're supposed to be doing, there's a bit in the instructions which says "We're aiming to help the group discover the following facts..." - and then there's a hit-list of the discoveries we want the group to make.

So it's simple. Anybody could lead it. You could.

It would be great to have two people in each group leading the Bible study bit. That's helpful because then they can "tag team" one another, without one person having to shoulder all the responsibility for twenty minutes. If you aim to work through the questions in about 15 minutes, that leaves a couple of minutes at the start to introduce what you're doing, and a minute at the end to sum up the main discoveries you've made, before moving on. The time will fly. It really will!

HERE ARE THE "BIBLE BIT" QUESTIONS FOR WEEK 2  (passage: John 3:1-9)

1 Are there things you don't understand about this passage, and would like explained?

2 Nicodemus might have been expecting Jesus to give him some new rules to keep. What happened instead?

3 Think about what babies are like. Why do you think Jesus used the phrase "born again" to describe the change people need?

4 Do you think Nicodemus understood Jesus? How do you think Nicodemus felt?

5 Looking at the passage, which of these comments do you think Jesus would have disagreed with?

"You can't change human nature"  "Nobody's perfect"  "You can only do your best"

6 Is there anything else in this passage you want to discuss before moving on?

NOTES for leaders:

It's a tricky passage, particularly the stuff about water and the Spirit, so do make sure you give questions 1 and 6 a chance! You will also probably have to explain the term "kingdom of God" so ask a leader before the evening if you need to...

The discoveries that the questions should allow people to make:

• People can't change themselves by will power
• External changes don't work; it's an inner change we need, and it's as radical as being born all over again

Jesus was talking about an invisible, non-physical change which happens at the very centre of our personality.

The agent of this change is God's Holy Spirit. YOu may have to explain a bit about who He is, but don't get sidetracked into a detailed discussion of the Trinity... you don't have time!

If opportunity allows, you may be able to say a bit about how new birth happened to you! But don't force it, and certainly don't preach. Just tell them a few details to draw out discussion, and see if they're interested in knowing more. Don't give them the full four-hour version of your life history!

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