I was recently asked chat about what’s involved in doing a ‘one-to-one’.
What is a ‘one-to-one’? Its when two people sit down together, regularly, to read the Bible.
I’ve 6 points…
1a. Guys vs girls. Generally speaking, a one-to-one looks different depending on whether its two guys reading the Bible together, or two girls. For the guys, they need a task to unite them. And their mission is this: to read the Bible, make sense of what its saying, and then pray. The less idle chit-chat the better. Make sure the job’s done within then hour, then move on to what’s next in life. Men, don’t apologise for doing things this way. Its just the way it is. For the girls, there’s an extra ingredient. A relationship. The Scriptures speak about personal things. So how can you possibly read the Bible with another girl unless you know her first? So, the girls will probably spend more time getting to know each other before they start to read the Bible.
1b. Guys & girls. Unless you want to marry them, and are prepared to follow through on that, then don’t have a regular one-to-one with someone of the opposite sex!
1c. This follows on from 1a. Guys, over time you might want to try some of that relationship thing that the girls do. Girls, make sure you’re also reading the Bible!
2. When the Apostle Paul writes to the saints in Rome, he says that he’s keen that ‘you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith’ (Rom 1:12). Now remember, this is the Apostle Paul who is writing – he is the master of handing on the faith! And yet what he is looking for from his upcoming visit is mutual encouragement in the faith. Sometimes a one-to-one will be between two people of similar maturity in the faith, so obviously you will be mutually encouraging each other. But even when one person is more mature in the faith, such as it was between the Apostle Paul and the saints in Rome, the one-to-one is still an exercise in mutual encouragement. Both people benefit from reading the Word of God, and both are to draw encouragement from the other’s faith.
3. Therefore, don’t prepare! There’s no need for one person to prepare the Bible passage your going to read. Read it cold, together. Read the Scriptures together, try to make sense of them together. On this point, I’d add that ‘less is more’ when doing a one-to-one. Don’t try to get through of lot of the Bible with only superficial understanding. Instead, read only as much as you can make sense of together, even if this is only a third or half a chapter. You can pick up from the same place the following week.
4a. Notice that I’ve assumed we’re reading the Scriptures in a ‘one-to-one’. Not a Bible commentary, nor a devotional book, but the Scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:14-17 are our guide on this one. There are 3 things to say.
4b. First, the emphasis is on the value of the holy Scriptures – and we should have this same emphasis. It is these Scriptures that need to be learned, and of which we must be convinced (v. 14). It is these Scriptures that make us wise for salvation (v. 15), and it is these Scriptures that are useful to us for various things (vv. 16, 17). These are the Scriptures which we ought to examine (Acts 17:11), and handle correctly (2 Tim 2:15).
4b. But, second, reading the Bible is not an end in itself. The Bible does not save, nor does a better understanding of the Bible. Rather, the gospel about Jesus Christ, and faith in him, are what saves. So we don’t read the Bible for its own sake, but for a certain purpose, which is…
4c. Third, we read the Scriptures so that we might be wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. We read the Scriptures to encourage each other in the truth found therein.
5. Application. Don’t feel you need to come up with searching and profound application from every Bible passage you read. The most important application from the Scriptures is always to remind each other of the gospel – that Jesus Christ has been crucified, and that he lives again, that we might be reconciled to God – and then to encourage each other to continue to trust in this great hope.
6. Some practical tips. What do you actually say when you’re together? If stuck, you can (a) try to paraphrase what the passage says. Having done this you could (b) explore the meaning of the key ideas and words in the passage (like faith, grace, hope, mystery), and then see what these ideas and words are referring to in their context. Finally, (c) you could ask why this passage is in the Bible. Why was it written? What’s it purpose? For example, Paul writes great truths in 2 Cor 4. But the value of these truths for us is seen in verses 1 and 16: Paul reminds us of these things so that we do not lose heart. This is the reason why he writes!
