Gospel of John Discovery Study | DiscipleshipLessons.com

Gospel of John Discovery Study · Seekers · discipleshiplessons.com

Overview

If you are meeting with someone who is not a Christian but interested in Jesus, or someone who is a brand new believer, we recommend studying the Gospel of John together.

John 20:31 “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Below we outline three plans that you can use to walk with someone through the Gospel of John.

Setting the Environment

You want to create a warm, relational environment where a non-Christian seeker can explore Jesus’ story. Here’s how:

Get to Know Them: Spend time building your relationship each time you get together. Ask about their life, interests, and spiritual background. Share about yourself too
Pray Ahead of Time: Ask God to guide your words, open their heart, and give you wisdom. Pray for a spirit of patience and love in your interactions.
Pick a Relaxed Setting: Meet somewhere comfortable and friendly—like a coffee shop, park, or living room.
Be a Listener: Let them share their thoughts freely, even if they’re skeptical. Ask good questions. Let the Holy Spirit work through His Word.

3 Plan Options

Here are three flexible plans for studying the Gospel of John (21 chapters). Choose one based on your time and the seeker’s pace.

AOption A

Read a Chapter Together Each Time You Meet

Format:Meet weekly (or as often as works), read one chapter aloud together, and discuss.

Duration:21 weeks

How It Works:Take turns reading a few verses each, or you read while they follow along. Pause after the chapter to discuss using the questions below.

Best For:Someone who enjoys a slow, thoughtful pace and regular meetups.

Example Schedule:

Week 1: John 1
Week 2: John 2
Week 3: John 3
…and so on.

BOption B

Read a Chapter a Day, Meet Weekly for 3 Weeks

Format:Each person reads one chapter daily on their own (7 chapters per week), then meets once a week to discuss all 7 chapters.

Duration:3 weeks (covers all 21 chapters).

How It Works:Assign the week’s chapters (e.g., Week 1: John 1-7). They read at home, jot down thoughts or questions, and you discuss highlights together using the questions below.

Best For:Someone comfortable reading independently and meeting less often.

Example Schedule:

Week 1: John 1-7 (e.g., Mon: John 1, Tue: John 2, etc.)
Week 2: John 8-14
Week 3: John 15-21

COption C

Seven-Week Highlights Plan

Format:Focus on 7 key passages from John, the I Am statements, meeting weekly to read and discuss one each time.

Duration:7 weeks.

How It Works:You select standout sections that showcase Jesus’ life and message. Read the passage together (they’re short enough to cover in one sitting) and discuss.

Best For:Someone new to the Bible who’d benefit from a shorter commitment and curated readings.

Example Schedule:

Week 1: "I am the bread of life": (John 6:35)
Week 2: "I am the light of the world": (John 8:12)
Week 3: "I am the door": (John 10:7)
Week 4: "I am the good shepherd": (John 10:11)
Week 5: "I am the resurrection and the life": (John 11:25)
Week 6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life": (John 14:6)
Week 7: "I am the true vine": (John 15:1)

Discussion Questions

When you come together, here are some questions to help guide your Bible study time:

Question Set 1:

What stood out to you in this story?
What do you think this tells us about who Jesus is or what He cares about?
If this is true about Jesus, how might it connect to your life or the world around you?

Question Set 2:

As we read this, what do we learn about God?
What do we learn about people? Is there an example to follow or perhaps avoid?
How do we need to respond?
Who in our lives could we share this with?

Wrap Up

Pray for/with the person you are meeting with before wrapping up the session.
Set up the next time you are going to meet and what if any reading needs to be done between now and then.

Notes