Faith in Fellowship: Small Group Bible Studies for Courageous Women

In our fast-paced world, where interruptions are constant and personal struggles can feel isolating, it’s easy to forget the power of community.

Small group Bible studies offer an incredible opportunity for you to remove distractions, connect with God, build deep relationships with other women, find strength through shared faith, and experience the transformative power of Scripture in community.

Whether you’re new to Bible studies or you’ve been in a women’s Bible study before, joining or starting a small group Bible study can be one of the most life-changing decisions for your spiritual journey.

Why Small Group Bible Studies?

Small group Bible studies are designed for deeper, more meaningful interactions than what you may find in corporate church services, where it can be difficult to form personal connections in the few moments before or after worship.

Some of my closest friendships have been formed from small groups I attended over a decade ago. Within the intimate setting of a women’s Bible study, I found like-minded ladies whose wisdom and encouragement have become invaluable to me over the years.

In addition to forming meaningful connections, small group Bible studies can provide you with:

  • A safe space to ask questions about Scripture
  • An opportunity to share life’s challenges, victories, and everything in between
  • Support and encouragement from fellow believers
  • The opportunity to pray together
  • The potential to gain lifelong friends who feel more like family.

If you’re in a small group, you already know what I’m talking about!

But what resources should you choose when selecting a study for your Bible study small group?

We know there are a lot of choices out there and selecting a Bible study that is right for your group in your current season can be overwhelming.

That’s why we created this list of women’s Bible studies you can choose from, so you get to decide which one will be a great fit for you and your community.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through one of our links, we may make a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Five Great Small Group Bible Studies for Women

She's not your enemy book cover image

1. She’s Not Your Enemy by Jenn Schultz

She’s Not Your Enemy by Jenn Schultz is a small group Bible study best suited for the group who wants to understand who they are in Christ and who may struggle with insecurity, comparison, and jealousy. This study has a unique way of encouraging vulnerability and opening doors to conversations that will leave you feeling seen, thinking, “Wow, I never knew she struggled with that, too.”

She’s Not Your Enemy contains an introduction and nine chapters, and it offers reflection questions, journaling space, and accompanying teaching videos.

To get the most out of this small group Bible study, I recommend starting with the book’s introduction and watching the first video and then following with the subsequent nine chapters with the accompanying videos for a total of ten weeks. However, if you’re on a tighter timeline, it’s doable to double up by reading two chapters per week to finish in five weeks.

Find She’s Not Your Enemy on Amazon.

She Belongs book cover image

2. She Belongs by Katy McCown

This small group Bible study is best for the group longing for a deeper connection with God and other believers. She Belongs reminds us that the key to keeping it together is coming together in the body of Christ. If the women in your small group are feeling distant in their faith, this is a great Bible study.

Katy writes in a way that is authentic and relatable, and her message of belonging will encourage and challenge you to examine the health of your community. I read this book with our online Bible study last fall and fell in love with Katy and her message of uniting in the body of Christ.

She Belongs is a six-session study with accompanying teaching videos. I recommend completing one session per week and watching each accompanying session’s video to take full advantage of your time together as a group. 

If you plan to lead this Bible study, there is a leader’s guide located at the back of this book that you can reference as you lead discussions.

Find She Belongs on Amazon.

Your God Knows book cover image

3. Your God Knows by Lisa Whittle

This women’s Bible study is best for the small group who wants to dig deeper into Scripture and learn more about a rarely studied book in the Bible, Nahum. Out of all the Bible studies listed in this article, this one takes the deepest dive into Scripture.

Your God Knows is a six-session study that reminds us God is always present, always working, and forever faithful, no matter how abandoned we may feel by our circumstances.

Pro tip: don’t try to speed through this study. It’s rich, so take your time!

If you plan to lead this Bible study, there is a leader’s guide located at the back of this book that you can reference as you lead discussions.

Find Your God Knows on Amazon.

A Table in the Wilderness

4. A Table in the Wilderness by Lina AbuJamra

This small group Bible study is best for the women’s group who wants to be refreshed in their faith. Lina is a powerful writer and speaker, and this study reflects her passion for encouraging us to remember God’s faithfulness, mercy, and overflowing kindness, even in the most unexpected places.

A Table in the Wilderness is a six-session study with accompanying video teachings, spiritual exercises for contemplation and prayer, and self-reflection tools.

If you plan to lead this Bible study, there is a leader’s guide located at the back of this book that you can reference as you lead discussions.

Find A Table in the Wilderness on Amazon.

Each One Reach One

5. Each One Reach One by Babbie Mason

This interactive study is best for the small group who wants to learn how to better share their faith with others. Babbie is a two-time Dove Award winner with a long resume of powerful worship songs she’s either written or performed. Her charisma, joy, and powerful storytelling will encourage you as you study Matthew 5:16 and reflect on everyday ways you can shine your light.

Each One Reach One is an eight-session study that offers reflection questions after each chapter as well as accompanying teaching videos.

I recommend reading one chapter per week and watching each accompanying video, but if you are on a tighter timeline, you can double up by reading two chapters per week with your group.

Each One Reach One does not have a leader’s guide, but if you plan to lead women through this Bible study, I recommend pulling from the questions at the end of each chapter to use for your discussion.

Pro tip: choose which questions you will discuss ahead of time to maximize time together in your small group.

Find Each One Reach One on Amazon.

Join the Esther Press Bible Study Community!

Let’s face it—we love community and know how important it is to be in circles with other believers, but sometimes, getting to a physical small group Bible study can be challenging.

Maybe you just moved, you recently had a baby, work is picking up, or you haven’t found a local church you’ve plugged into yet, but you still long to connect with other Jesus-loving women. Look no further than our own online Bible studies!

Here at Esther Press, we host an entire online community that reads and engages with Bible studies and books together virtually.

Our online Bible studies offer:

  • Flexibility to participate from the comfort of your home
  • A sense of community
  • A safe space for growth in our private Facebook group
  • Personal accountability and encouragement
  • A dedicated host who reads and responds to every comment (me!)
  • Access to authors and behind-the-scenes content

If an online Bible study sounds like a refreshing option to you, we invite you to join our winter online Bible study that will kick off on January 27. We will be reading Each One Reach One by Babbie Mason, and we’d love to have you there.

Email [email protected] for more information and to get signed up today!

Mandy Johnson

Mandy Johnson is the Online Studies Host and Coordinator for Esther Press. She is also a wife, mom, writer, and speaker who loves encouraging women in their faith. She lives in Hendersonville, Tennessee, where you’ll find her trying to keep up with her two toddlers, leading a fitness class at Fit Factory Nashville, or cheering on the Clemson Tigers! You can read more from Mandy at mandycjohnson.com.