Looking for a Bible study for adult formation? There are many options from a variety of publishers and denominations. The right choice depends entirely on your context and goals. Below you’ll find a list of Building Faith’s favorite Bible study options based on theology, availability, and pedagogy. The articles in our curriculum center can help you identify your needs, capabilities, and hopes. Looking for more support? Join our free weekly Office Hours or reach out via email to buildfaith@vts.edu.

How To Use This List

• For each Bible Study “top pick” we list the name, publisher, publication date (if applicable), age group(s), and a brief summary.
• Click on the name of the curriculum to visit the webpage for the curriculum.
• Click on the name of the publisher to learn more about the theological background of the curriculum and click on the denomination (if applicable) to read their statement of belief.
• As always, when choosing a curriculum for your setting, take into account the theology, Biblical interpretation, context, materials, and representation as you discern which curriculum might be the best fit for your context.

Top Picks for Adult Bible Study Curriculum (Updated May 2022)

Augsburg Adult Bible Studies
Publisher & Date: Augsburg Fortress (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), 2021
Age Group: Adults
Summary: This curriculum offers year-round Bible study content. It is released quarterly and follows a six-year cycle. Each lesson provides background for the facilitator, explores the original context of the scripture passage, includes related texts, and provides daily reading suggestions.

Covenant Bible Study
Publisher & Date: Cokesbury (United Methodist), 2014
Age Group: Adults
Summary: This curriculum guides small groups though an in-depth study of the entire Bible. It contains twenty-four sessions divided into three modules: Creating, Living and Trusting. This Bible study emphasizes the concept of covenant as a theme that unifies the Old Testament and the New Testament. Contributors to this curriculum include renowned scholars like the Rev. Judy Fentress-Williams, Ph.D. and the Rev. Melody D. Knowles, Ph.D., who also appear in the accompanying videos.
*This curriculum uses the Common English Bible version.

Exploring The Bible
Publisher & Date: Forward Movement (Episcopal), 2016
Age Group: Young adults and adults (includes an appendix on how to adapt sessions for youth and corresponding curriculum for children)
Summary: This curriculum offers twenty-six Bible study sessions with material drawn from the whole Bible, Genesis to Revelation. It is discussion based and highlights God’s extraordinary love for us, how various stories from the Bible fit together, and how we fit into this story of God’s love.
*There is a companion book, The Path: A Journey Through the Bible, which follows the story of the Bible, excerpted from the New Revised Standard Version, so that it is clear and easy-to-read.

Genesis to Revelation
Publisher & Date: Abingdon Press (United Methodist), revised 2017-2018
Age Group: Adult
Summary: This curriculum offers a comprehensive, verse-by-verse, book-by-book study of the Bible. The three guiding questions for this study are: What does the Bible say? What does the passage mean? and How does the Scripture relate to my life? This curriculum offers a separate 13-session study for most books of the Bible (some are grouped together such as Joshua, Judges, Ruth).
*This curriculum uses the New International Version translation.

Journey Through the Bible
Publisher & Date: Cokesbury (United Methodist), 2000
Age Group: Adult
Summary: This curriculum divides the books of the Bible into 16 volumes, each containing 13 sessions. It highlights “the Bible’s most significant stories, themes, events and people” and includes a reading plan for those who choose to read the entire Bible.
*This curriculum uses the New Revised Standard Version translation.

The Kerygma Program 
Publisher & Date: The Kerygma Program (no denominational affiliation, reflects a “Reformed” perspective)
Age Group: Adults
Summary: This curriculum offers 40 different Bible studies. Some are foundation courses, in-depth studies of the whole Bible. Others are thematic. The length of the Bible studies range from 4 to 34 sessions.

The Revised Common Lectionary Bible Study
Publisher & Date: Paraklete Press of California (Episcopal)
Age Group: Adult
Summary: This curriculum can be used for personal or group Bible study and is based on the Revised Common Lectionary. It is available in digital and booklet form.

N. T. Wright for Everyone Bible Study Guides
Publisher & Date: InterVarsity Press (InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA), 2009
Age Group: Adult
Summary: This Bible study is written by pastor and New Testament scholar N. T. Wright. It is intended for use by “everyday readers.” It could be used by a small group or for individual daily personal reflection.

Special thanks to Meg Jones & Mary Whitmire Bordley for consulting with the Building Faith editors for this article.

Meg Jones (she/her/hers) is currently the Director of Christian Formation at Christ Church in New Bern, NC. She is a life-long Episcopalian, raised in the Diocese of Atlanta. After graduating from Appalachian State University, she spent two years at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta in their youth ministry internship program and a year at St. Teresa’s Episcopal Church in Acworth, GA as the Director of Children’s and Youth Ministry. Meg brings experience in churches of varying sizes as well as Diocesan, Provincial, and National church connections.

Mary Whitmire Bordley (she/her/hers) is the Coordinator of Children’s and Youth Ministry at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Knoxville, Tennessee.  She is a life-long Episcopalian, raised in her faith primarily in the Diocese of Atlanta and as an undergraduate at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee.  Mary holds a teaching license and M.Ed. in Early Childhood Special Education and taught for over ten years in public and private preschools for children with and without disabilities before transitioning to working with children, youth, and their families in the Episcopal Church.

Photo by Jonathan Simcoe on Unsplash.