Experiencing God Bible Study Review: Is the 12-Session Commitment Right for You?

Experiencing God is best considered when you are ready for a sustained Bible study with work between meetings. Its 12 core study topics explore knowing God, recognizing His activity, and responding in obedience. I would choose it for a group that wants to move carefully from discussion into daily life.

The title can sound like a promise of a particular feeling or dramatic experience. My reason for considering a course like this would be more practical: setting aside regular time for Scripture, prayer, and thoughtful conversation about how to live faithfully.

This is a research-based review of the Bible Study Book with Video Access, ISBN 9781087741680. I checked the publisher’s description and exact edition; I have not completed this version of the course or tested its video access.

Which Experiencing God book is this?

This is the 272-page study book with video access, not the similarly titled general reading book. Lifeway’s listing credits Henry T. Blackaby, Richard Blackaby, Mike Blackaby, and Claude V. King. It describes revised study content, personal assignments, and video teaching by Richard and Mike Blackaby.

For a group purchase, the edition matters more than finding a cover with the right main title. Ask the leader to share the ISBN. A reading edition may be helpful in its own right while still leaving you without the pages everyone else is discussing.

The printed codes also deserve attention. Check redemption instructions before the first gathering, and do not assume a used book includes unused access.

Is the course 12 sessions or 13?

The publisher lists 12 core topics, while its specifications list 13 total sessions. I would confirm the full meeting sequence in the leader material before advertising exact dates.

The core topics address God’s will, relationship with God, responding to His invitation, faith, obedience, the church, and daily life. That is a sustained course rather than a short seasonal series.

For planning, reserve enough room for an opening meeting and the full sequence your leader will use. Allow for holidays and absences instead of assuming every week will run without interruption. If your group is starting near Christmas, it may be more realistic to begin the full course after the busiest weeks.

A good calendar is a service to participants. Tell them how many meetings to expect, what preparation is involved, and what to do when they miss one.

How much work happens outside the meeting?

Personal study is part of the course, not an optional extra to the video. The publisher specifically lists assignments between group sessions.

I would not promise a fixed daily time without working through the actual lessons. Reading speed, familiarity with the passages, and the amount someone writes will all affect that. Review a sample together and ask each participant where the work could fit into a normal week.

A useful test is to choose a few realistic reading windows before committing. If every proposed window depends on finishing everything else first, the plan probably needs adjustment.

For a group with unpredictable schedules, try discussing a shorter Bible passage together for a few weeks before choosing a longer course. That gives people a chance to build the meeting habit and helps the leader understand what support they need.

How would I approach the subject of God’s guidance?

Keep Scripture central and discuss personal impressions with humility. This is my approach to using a study about guidance, rather than a claim that every lesson in the course makes the same distinctions.

When someone describes a possible direction, I would separate three questions. What does Scripture clearly call us to do? What are we inferring about this particular situation? What remains uncertain?

For example, a decision about taking on a new responsibility may involve a clear duty to be honest and loving, several reasonable options, and incomplete information about the outcome. Recognizing those categories can make the conversation more useful than rushing to announce one option as unquestionably God’s will.

Seek wise counsel, consider existing responsibilities, and allow room for careful questions. A group should help people think and pray honestly, without pressuring them to report an extraordinary experience.

What could a useful group conversation look like?

Here is an original discussion exercise, not an excerpt from the workbook. Read James 1:22–25 and ask each person to identify one ordinary setting where hearing and doing can become separated.

Keep the response specific. “I should be kinder” is hard to revisit. “I need to listen without interrupting in this conversation” gives the person something concrete to consider.

At the next meeting, invite reflection without turning the group into a performance report. What helped? What was difficult? Did the passage challenge an assumption? Participants should be free to acknowledge an unfinished question.

That kind of conversation is one reason I would choose a longer course with people who are willing to return regularly. Trust and honest reflection often need more than a single evening.

Who should choose a different resource?

Choose something else if you mainly need an overview of the Bible’s storyline, a reference book for unfamiliar words, or a brief reading each morning. My beginner’s study guide and The Bible Recap review explain other formats.

I would also delay a long course if the group cannot yet agree on a workable schedule. Buying the books does not solve a calendar problem.

My recommendation: consider Experiencing God when the group is ready to protect time for personal work and thoughtful discussion. Confirm the exact book, video access, and meeting sequence before ordering everyone’s copy.

Sources and review approach

Course and edition facts come from Lifeway’s product page and the matching Amazon listing. The publisher’s 12-topic description and 13-session specification are both reported rather than silently reconciled. Planning advice and the James 1 exercise are my own.