Current Events

• Even though college students may participate in Bible study, they might only have a very rudimentary understanding of the Bible and the import of its message for real life. One way of engaging students in Bible study is to look for topics in current events and the news. A 2006 survey by Harvard University's Institute of Politics showed that many students believe that religious beliefs should guide an individual's response to particular social issues like gay rights and events like Hurricane Katrina. Look to current events for ideas for topical studies.
  
  

Personal Growth

• Most colleges recognize that the kinds of personal problems that afflict students can be quite profound. Campuses like Mount Mary College even offer free counseling services to help students cope. Your Bible study could potentially supplement the mental health services offered by campuses. Personal growth issues and the problems faced by students can produce ideas for topical studies that examine how the Bible speaks to such subjects. For example, a study could focus on what the Bible says about the power of prayer and how religious peoples traditionally have incorporated those biblical principles to cope with such things as stress and loneliness.
  
  

Retreats and Camping

• Retreats and camp settings can be conducive to meaningful opportunities for Bible study and fellowship in general. On a practical level, these kinds of events give students the opportunity to get out of the academic rat race and recharge their intellectual and psychological batteries. A sylvan or rustic location is suggested. Study topics might include a focus on the biblical imperatives for care of the environment, which most people of faith understand to be God's creation. Another possibility could be to study the biblical understanding of the kind of community cooperation necessary for a camping experience in which the participants have various chores like fire-building and cooking.
  
  

Line-By-Line Studies

• A line-by-line study or one that focuses on a particular book or group of writings in the Bible is an alternative to the topical approach for finding Bible study ideas. Students may especially respond to studies of particularly enigmatic or controversial books like Revelation or Ecclesiastes. Ideally, such studies need a teacher familiar with the use of Bible commentaries and other aids to prepare this kind of study. A number of denominational and nondenominational bookstores offer commentaries and other study aids specific to particular books.