Book of Ruth — 4-Week Women's Bible Study

Walk through one Ruth meeting

Here is how Session 1, Ruth 1:1–22, fits the supplied leader guide’s 60-minute outline. Read the passage and leader notes before the meeting, then decide which written responses your group will do together or between sessions.

1. Welcome — 5 minutes. Remind everyone that passing is allowed. The group can listen without being pressed to share personal experiences.
2. Read Ruth 1:1–22 — 10 minutes. Read the passage aloud and in context. This session follows famine, bereavement, return and Ruth’s chosen loyalty.
3. Notice the passage — 8 minutes. Look at its movement and repeated language before jumping to application.
4. Offer the teaching focus — 10 minutes. Ruth accompanies Naomi into uncertainty without arguing her out of grief. Use the supplied cross-references, such as Psalm 13 and Romans 12:15. The leader notes caution against treating Orpah as a villain or turning Ruth’s choice to stay into a command for everyone.
5. Discuss two questions — 15 minutes. For example: What does Naomi lose materially and relationally? What does Ruth promise—and what does she not promise? These are questions from the Session 1 leader plan.
6. Write privately and choose a response — 7 minutes. Leave space for written reflection. The practical follow-up is a bounded offer of company, a meal, transport, paperwork help or quiet, while honouring the person’s answer.
7. Close — 5 minutes. Finish with prayer and appropriate follow-up.

Adapted from pages 4–5 of the current leader guide. These timings add to 60 minutes of meeting time; they are not a promise about preparation or homework time. The full-size page below shows Session 2 so you can inspect another session’s teaching focus and questions.