Men's Bible Study on James: 5 Sessions of Discussion Questions

Short answer: the letter of James is the easiest book to run as a men's Bible study because every chapter ends in something to do. Below are five sessions, one per chapter, each with four discussion questions and one action for the week. No prep book needed.

How to run each session (30 minutes)

  • 5 minutes: one man reads the chapter out loud.
  • 15 minutes: work through the four questions. Skip any that stall.
  • 5 minutes: each man names the one action he will take this week.
  • 5 minutes: pray for each other's action by name.

Next week, open by asking who did their action. That one question keeps a group honest.

Session 1: James 1 — Trials and doing the word

  1. James says to count trials as joy (verse 2). What is one hard thing in your life right now that you have only treated as a problem?
  2. Verses 13–15 trace temptation from desire to action. Where does that chain usually start for you?
  3. Verse 19 says quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. Which of the three is hardest for you, and with whom?
  4. Verses 22–25 compare hearing without doing to looking in a mirror and forgetting your face. What have you heard in church that you have never acted on?

Action this week: pick one conversation where you will listen twice as long as you talk.

Session 2: James 2 — Favoritism and faith that works

  1. Verses 1–4 describe treating the rich man better than the poor man. Where do you show favoritism without noticing?
  2. What is the difference between believing something and trusting it enough to act on it?
  3. Verses 15–16 picture saying "go in peace" to someone who needs food. When did you last say a kind word instead of doing a kind thing?
  4. Abraham and Rahab are James' examples (verses 21–25). What did their faith cost them?

Action this week: meet one practical need you would normally only pray about.

Session 3: James 3 — The tongue

  1. James compares the tongue to a bit, a rudder and a spark (verses 3–6). Which picture fits your words this month?
  2. Who hears the worst version of you: your wife, your kids, your coworkers, or the people in traffic?
  3. Verses 9–10 point out that we bless God and curse people with the same mouth. Where do you see that in yourself?
  4. Verses 13–18 contrast earthly and heavenly wisdom. What does "peaceable, gentle, reasonable" look like in an argument you are likely to have this week?

Action this week: go one full day without a sarcastic or cutting remark, and tell the group how it went.

Session 4: James 4 — Pride, submission and plans

  1. Verses 1–2 say fights come from desires at war within you. What is the real desire under your last argument?
  2. "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (verse 6, WEB). Where are you currently refusing help?
  3. Verses 7–10 are a string of commands: submit, resist, draw near, cleanse, humble yourself. Which one do you need most this week?
  4. Verses 13–15 warn against planning as if tomorrow is guaranteed. How would you spend this week differently if you took that seriously?

Action this week: ask one person for help with something you have been carrying alone.

Session 5: James 5 — Money, patience and prayer

  1. Verses 1–6 confront wealth gained unfairly. Is anyone owed something by you right now: money, time or an apology?
  2. James uses the farmer waiting for rain as a picture of patience (verse 7). What are you impatient for?
  3. Verse 12 says let your yes be yes. Where have your words and your follow-through drifted apart?
  4. Verse 16 says confess to one another and pray for one another. What would it take for this group to do that honestly?

Action this week: settle one thing you owe, whatever it is.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a men's Bible study on James take?

Five weeks at one chapter a week is a good first study for a new group. A group that wants to go slower can split chapters 1 and 2 into two sessions each, which gives seven weeks.

Do we need a leader with Bible training?

No. James is direct and practical. The leader's job is to keep time, ask the questions and make sure every man names an action.

What if men will not open up?

Start with the action questions rather than the confession questions, and have the leader answer first. Honesty usually follows the leader's lead.

For the days between meetings

FORGED: Daily Bible for Men includes the Book of James as a 10-session study inside the app, alongside a 90-day daily plan: one practical challenge, one passage in plain English with one action, and a quiet prayer timer. Day 1, Bible Basics and the Bible glossary are free.

FORGED: Daily Bible for Men on the App Store

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