Best Books for Women's Bible Studies
The power found in a group of women coming together to study the Bible and grow in their faith can change the world. Whether you have been given the task of finding the next book for your study group, or you are looking for inspiration for a personal study, within these books lies fuel to spark and energize a generation.
Top Authors
Here’s a list of top books by author. The women in this section have each written multiple books, and these are some of their most recommended works.
Jen Hatmaker
- Interrupted - Realizing she was far too busy “doing” church than “being” the church, even in her role as a pastor’s wife, Hatmaker searched the Scriptures for answers and invites her readers to join the journey.
- The 7 Experiment: Staging Your Own Mutiny Against Excess - Taking a look at the effects of our culture’s obsessions with worldly excess, Hatmaker calls her readers to focus on a more Christ-like simplicity. She shines a spotlight upon seven key areas of life: food, clothes, spending, media, possessions, waste and stress.
Beth Moore
- Chasing Vines: Finding Your Way to an Immensely Fruitful Life - In her newest book, Moore emphasizes how the Scriptures demonstrate that all delights and trials matter to God. Using John 15, she emphasizes teachings on the vine, vineyards, vine-dressing and fruitfulness in an alluring and charming fashion.
- Delivered: Experiencing God’s Power in Your Pain - Based on another of her bestselling books, Get Out of That Pit, she shares her own journey out of darkness. Always relatable and sharing expository teaching in an accessible way, Moore speaks about the types of pits we find ourselves in and offers biblical suggestions on how to climb out.
Danielle Bean
- You Are Enough: What Women of the Bible Teach You About Your Mission and Worth - Using the stories of several strong women of the Old Testament, Danielle Bean reminds readers of how easily we focus on all the ways we fall short of worldly perfection, instead of remembering how God has made us each for a unique and divine purpose.
- You’re Worth It! Change the Way You Feel About Yourself by Discovering How Jesus Feels About You - Although its title tells all, Bean expertly connects her personal stories with descriptions of events in the New Testament. She presents a portrait of Jesus meeting us in moments right where we are in a truly inspirational fashion.
Lisa Brenninkmeyer
- Living in the Father’s Love - In a short six-session course, this brief but meaningful study takes a look at how the Gospels are relevant in our relationships with God and those we love most.
- Keeping in Balance - Brenninkmeyer’s study explores the relevance of Old and New Testament wisdom applied to our modern daily challenges over 22 sessions, then looks for ways to manage life’s frantic pace with more peace and holiness.
Lysa TerKeurst
- It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way - Understanding the many ways life can turn out much differently than planned, TerKeurst shares her own journey of faith while looking at how disappointments can be transformed into opportunities for divine appointments to encounter God.
- Finding I AM: How Jesus Fully Satisfies the Cry of Your Heart - Using the seven “I AM” statements found in Scripture, this study helps women exchange feelings of depletion for a fullness and completion from Christ.
Priscilla Shirer
- Fervent: A Woman’s Battle Plan to Serious, Specific and Strategic Prayer - These poignant chapters focus on a wide variety of issues and provide prayer strategies and biblical guidance. Just the first fabulous six chapters include: Your Passion, Your Focus, Your Identity, Your Family, Your Past and Your Fears.
- The Armor of God - Using a hands-on, workbook-style study guide, Shirer offers women an action plan for prayer in the face of life’s challenges by applying relevant scriptural teachings.
Liz Curtis Higgs
- The Women of Easter: Encounter the Savior with Mary of Bethany, Mary of Nazareth and Mary Magdalene - Using the life-changing encounters of three incredible women named Mary, its chapters engage readers with the biblical scenes and teachings leading up to a resurrection Easter experience. An award-winning novelist as well as a seasoned Bible teacher, Higgs uses her veteran storytelling skills to create a book perfect for any season of life.
- Girl’s Still Got It: Take a Walk with Ruth and the God Who Rocked Her World - Higgs joyfully demonstrates how even 32 centuries later, there is so much to learn from the book of Ruth and her example of boldness and faithfulness.
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Critical Thinking
We recommend these titles based on their accompanying questions or workbooks to the text, but that’s not to imply all the others on the broader list don’t require in-depth study, because they certainly do.
- Whispers of Rest by Bonnie Gray - Described as a 40-day detox for the soul, this treasure aims to renew your spirit with words of Scripture, journaling prompts for reflection, and practical challenges.
- Lazarus Awakening: Finding Your Peace in the Heart of God by Joanna Weaver - Encountering the story of Mary, Martha and Lazarus in a new way, Weaver seeks a divine shift in how we view our relationship with Jesus — focusing our attention on his love apart from anything we could ever personally bring or accomplish.
- It’s All Under Control by Jennifer Dukes Lee - This book has been recommended for the woman who feels she is hanging on tight and trying to get it all right but realizing that life often feels out of control. Lee recommends a “Do, Delegate, or Dismiss” approach to find peace in a God who has it all covered.
- Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle by Barb Roose - This workbook-style Bible study is described as “written for women who worry” (about as inclusive as it gets!) based on the book of Joshua to help Christian women stop obsessive worrying for good.
- Better Together by Elizabeth and Kristin Foss - Through a variety of Scripture passages, the writers take a look at the themes of hospitality and community within the Bible. They also include helpful ideas on ways to help readers find new ways to create community through hospitality along with yummy recipes for sharing.
- Word Writers: Philippians: Experience the Bible… Writing Word by Word by Denise Hughes - Using her inductive study method, Hughes’ Bible study offers devotions and questions, along with her special method to read, reflect, respond and write as she teaches.
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Books of the Bible
Many of these authors have also published volumes on other books about the Bible you’ll want to discover.
- In All Things: A Nine-Week Devotional Bible Study on Unshakeable Joy by Melissa B. Kruger - Devoted to the book of Philippians, Kruger invites readers to find joy and contentment through the words of the apostle Paul, originally written to believers in the early church, about peace no matter what life brings.
- Malachi: A Love That Never Lets Go by Lisa Harper - Focusing on God’s mercy, this eight-session study provides a refreshing and authentic approach to the book of Malachi. Harper wants her readers to see how God never walks away, even on our worst days and at our worst behaviors.
- Romans: Good News That Changes Everything by Melissa Spoelstra - This study has an accompanying leader kit that includes a participant workbook, leader guide and DVD. Spoelstra concentrates on a spiritual renewal of faith, grace and daily life through an uplifting look at the book of Romans.
- All Things New: A Study on 2 Corinthians by Kelly Minter - Demonstrating how closely the ancient city of Corinth compares with our modern-day cities, Minter explores the relevance and insights to be found in the letter to the Corinthians spread over eight interesting study sessions.
- Better: A Study of Hebrews by Jen Wilkin - This new release is a verse-by-verse study focusing on relationships between the old and new covenants. Wilkin explores familiar verses in Hebrews within the context of the entire Bible.
- Sing a New Song: A Woman’s Guide to the Psalms by Lydia Brownback - This book offers a fresh approach to the 150 Psalms in the Bible, summarizing key themes and their relationships to the rest of Scripture.
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Topical Studies
A wide variety of authors combine their life experiences with a study of Scripture to reveal deep insights and meaningful examples around specific topics.
- I Give Up: The Secret Joy of a Surrendered Life by Laura Story - This Grammy-award-winning singer-songwriter shares her joy in living a life in surrender to God in her newest book. Through her powerful story, she discusses how giving over her control has led her to a richer, fuller life with God at the helm.
- Who Does He Say You Are? by Colleen Mitchell - In her book, as well as in her roles of missionary and speaker, Mitchell uses the stories of 12 women from the Gospels to address the questions of our identity in Christ. She beautifully weaves together stories of her own search with the Scriptures to inspire readers to discover their own truths.
- Walking with Mary by Edward Sri - This book takes a step-by-step Bible study approach to the life of the mother of Jesus, to provide insights into the spiritual life of all Christians. Sri looks at key passages in the Bible spotlighting Mary as she endures various trials, uncertainties and suffering with steadfast faith and devotion.
- When Life Doesn’t Match Your Dreams by Jill Eileen Smith - Using the stories of many women in the Old Testament, including Eve, Sarai, Hagar, Rebekah and Rachel, she teaches about the wisdom to be gained from their good as well as bad examples.
- The Way of Abundance by Ann Voskamp - She writes, “The wound in His side proves that Jesus is always on the side of the suffering, the wounded, the busted, the broken.” Her book aims to demonstrate that our beauty is not in strength but rather in our fragility.
- Lord, I Want to Know You: A Devotional Study on the Names of God by Kay Arthur - Through a study of many of God’s names such as “Creator, Healer, Protector and Provider,” Arthur guides her readers through Scriptures as a means to provide strength, comfort and transformation.
- Seamless: Understanding the Bible as One Complete Story by Angie Smith - In her seven-session study, Smith explains how the different parts of the Old and New Testaments fit together to form the overarching story of the Bible as a whole.
- His Last Words: What Jesus Taught and Prayed in His Final Hours by Kim Erickson - Going verse by verse through John 13-17, Erickson helps her readers understand the importance of the last words of Jesus on the cross and what they can mean for all Christians today.
- Becoming Women of the Word: How to Answer God’s Call With Purpose and Joy by Sarah Christmyer - Approaching her topic as a spiritual pilgrimage through the Old Testament, Christmyer shines a light on the faith journeys, joys, struggles and aha moments of ten wise (although at times still very human and relatable) women that is both insightful and delightful.
As a woman who has experienced the great joy of several of these amazing books, I look forward to delving into many more of these with renewed passion. I wish you peace on your journey and pray just the right one speaks to your heart.
Laura Jackson is a freelance writer based in Hilton Head, S.C. with her husband and two teenagers.
Additional Resources
60 Small Group Bible Study Topics, Themes and Tips
50 Icebreaker Questions for Church Small Groups
Bible Study Lesson Tips for Small Group Leaders
Comunity Service Ideas for Small Groups
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