Study House is a community of disciples of Jesus the Messiah dedicated to learning God’s word and spreading the gospel. Our common goal is to grow in the knowledge of God while helping others become His disciples. Through prayer, worship, and biblical learning, we seek to encourage one another to endure in faith and obedience and to share the gospel with clarity and conviction as we patiently wait for Jesus’ coming from heaven to rule the world in righteousness. We are committed to fostering a culture marked by genuine love for one another, the pursuit of God’s Spirit, and a shared dedication to the growth and maturity of every disciple among us.
We express the educational component of our endeavor through study groups, classes, seminars, Discovery Bible Studies, and academic lectures. These are geared toward anyone interested in studying Scripture and the deep questions of life and history, but especially for those who want to understand the gospel better and either begin the journey as disciples of Jesus or continue to grow along the way. We also aim to make biblical and historical scholarship accessible to wider audiences. We believe this can significantly deepen understanding of the Bible and, in turn, encourage obedience and endurance in the gospel. That’s why we combine biblical studies with other relevant topics such as history, languages, and culture. We also use various learning formats, including music, poetry, film, slow reading sessions, special collective meals, outreach, and field trips.
Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars. She has slaughtered her slaughtering, mixed her wine, and also set her table. She has sent her servant girls, she calls upon the wings of the high places of town, “Whoever is simple, let him turn here.” As for the one who lacks sense, she says to him, “Come, eat with my bread; drink with the wine I have mixed. Lay aside simplicity and live; walk in the way of understanding.” Proverbs 9:1-6
WHAT IS A STUDY HOUSE?
For our purposes, a house of study is any place and time devoted to learning about God and His message in the Bible. We take our cues about it from both Jewish and Christian traditions.
For the Jewish community throughout history, houses of study (the beit midrash) have been a fundamental expression of their devotion and faith in God. Several notions have inspired them to devote oneself in connection with a study house: an expectation to be granted the blessing of God’s presence while doing it (Berakhot 64a:11), the negative consequences of neglecting the study of God’s word which implied abandoning the Lord and despising His word (Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:13), receiving rewards and an inheritance in the world to come (Avot DeRabbi Natan 36:6), and the protective power of Torah study in terms of its effect in strengthening the heart towards obedience and in subdoing what they call “the evil inclination” (Midrash Tehillim 119:33), among several others. The central driver has been “raising many disciples” (Pirkei Avot 1:1).
In the Christian world, houses of study also emerged to enrich their communities. In ancient times, houses of study were used as settings for cultivating small, relational, and hospitable environments where early teachings and catechisms were studied and transmitted. Prayer and intensive study of sacred texts and historical commentary were among their essential practices. In recent times, seminaries and theological schools, in particular, have used houses of study or study centers to provide hospitality, libraries, and academic resources to help students integrate their faith with modern academic disciplines. Pioneering models like Francis Schaeffer’s L’Abri are important examples. Their drive has been very missional and outward-oriented.
This statement by Kenneth Elzinga in the book To Think Christianly (Foreword) resonates deeply with our purposes: “Indeed, in a post-Christian era, study centers can be places where students who know nothing about the story of Jesus hear the good news, perhaps for the first time, and are invited to become followers of Jesus. Then study centers can be places that embrace Jesus’ words, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”