10 Bible Study Topics Perfect for Christian Seniors

1. Aging Gracefully

Most of us think that with age comes wisdom, and it does. However, age also comes with aches and pains, growing closer to God, and reflecting on our lives and other things we haven't had to deal with before.

Aging gracefully is a prominent topic to cover with seniors. Learning how to keep our spiritual lives vibrant, our bodies in good health, and our minds sharp are dominant topics to start with. Some books about aging gracefully include Aging Gracefully: Spiritual Care for Aging Adults by Samuel White III, Senior Moments: Prayer Talks with God about Aging Gracefully by Bernadette McCarver Snyder, and How to Age Without Getting Old: The Steps You Can Take Today to Stay Young for the Rest of Your Life by Joyce Meyer.

Related:

8 Benefits of Aging Worth Celebrating

How to Find Biblical Joy When You Are Aging

How to Understand and Embrace the Vulnerability of Aging

2. Thriving in an Empty Nest

Some seniors live close to their children and families and can see them often, while others live in a literally empty nest. This can affect seniors regardless of whether they live near or far, and is a great Bible study topic. An excellent resource for this Bible study topic is Empty Nest, Full Life: Discovering God's Best for Your Next by Jill Savage.

3. Making Retirement Meaningful

When their working years are over, some seniors feel a little lost. They know they have all the time in the world to do what they want and want their retirement to be meaningful. Some ideas to explore with this topic include how to discern God's voice about what's next in your life, how to live a fulfilling life, how to figure out your passions, and how to use them for God's glory. Some seniors may know these things, but some won't. A book that talks about this topic is An Uncommon Guide to Retirement: Finding God's Purpose for the Next Season of Life by Jeff Haanen.

Related: How to Find a Meaningful Routine after Retirement

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4. The Joys and Trials of Grandparenting

When most people think of grandparents, they think of all kinds of warm and fuzzy memories. However, grandparenting has its challenges, too. Kids are different from they were even ten years ago. There are both good things and bad things about being a grandparent these days.

Some books to help discover more on this topic are Grandparenting: Strengthening Your Family and Passing on Your Faith by Dr. Josh Mulvihill, Overcoming Grandparenting Barriers: How to Navigate Painful Problems with Grace and Truth by Larry Fowler, and Discipling Your Grandchildren: Great Ideas to Help Them Know, Love, and Serve God by Dr. Josh Mulvihill.

Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Edwin Tan

5. Dealing with Health Problems

As we get older, our health can go two different ways. We can strive to maintain better health, or sometimes we have to manage afflictions. Some excellent discussions to have in this Bible study include: what does the Bible say about our health, what are some simple ways we can improve our health, and how can we manage our health? You can also touch on topics like mental and emotional health as well Some books to help with this topic are Healthy by Design: Weight Loss God's Way by Healthy by Design, Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer, and Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World by Max Lucado.

6. Finding Love Again

Love and relationships are a big part of life. Some seniors who are divorced, widowed, or never married want to find love. However, the landscape of the dating world can be intimidating with dating apps, ghosting, and fake profiles. Some books to help with this topic are The Wait: A Powerful Practice for Finding the Love of Your Life and the Life You Love by Devon Franklin, Devotions for Dating Couples: Building a Foundation for Spiritual Intimacy by Ben Young and Samuel Adams, and Boundaries in Dating: How Healthy Choices Grow Healthy Relationships by Henry Cloud and John Townsend.

7. Strengthening Your Marriage

As we all know, marriages ebb and flow, and people change. No one is exactly the same person they were when they got married. People grow, change, and have new interests. Over the years, it's easy to grow disconnected or become more like two ships passing in the night. It's never intentional, but it can happen when life is going at the speed of light when you're young and have kids. Therefore, teaching about strengthening your marriage is a great topic for a senior Bible study. Participants can learn to reconnect and live a fuller life together.

Some books to help learn more about this are 50 Things You Wish You Knew About Love, Marriage, and Divorce: Self Help for Single, Married, and Engaged Adults by Jim McCraigh, The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman, and Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires, The Respect He Needs by Emerson Eggerichs.

Related: Strengthening Your Marriage with the 5 Love Languages: The Ultimate Guide

8. How to Have a More Abundant Prayer Life

It's important to have an abundant prayer life, and it's always good to learn how to have a more abundant prayer life. It's easy to get distracted by life and let our prayer lives take a back seat. The enemy loves that. So, it's important to learn how to keep our prayer lives fresh, how to pray in different ways, and how to keep the lines of communication open with God.

Some books about prayer to kick off this topic include Fervent by Priscilla Shirer. Fervent is one of my favorite books, and even though it is geared towards women, I believe men can also benefit from learning how to pray strategically. A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul E. Miller and Pocket Prayers: 40 Simple Prayers that Bring Peace and Rest by Max Lucado.

9. Dealing with Mental Issues

As people get older, they may deal with more mental health issues. This includes depression, anxiety, and normal mental decline. Learning about how to manage mental health with a biblical view is very important. The mind is complex, and people often go in the wrong direction instead of getting help and finding answers. If possible, you may even want to have a licensed Christian counselor or psychologist on hand to answer general questions.

Some books to help facilitate conversations are Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer, Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life by Craig Groeschel, Holy Care for the Whole Self: Biblical Wisdom for Mental and Spiritual Well-Being by Laura L. Smith, and Grace for the Afflicted: A Clinical and Biblical Perspective on Mental Illness by Matthew S. Stanford.

10. Dying and Going to Heaven

This is an important topic because many people read their Bible, pray, and go to church regularly, but few of us sit and think about dying.

This topic can have many facets, like helping people face their fears and make sense of dying. Helping them find God's purpose in the mourning of a loved one, helping someone who is dying, making life and death decisions, what the Biblical views are on cremation and burial, what Jesus is like, and thoughts about his second coming.

One of the best books to study is the book of Revelation. Some other books to help navigate this topic include Preparing for Heaven: A Guide to Going Home to God by Dr. Steve Swartz, Heaven: A Comprehensive Guide to Everything the Bible Says About Our Eternal Home (Clear Answers to 44 Real Questions About the AfterLife, Angels, Resurrection, and the Kingdom of God) by Randy Alcorn, and 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper.

There are many topics that you can teach in a seniors Bible study. These ten topics are just the tip of the iceberg. If you're still unsure of what to teach, ask the seniors in your church what they are interested in.

Even better, gather with the seniors in your Bible study group three weeks before you start and take a vote on what they want to learn about. To make things easier, you can set up an online poll and have them respond via email or even text. This way, it will be easy for everyone, and the results will be right in front of you. Once you know, this will give you time to plan out lessons and for everyone else to pick up the book you will learn from if you choose a book from this list. Having clarity about what you will be teaching will guarantee an engaging, informative Bible study that answers questions, gives solid advice, and brings people closer to God.