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5

Taming the Tongue

James 3: 1-12

  • Session: 5
  • Week: 1
  • Day: 5
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Introduction

In this session, James 3:1-12, we examine the power of the tongue to control lives by comparing it to natural analogies of a ship in a stormy sea and fire in a forest. We will appreciate the need to speak with care, noting the impact of our words as we represent God.

Objectives

By the end of this session, the learner will have:

  • Appreciated the need to speak with care by noting the impact of your talking to represent God.
  • Discussed the power of the tongue to control by comparing it with natural analogies given. (Ship in the storm, Sea, fire in a forest, etc)
  • Understood that the power of the tongue to destroy comes from the fire from hell, and the power of the tongue to build comes from above wisdom -Holy Spirit tongues of fire.
  • Appreciated that taming the tongue puts out the fire from hell.

Outline

  • The power of the tongue
  • Taming the tongue
  • Speaking with care

Group Study Time

James 3: 1-12

Connecting

  • Gather with two or more people for a community discovery bible study session.
  • Start with a heartfelt prayer, inviting God to guide and bless your understanding.
  • Explore the passage by reading it at least twice, using different Bible versions if available, then retell the story together as a group.
  • Reflect and share the challenges and blessings you experienced from the previous study.

Comprehending

  • What is representing God through teaching? What is speaking for God? Who is an authorized dealer in speaking for God? Who were the false teachers
  • Why shouldn’t many of us be teachers? Read James 3: 1
  • Read James 3: 2-4. What is revealed about the power of the tongue from the examples given?
  • Read James 3: 5-12. List of five things you discover about the tongue. (Its power to destroy, its source of destructive power, its ability to speak double words, the possibility of taming the tongue)

Committing

  • Engage with the Bible—read, study, memorize, meditate, pray, listen, and live it out.
  • List three lessons you have learnt as an agent of change that you would like to put into practice and teach others about.
  • Take time and worship Jesus with the attributes revealed about Christ.
  • Use the SPACEPETS model, to assist you in putting God’s word into practice. Look for:
    • Sin to confess
    • Promise to claim
    • Attitude to change
    • Command to keep
    • Error to change
    • Prayer to make
    • Example to copy
    • Truth to obey and
    • Something praiseworthy

Communicating

  • Identify one person you can connect with and share the valuable insights and lessons you gained from this session.
  • Reach out to a new believer—either in person or by phone—and pray with them to support them through their challenges, including any concerns about attending church.
  • Create a new group and guide others through this study to help them grow in their understanding.

Post Lesson Teaching Summary

Great job completing the study! Take a moment to listen to this summary to reinforce your group’s understanding of the text and ensure you’re all on the same page. We’re here to support your learning journey!

Taming the Tongue

James 3: 1-12

James 3:1-12

Context

  • The book of James provides practical guidance for minority believers living among majority unbelievers, helping them remain godly examples without conforming, such as not stealing, lying, or cheating like others.
  • Chapter 3 addresses controlling the tongue to positively influence the surrounding community and avoid double standards in speech.

Taming the Tongue (James 3:1-12)

  • Warning Against Becoming Teachers: Not many should become teachers, as they will be judged more strictly; all stumble in many ways, especially in speech, but perfect control of the tongue means control of the whole body.
  • Power of the Small Tongue: Though small, the tongue directs like a bit in a horse’s mouth or a rudder on a large ship steered by a small helm in strong winds; it boasts great things but can set a great forest fire with a small spark.
  • Destructive Nature of the Tongue: The tongue is a fire, a world of evil among body parts, corrupting the whole person, setting life’s course on fire, sourced from hell.
  • Inability to Tame the Tongue: All animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures can be tamed by humans, but no human can tame the tongue—it is restless evil, full of deadly poison; only God can control it.
  • Inconsistencies in Speech: The tongue praises God the Father but curses people made in God’s likeness—praise and cursing from the same mouth should not be; like a spring not producing both fresh and salt water, a fig tree not bearing olives, a grapevine not figs, or a salt spring not fresh water.
  • Purpose: Control the tongue to bless rather than curse, maintaining godly influence without conforming to worldly standards.

Application

  • Seek God’s help to tame the tongue, using it consistently for praise and blessing rather than evil or cursing, to remain a positive example among unbelievers.
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How to use these studies

These lessons are designed as short, 25-minute studies based on Bible truths, and meant for self-learning or small group study. The study sets systematically cover different books of the Bible. 

Each lesson follows a simple structure:

  • Introduction (Including the outline and objectives)
  • Step 1: Connecting
  • Step 2: Comprehending
  • Step 3: Committing
  • Step 4: Communicating

These sections include questions to help you reflect on the bible passage and how it applies to your life. 

Use these lessons to disciple others by journeying together over time and allowing God’s word to penetrate your heart and bring transforming change to your life. As a leader, pray for wisdom in leading and for modelling the truths in your own life.

Sharing offline

  • Mobile Friendly PDF
  • Print Friendly PDF
  • Full Study PDF

Each lesson has three buttons allowing you to download a easily saveable and shareable PDF version of the study. You can choose either a Mobile-friendly PDF version, and Print-friendly PDF version, or a print version of the Full Study PDF (for example all the lessons in the current book of the Bible).

These are free and can be easily copied and shared from one person to another!

Gathering a Small Group

Start small to build a safe space for sharing and growth.

  • Pray first: Ask God to show you 3-6 people who need encouragement in faith, like family, neighbors, or fellow believers facing hardship.
  • Invite personally: Meet one-on-one, explain how the lessons are designed to help people grow in their faith and knowledge of God and his Word.
  • Keep it simple: Meet in a home or quiet spot; no need for fancy setup – just willing hearts.
  • Aim for consistency: Suggest weekly meetings, but be flexible for busy lives or safety concerns in persecuted areas.

Trust helps everyone open up, reflect, and apply truths without fear.

  • Start with sharing: In the first meeting, share simple stories of your own faith struggles to show vulnerability.
  • Set ground rules: Agree to listen without judging, keep stories private, and focus on encouraging each other.
  • Build bonds: Begin each session with a short prayer or song inviting God to be present with you.
  • Be patient: Trust grows over time – encourage quiet members gently, and celebrate small steps of honesty.

Good preparation makes the lesson flow and helps discipleship.

  • Read ahead: Study the lesson before; pray over the Bible passage and think how it fits your group’s challenges.
  • Adapt for the group: Use simple words; if literacy is low, read aloud slowly and explain questions or stories.
  • Gather basics: Have a Bible (in your language) and paper for notes.
  • Reflect personally: Ask yourself the study questions first – lead from your own growth and experience.
  • Pray: Pray for your group members.

Guide the group through the lesson structure to encourage discovery and commitment.

  • Step 1 – Connecting: Start the group meeting by praying together. Thank God for his Word and ask for open hearts to receive it. Read the Bible passage together (Read it aloud twice; ask someone to repeat in their words.)
  • Step 2: Comprehending: Use the provided questions to help you grapple with the truth of the Bible passage.
  • Step 3 – Committing: Consider how the passage might apply to your lives and what simple steps of obedience you can commit to. The goal of these studies if life-change! Not just knowledge!
  • Step 4 – Communicating:  Think of who you can share the truths you have learned with.
  • Close with Prayer: Let group members pray short prayers of thanks or commitment. Pray for one another.

For many of the lessons, there is a short summary teaching voice-note at the end of the lesson (together with a text summary). This is designed to be a recap and reminder of the key lessons you should have learned through the lesson. 

As a leader, you might like to use these summary teaching resources to help you in preparation for leading your group, though ideally not before you have spent time prayerfully reflecting on the passage.

This is an ongoing discipleship journey aiming to transform lives and help people to live victorious Christian lives. Focus on growth, not just finishing lessons.

  • Meet regularly: Join together at least once a week. Review past actions at each start to build accountability.
  • Encourage reflection: Between meetings, urge personal time with the lesson – read, pray, and try complete commitments made.
  • Support one another: If your group members are facing challenges, use lessons to pray together and share burdens; become “agents of change” by helping others in your community.
  • Multiply groups: As trust grows, encourage members to start their own small groups with family or friends.
  • Keep it short: Stick to 15 – 25 minutes per lesson to fit busy, challenging lives.
  • Handle challenges: If fear or hardship arise, encourage members by always pointing back to God’s love. 
  • Stay safe: In persecuted areas, meet discreetly; focus on heart change over big displays.
  • Celebrate progress: Note how people have grown in faith; allow time for sharing testimonies of what God has done. Take note of what you pray for, and give thanks when God answers prayer.

Final encouragement

Leading these lessons is serving like Jesus – humble, loving, and truthful. As you journey together, God will build growing faith into each person’s life. Pray often, and watch lives transform!

If you would like to share stories of faith from your own communities, please get in touch with us!