The Names of God - Bible Study for Women with Video Access

From the opening chapters of Genesis through the final verses of Revelation, God is known by many names―names that reveal who He is, what He does, and how He relates to His children. He is El-Roi, “the God who sees me.” He is Jesus, “the Lord is salvation.” He is the Spirit, your Comforter and Counselor. And you? You have a name, too. You are His beloved child, a Christian, one who bears His name.

In this 8-session Bible study for women, teachers Kristi McLelland, Caroline Saunders, Blair Linne, Jennifer Rothschild, Kelly Minter, and Elizabeth Woodson will walk you through the pages of Scripture. Together, you’ll examine names for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and you’ll discover the impact each of God’s names has on your relationship with Him. Each name you encounter will inspire you to worship God for who He is and challenge you to consider how your life can be transformed in light of His character.

Features: 

8 teaching videos, approximately 31-45 minutes each, available via redemption code printed in the Bible study book 
7 weeks of personal study segments to complete between 8 group sessions
Videos include a panel conversation with the teaching team, spoken word from Blair Linne, and 7 teaching sessions filmed in front of a live audience
Leader helps to guide questions and discussions within small groups
Written by six different Bible teachers

Benefits: 

Deepen your knowledge of God and your relationship with Him through a study of His names.
Grow in your understanding of the Trinity―the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Be inspired to live into God’s calling for your life as you better understand His relationship with His children.

Kristi McLelland is a speaker, teacher, and college professor. Since completing her Master of Arts in Christian Education at Dallas Theological Seminary, she has dedicated her life to discipleship, to teaching people how to study the Bible for themselves, and to writing about how God is better than we ever knew by explaining the Bible through a Middle Eastern lens. Her previous Bible studies include Luke in the Land, The Gospel on the Ground, and Jesus and Women.

The Names of God is a Bible study that invites readers to know God more deeply by exploring the many names Scripture uses for Him. Although the study is associated with Kristi McLelland, it is a collaborative work featuring teachings from McLelland along with Caroline Saunders, Blair Linne, Jennifer Rothschild, Kelly Minter, and Elizabeth Woodson. The central idea is simple but profound: the names of God are not merely different titles or words used to describe Him. Each name reveals something about His character, His actions, His relationship with His people, and the kind of life He calls His followers to live. Moving from Genesis through Revelation, the study encourages readers to look beyond familiar ideas about God and encounter Him through the many ways He has revealed Himself in Scripture.

The book begins by establishing why names matter so much in the biblical world. Today, a person's name may simply be a label used to identify them, but in Scripture, names often communicate identity, character, reputation, purpose, or relationship. When the Bible gives God a particular name, it is revealing something important about who He is. One example is El-Roi, meaning “the God who sees me.” This name reminds believers that God is not distant or unaware of their struggles. He sees people personally and completely. In the same way, the name Jesus points to the Lord as salvation, while the Holy Spirit is presented as Comforter and Counselor. The study therefore turns the names of God into invitations to know Him personally rather than merely learning theological definitions.

Kristi McLelland lays the foundation for the study by looking at the larger story of Scripture and helping readers understand the historical and cultural background of the biblical world. Her approach emphasizes that the Bible is one connected story rather than a collection of unrelated events. Understanding the world in which biblical people lived can make God's names more meaningful because those names were revealed in particular circumstances. God reveals Himself as people face uncertainty, suffering, danger, loneliness, conflict, and change. His names often become especially meaningful when His people need to understand who He is in the middle of their circumstances. This makes the study practical as well as theological.

The journey through Genesis introduces names such as Elohim and Yahweh. Elohim points toward God's greatness, creative power, and authority, particularly in the opening account of creation. Yahweh, meanwhile, communicates God's personal and covenantal relationship with His people. Together, these names present a God who is both overwhelmingly powerful and intimately near. The study encourages readers to hold these two truths together. God is not simply a distant Creator with unlimited power, nor is He merely a comforting presence. He is the sovereign God who chooses to draw near to His people and remain faithful to them.

The study then turns to the name Father and explores what it means for believers to understand God through this relationship. Calling God Father communicates belonging, care, protection, and family. For someone who has experienced rejection, loneliness, or an imperfect family relationship, this idea can be especially powerful. The study encourages readers to see themselves as people who belong to God's family rather than people who must constantly earn His acceptance. Knowing God as Father can change the way a person approaches prayer, fear, failure, and everyday decisions. It also creates a sense of identity: believers are not simply individuals trying to find their way through life but people who have been invited into God's family.

Another major theme is God's name as the Lord of Hosts. Drawing particularly from Psalm 46, the study presents God as the One whose presence and strength remain dependable when circumstances become frightening or unstable. Life can bring storms that people cannot control, and faith does not mean pretending those storms do not exist. Instead, the study encourages readers to recognize that God's presence is greater than the circumstances surrounding them. The name Lord of Hosts points toward His authority and strength, while Psalm 46 emphasizes the security found in knowing that He is present. The message is not that believers will never experience trouble, but that they do not have to face trouble alone.

The study then moves into the New Testament and focuses on Jesus as Lord. Jesus is not presented merely as a teacher, historical figure, or source of moral wisdom. His identity and authority are central to Christian faith. Calling Jesus Lord means recognizing His authority and responding to Him with trust and obedience. The study connects this understanding with hope, healing, and transformation. Knowing who Jesus is should influence not only what believers believe but also how they live, make choices, treat others, and understand their own lives. Faith becomes something active rather than something kept separate from everyday behavior.

The Holy Spirit receives similar attention. The Spirit is described as God's presence within believers, giving life, guiding people into truth, comforting them, and empowering them to live courageously for Christ. This part of the study helps readers understand the Trinity more clearly by considering the distinct work of the Father, Son, and Spirit while maintaining the unity of God. Rather than viewing the Holy Spirit as an abstract theological concept, the study encourages believers to recognize His presence and guidance in their daily lives. The Spirit gives believers strength to live out their faith instead of relying solely on their own ability.

One of the most important ideas running throughout the book is that knowing God's names should eventually change the way a person lives. The study does not want readers to collect biblical information without allowing it to affect their hearts and actions. Each name reveals a characteristic of God, and understanding that characteristic should inspire a response. If God is faithful, believers are encouraged to become people of faithfulness. If God is compassionate, they are challenged to show compassion. If God sees people who feel invisible, His followers should learn to notice and care for those who are overlooked. In this sense, the study moves from theology to discipleship.

The final session, “Living the Name,” brings the entire study together. McLelland challenges readers to move beyond simply knowing the names of God and to represent His character in the world. Because Christians bear God's name, their actions affect how others perceive the God they claim to follow. The goal, therefore, is not only deeper knowledge but a transformed life marked by generosity, hope, faithfulness, courage, and love.

Ultimately, The Names of God is a study about relationship and identity. It teaches that every name of God offers another window into His character and another reason to trust Him. By exploring the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit across the story of Scripture, the book encourages readers to replace vague ideas about God with a richer and more personal understanding of who He is. Its final message is that knowing God's name should lead to knowing His heart, trusting His presence, and reflecting His character. The more deeply believers understand who God is, the more clearly they can understand who they are called to be—and the more faithfully they can carry His name into a world that needs hope, compassion, truth, and love.