Explorer Bible Study

Explorers Bible Study publishes question-driven Bible study workbooks for preschoolers through adults, organized by Bible book and by age band. Its FAQ says the ministry was founded in 1972 and that churches use its studies for Sunday school classes, women's ministries, and small groups. It is a Bible study publisher, not a full homeschool curriculum.

Last updated: 2026-10-03 · Every Homeschool Editorial Team

At a glance

Method	Bible study workbooks built on daily personal study with focused questions, small-group discussion, application, and commentary notes, per the About page
Worldview	Christian-evangelical; the publisher describes itself as inter-denominational and publishes a statement of faith
Grades	Preschool (ages 2-6), Elementary (6-8), Preteen (9-11), Youth (11-17), and adult studies, per the store
Formats	Study workbooks, with answer keys sold as downloads
Cost tier	Budget
Parent intensity	2
ESA-common	Varies by state program
Accredited	N/A (Bible study publisher)
Established	1972, per the publisher's FAQ; the About page says "Since 1976"
Website	explorersbiblestudy.org

Our scoreboard (1-5)

Criterion	Score	One-line reason
Academic rigor	4	Question-driven study of the biblical text; separate studies by age band
Ease of teaching	4	Workbooks with downloadable answer keys; no seminary training implied
Content quality	4	Studies cover books from Genesis to Revelation
Flexibility	5	Single-book studies; mix and match across ages and books
Value for money	4	Store prices run from $2 to $30 per item
Worldview scope	3	Evangelical and inter-denominational; usable across Protestant traditions
Visual/design	3	Workbook format with age-banded editions
Support resources	3	Online and local group options, answer keys, and phone and email support

Who the publisher is

According to the publisher's FAQ, Explorers Bible Study was founded by Nellie Constance to give people in small communities and rural areas the same quality of in-depth Bible study available in major cities. The FAQ states that the organization is not connected to a specific denomination, that it is led by a Board of Directors with day-to-day management delegated to an Executive Director, and that it publishes a statement of faith.

The About page describes four methods: daily personal study with focused questions, small-group discussion, practical teaching that emphasizes application, and commentary notes to deepen understanding. The publisher does not carry a broader curriculum line. Its catalog is organized by Bible book and age band rather than by school subject.

The core product

The store lists 129 products, filterable by Comprehensive Study, Short Study, age band, Old or New Testament, and answer keys. Examples from the store as of October 2026:

• A Short Study of Ephesians with six lessons, priced at $12.
• A Short Study of 1 Corinthians with 13 lessons, priced at $26.
• Acts Book 1, covering Acts 1-15 in 15 lessons, priced at $30.

Age-banded studies include Elementary (ages 6-8) titles such as Beginnings II at $26, Preteen (ages 9-11) "Discovery" titles at $22 to $26, and Youth (ages 11-17) "Quest" titles at $22 to $26. Answer keys are sold separately as download-only items at $2 each.

The publisher also lists ways to study with others: a local group that meets in a church or community space, an online group, or a solo or self-started group, per its home page.

What it does well

Age-banded studies on the same biblical books. Several titles, such as Early History of Israel, In the Beginning (Genesis), and Promises Fulfilled, appear in both the Preteen and Youth lists, so a family with children of different ages can study the same book at different levels.

Low price per item. Store prices run from $2 for an answer key to $30 for a comprehensive study.

Inter-denominational positioning. The publisher's FAQ describes its groups as including members from various denominational backgrounds, which suits co-ops where families come from different churches.

Limits to weigh

No publisher-set K-12 sequence. The store is organized by book and age band, so a family chooses its own order of study.

Not a full curriculum. The publisher sells Bible study materials only; a family needs other publishers for every other subject.

Tradition fit. The publisher describes itself as inter-denominational. Families who want materials aligned to a specific liturgical or catechetical tradition, such as Catholic, Orthodox, or confessional Lutheran, may prefer a publisher from that tradition.

Who it fits / who it doesn't

• Pick Explorer Bible Study if: you want question-driven Bible study workbooks organized by book and age band; you are part of an evangelical or inter-denominational tradition; you run a Sunday school, small group, or co-op where several age levels study the same book; you want to buy one study at a time at a low price.

• Skip Explorer Bible Study if: you want a publisher-provided K-12 Bible sequence; you want materials aligned to a specific denominational or liturgical tradition; you want a complete homeschool curriculum rather than a Bible study.

Cost honest assessment

As of October 2026, the Explorers Bible Study store lists items from $2 to $30. Answer keys are download-only at $2. Short studies such as Ephesians are $12, 1 Corinthians is $26, comprehensive studies such as Acts Book 1 are $30, and the Preteen and Youth titles listed above are $22 to $26. A family should add up the specific workbook and answer key for each child before ordering.

ESA eligibility notes

Explorer Bible Study is a religious-content publisher, and ESA marketplaces differ on whether they reimburse religious materials. Families should confirm with their state program before ordering. Program pages include ClassWallet, Step Up For Students, and the West Virginia Hope Scholarship.

Alternatives

• Grapevine Studies, a family would choose Grapevine over Explorer Bible Study for lessons built around stick-figure drawing; the publisher says Grapevine is designed for all ages and, per its translation guidance, the studies are designed so the teacher can use either a word-for-word or a thought-for-thought translation, although it recommends a word-for-word translation and does not recommend a paraphrased version as the main reading text.
• Positive Action for Christ, a family would choose Positive Action over Explorer Bible Study for Bible curriculum published for school and church classrooms.
• Precept Ministries, a family would choose Precept over Explorer Bible Study for the Precept Bible Study Method and guides, which the publisher describes as helping students understand Scripture themselves.
• Bible Study Fellowship, a family would choose BSF over Explorer Bible Study for a free, chapter-by-chapter group study for all ages, per the BSF home page.