The Way of Wisdom - Bible Study for Women with Video Access: A Study of the Book of Proverbs

by Jen Wilkin, Ruth Chou Simons, Kelly Minter

The book of Proverbs describes godly wisdom as a path that leads to life and flourishing. It also warns of the folly of worldly wisdom as a path that leads to the grave. Every day we face the choice between the true riches of God’s instruction or the fool’s gold of earthly pleasures and pursuits. How often do we call to mind the wisdom found in the sayings of Proverbs to shed light on the path before us? How relevant do we even believe these ancient words are to our modern world?     In The Way of Wisdom - Bible Study Book with Video Access, Bible teachers Jen Wilkin, Ruth Chou Simons, Kelly Minter, Adrienne Camp, Elizabeth Woodson, and Courtney Doctor invite you to place your feet firmly on the path of life revealed in the book of Proverbs. As you consider wisdom principles on everyday topics like words, work, friendship, marriage, parenting, neighborliness, money management, leadership influence, and more, you’ll discover the wisdom of Proverbs as an invitation to steadily walk God’s way in God’s world.     7 weeks of personal study segments to complete between 8 group sessions    8 teaching videos, approximately 25-45 minutes per session, available via redemption code printed in Bible study book for individual streaming access   Leader helps to guide questions and discussions within small groups   Written by six different Bible teachers      Discover how the wisdom in Proverbs leads to abundant life, healthy relationships, and a fulfilling walk with God.    Learn how to study wisdom literature in the Bible through a variety of study methods and teaching voices.    Draw closer to God as your understanding of His wisdom grows.  Video Session Introduction | The Beginning of Wisdom (36:28)—Join authors Jen Wilkin, Ruth Chou Simons, Kelly Minter, Adrienne Camp, Elizabeth Woodson, and Courtney Doctor for a conversation about what godly wisdom is, what it looks like to be a wise woman, and what role the book of Proverbs has played in their lives.  Session Two Paths, Two Women (47:17)—Jen Wilkin teaches on Proverbs 1–9, the opening chapters to the book of Proverbs. These chapters build the framework for the book and introduce readers to Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly, two figurative women used to teach the benefit of pursuing wisdom and the peril of rejecting it.   Session Wisdom in Our Words (28:16)—Ruth Chou Simons teaches on walking the way of wisdom in our words. The way of wisdom in our words isn’t a self-help program to get us what we want or to make others like us; it’s an alignment with God’s character, for His glory and our good.  Session Wisdom in Friendship and Neighborliness (36:56)—Kelly Minter teaches on walking the way of wisdom in our relationships with friends and neighbors. She draws connections between the principles in the book of Proverbs and the New Testament commands to extend to others compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Session Wisdom at Home (35:30)—Adrienne Camp hosts a conversation with Courtney Doctor, Ruth Chou Simons, and Jen Wilkin on walking the way of wisdom at home. Conversation topics include how to be wise in parenting, marriage, caring for aging parents, and what it means to be spiritual mothers to other women in the body of Christ.  Session Wisdom in Work, Wealth, and Leadership (31:42)—Elizabeth Woodson examines what Proverbs has to say about stewarding the resources God has given us—things like our money, time, job, talents, and relationships. God has entrusted us with these resources, and we are called to use them wisely.  Session Training a Wise Heart (39:20)—Courtney Doctor teaches that true wisdom is not something we can merely dig deep, train hard, and go get. Instead, true wisdom will grow as we love and follow Jesus, the One in whom all wisdom is found.  Session A Portrait of Wisdom (42:41)—In this final teaching, Jen Wilkin walks verse-by-verse through Proverbs 31, examining how this final chapter captures the main idea of the book of Proverbs as a whole.  

Genres: Christian, Faith, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Christianity

224 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2025

About the author

Jen Wilkin is a speaker, writer, and teacher of women’s Bible studies. During her thirteen years of teaching, she has organized and led studies for women in home, church, and parachurch contexts. Jen and her family are members of the Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas. She is the author of Women of the Word.

Reviews

[Cassie]

I’ve been slowly working through this study first semester and just finished. I have enjoyed all Jen Wilkin studies I have done, but this was not my favorite with different weeks being lead by different women in the book. Still good and much to be learned, but I will stick with studies written only by Jen in the future.

[Jessica the Unfortunately Invested]

Was this a Proverbs study or just a study of general NT passages with some Proverbs sprinkled in? The Jen Wilkin bits were good, but otherwise, it was rough for what it was.

Tough to study Proverbs in this sort of format, but I think some of the editorial choices were weak. 3/5

[Sarah Barnett]

This book is mostly worksheets so consider yourself warned but it is very good

[Ellie Dix]

Such a great study! I liked some authors/weeks better than others but I feel like I’m walking away with such deeper knowledge of Proverbs.

[Angela Howard]

The women at our church used this guide for our study of Proverbs this fall. I highly recommend the opening lesson and the closing lesson presented by Jen Wilkin. However, the lessons in the middle (lessons 3-7) are of varying benefit. They are more topical in nature and less a direct study of Proverbs. Some of the teachings do not follow the homework at all. Lesson 5 was problematic, as it taught that if you do everything right, you will be blessed with an amazing marriage and children who follow the Lord. This is not only not biblical, it is often not borne out in real life. I would expect better editing from such a large endeavor and normally fantastic teachers.

[Melissa]

Just okay. I did this with a group, which yielded a lot of good conversation. if I did this alone, I think I would've been bored to tears. there were so many charts to fill out that just felt like busy work, not actually helping you understand anything deeper. the video content was great but often felt totally different than the session it was attached to. Each section is written by a different author, so it felt a bit disjointed at times.

[Ali Feldott]

I loved doing this study this summer! It was so challenging and convicting on so many levels- spiritual, relational, practical, etc. It was definitely worth it, and one that I will probably reference for a long time. The most impactful thing was probably their working definition of wisdom- “taking the information that you have and making the best decision according to what you know and trusting God with the outcome” it’s so easy to get caught up in what ifs in making hard decisions but when we trust the Lord with the outcome we can rest assured that we made the best decision we could. And if it doesn’t go well, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t wise. God is completely sovereign over the outcome and the information we have of any situation while we’re working through it. The last week studying Proverbs 31 made me feel so encouraged and grateful for my role as a woman, and all that God has entrusted me with in and outside of my home. Couldn’t recommend this study enough!

[Danielle Boedeker]

I feel like I can’t give this any lower than 4 stars because it is a study of scripture which is 5000/5 every time lol

However, as much as I liked the study and teachings, I am really accustomed to and prefer verse by verse studies of scripture, and this was not that. Obviously makes sense for a book like Proverbs, but I feel like I didn’t spend as much time in it as I would have hoped. Lots of bouncing around from proverb to OT to NT which was awesome (I love seeing threads throughout the entirety of scripture), but just mentally hard for me to do.

[Erin]

Loved this great study that went through 8 weeks of themes that are found in Proverbs. My highlights were Jen Wilkins weeks she taught through Proverbs 1-9 and Proverbs 31. This study ignited a joy of learning and growing in what the way of wisdom is and pointed over and over on every page of WHO wisdom is (Jesus). I can’t wait to read Proverbs again and see how this study has broadened my understanding of all the nuggets of treasure that is found in this book of the Bible.
It can be hard having different authors and styles from week to week, the homework was a lot but both of these things were also what made this study so special!

Thankful for the group of women I got to meet with to discuss this book for the past 8 weeks!

[Rachael Sholar]

Not every part of this study was great, but overall the study does leave you with so much more context of how Proverbs fits into the rest of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Session 8 knocks it out of the park, as Jen usually does.

[Beth Wyant]

Phenomenal study. I enjoyed every session. Jen Wilkin will always be my favorite of the authors but the joint effort was lovely. My life has been greatly enriched this deep dive into biblical wisdom.

[Imani]

I learned a lot from this study and the discussion but due to the nature of Proverbs itself this workbook felt repetitive and a lot like homework. There was also a lot more explaining than usual for some of these ladies but again it's Proverbs. I like an inductive study which this is not.

[Amanda Pierson]

I enjoyed this Bible study very much. With a different author each week, I am able to see which book work and teaching time I get most out of and direct my next bible study towards those teachers.

[Holly Stanton]

I will never read Proverbs the same way again... and that's a good thing!!!

[Kay]

I've done a lot of Bible studies, but never one on Proverbs that was made for women. To say I jumped gleefully in anticipation when our women's ministry leader said we'd be reading this, well, is an understatement. I want the hard books: Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Leviticus, and Revelation. The hard studies to root God's beautiful truth deep within my heart.

I'm in awe of Jen Wilkin, Ruth Cho Simmon, Kelly Minter, Adrienne Camp, Elizabeth Woodson, and Courtney Doctor. The unity of the women to write this study together is evidence of the Holy Spirit's guidance within the pages of this study. Each chapter is unique in its own way of teaching, but each chapter brings forth perspectives and interpretations that are so profound.

As a woman who deeply desires to be used by the Lord to help women dive into the Word and enrich their hearts with His love and overwhelming Truth, I learned so much more from this study than just from the Proverbs. I learned how women can impact each other, help one another, and encourage one another.

This study is perfect for personal reflection or group study. I highly recommend it!

[Veronica Vincent]

I personally just feel like this wasn’t a study of the book of proverbs. Of course it covered a lot of the proverb content, but it felt super all over the places and unorganized. The amount of “homework” to do each day is overwhelming and hard to keep up with. The video lessons were definitely helpful though! If you are set on doing this study, I suggest you do it at your own pace and not try to cram it all into their suggested amount of weeks, cause it’s just a lot! I felt like I gave a valiant effort and finished the study feeling like “what did I even learn about Proverbs?” Biggest takeaway was that the Proverbs aren’t promises, but instead principles to live by. I’m wondering if it just didn’t feel like a cohesive study overall cause of so many different minds. Overall was a tad bummed at this study as a whole.

[Emily]

I completed this study at a women's Bible study church group. I was so disappointed. The videos were sometimes completely off topic (especially Kelly Minter's session - and I usually love her studies!) and I'm really tired of Jen Wilkin making everything in the Bible into a symbol or metaphor. She believes the whole book of Proverbs is about Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly, not primarily a collection of teachings to follow. She believes Proverbs 31 is really a final personification of Lady Wisdom, not an example of a wise and excellent wife. The whole study felt disjointed with a different teacher each week. The price is really high, especially for an 8-week study. I don't have much positive to say about the entire study other than the fact that it got me into the book of Proverbs for 8 weeks.

[Jennifer]

Through this manual for how to be a gospel girl in a Gossip Girl culture, The Way of Wisdom invites teachers Jen Wilkin, Ruth Chou Simons, Kelly Minter, Adrienne Camp, Elizabeth Woodson, and Courtney Doctor provide a carousel of counsel among this amusement park we call life. But instead of a mouthful of feel-good flattery, they provide the affirmation of a soul satisfied with a banquet of blessings at the family table where love is the most important entree on the menu!

The Word of God is the way of wisdom, and humility is the highway to wisdom. The highway is paved through laying down your life in tender surrender before the Lord and “living God’s way in God’s world…Our actions will always follow the trajectory of our heart’s worship.” Idolatry is the root of deception and perverse speech; soul satisfaction in the Savior alone is the soil of solution in which truth thrives!

Learning is taught; lifestyle is caught. Learning is instructed; lifestyle is infectious. The way wisdom shows up in our lives is when we let it challenge our choices, cultivate our character, and carry it forward to the next generation. Discipline isn’t about behavior modification born out of frustration and ending in punishment. Discipline is about heart transformation born out of reconciliation and ending in sanctification.

Where is the trailhead to the way of wisdom? Wisdom is found as “you pursue it, search for it, call out for it, seek it. You incline your ear to listen, humble your heart to receive, and treasure God's commands in your heart. You surround yourself with gospel friends and draw near to Jesus. Then you simply ask God for it.” The Way of Wisdom is a treasure hunt, and I can’t wait to travel it through a study of the book of Proverbs!

[Kirstie]

It wasn't what I expected from a study of Proverbs but I did enjoy and benefit from the study. Instead of going through the book chapter by chapter and verse by verse, you take a look at a different topic covered in Proverbs each week and then look at various references, both in Proverbs and in the gospels and epistles, that speak to that topic. I loved the continual reminder that the ultimate example of a life of wisdom is Jesus during His earthly ministry. The video teachings were all great as well. The last week Jen Wilkin led us on a deep dive into Proverbs 31 and I have to say she makes a compelling case for an understanding of the Proverbs 31 woman as being Wisdom herself as opposed to "the ideal wife". I don't think I'll ever see Proverbs 31 the same way again! Overall, this was a great study and I walked away with a lot of great, practical advice about walking the way of wisdom, and living a life fully dependent on my Savior.

[Elizabeth Mayberry]

My Women’s Bible Study also wrapped up this month and we read The Way of Wisdom. It was a group effort Bible study with 6 teachers teaching separate sections. Because of this, I felt it to be disjointed at times and drastically varying in depth and understanding depending on the teacher. The best sections were taught by Jen Wilkin because she digs deep into the text and historical context (I love her studies.) I was also pleasantly surprised by Courtney Doctor’s week and would be interested in doing more from her in the future. The other teachers however felt more surface level and topical. The study itself was a lot of busy work without the need to think deeply, which was a bummer. Overall, still a good, Biblical study on the book of Proverbs and I did learn new things despite being pretty familiar with the book (the Word of God is living and active after all!)

[Jessa Kindel]

Completed the book for my last women’s group session! Overall a great study and really gave me a new perspective on proverbs and wisdom as a whole. Only loses a star because the homework was pretty extensive and hard to finish on the one week timeline so I didn’t get to dive into some sections as much as I would have liked. Further reinforced my love for Ruth Chou Simmons as an author and discovered Elizabeth Woodson. I also do feel like the homeowner jumped alll over the place scripture wise so I spent half of my time just flipping through my Bible trying to find the 65 verses referenced in each homework

[Krissi]

I really enjoyed *The Way of Wisdom: Proverbs* by Jen Wilkin. This is a great study to do with friends, church groups, Sunday School classes, or even on your own. It is much more than simply reading through Proverbs. Each lesson includes many thoughtful questions and additional scriptures that really encourage deeper study and reflection.

This study does take time and commitment to work through, and there is a lot involved in each day’s lesson. At times it felt like a lot of work, but it was absolutely worth it. I learned so much and appreciated how deeply it explored God’s Word.

[Cassie Hall]

One of the best studies I’ve done! There is so much packed into this study and the videos are a great reinforcement of the teachings. I loved the variety of speakers and teaching styles. This is one I will come back to again just because there’s no way to absorb it all one time through, and I know I will need reminders. It gave me a new outlook to approach Proverbs and held up a mirror to my life & character which was uncomfortable but much needed. Highly recommend!

[Rebecca Trump]

The Way of Wisdom Bible Study is written especially for women. My small group just finished this study of Proverbs and it was so helpful and inspiring. If people would follow God’s wisdom given in these Proverbs, life would be so much better. We would still have trials in this life, but His wisdom and knowledge gained from this text would help us live as we should in Him. I highly recommend this study.

[Ashley Callahan]

A truly wonderful study that brings depth and context to the book of Proverbs. The teachers’ strengths really shine as they unpack the book’s literary techniques, historical background, original audience, and its place within the larger story of Scripture. It completely changed the way I see Proverbs 31—and the entire book. Proverbs is for everyone, men and women alike. Most importantly, this study beautifully shows that the way of wisdom is ultimately the way of Jesus.

[Ruth Castle]

I enjoyed hearing from this group of gifted teachers and examining the many pictures of wisdom we find in the book of Proverbs and considering how wisdom plays out in our relationships, work, resources, and more. Most importantly, we are reminded that the source, the way, and the goal of all wisdom is Jesus himself.

[Barb S]

Actually 4.5 stars. The charts in the homework were time consuming and sometimes mind stretching… groaned when they came up (but I have to admit they did drive the point home!). The included videos were awesome. My Bible Study group all agreed this was one of the best studies we’ve done. This one will definitely stick with me!

[Anna Grace Paulovkin]

Incredible in-depth 8 week study on the book of Proverbs. I loved that each week had teaching from a different woman while simultaneously all connecting with the same themes of lady wisdom and lady folly. Highly recommend doing this study with other women in a Bible study format! Lots of great discussion.

[Grace]

I enjoyed my group Bible study with this book. We had good discussion and I thought the teaching videos were very well done. The workbook/text itself was just okay. A little light on theology for my preference with some questions that didn’t seem beneficial. But the accompanying teaching videos were more in depth and thought provoking!

[Jennie Dirks]

Another great Bible study by Lifeway. I like that this study has a different teacher every week, just gives a fun change of perspective. Any study written by Jen Wilkin has quite a bit of homework but it's expertly created with discussion questions built into the homework. Makes it easy to lead a discussion. Highly recommend!