Student Starts, Leads Bible Study Group at Madison Academy

Paola Mora Zepeda

Eden Levoy leads her Bible study group in prayer. Levoy was inspired to start this Bible study group her junior year of high school as a way for students to connect and freely voice their questions about life.

Xander Ordinola

Students holds her Bible study guidebook, Freedom Looks Good on You. The study focuses on Jesus’ power to deliver people from various worldly chains such as shame and rejection.

Xander Ordinola

Students gather during their lunch break for a Bible study led by Eden Levoy. With the support of her school, Levoy converted an underutilized space into a warm and inviting study room.

Xander Ordinola

Xander Ordinola

For over a year now, Eden Levoy, a junior at Madison, Tenn., Academy, has been leading a weekly Bible study session with her fellow classmates. A project that started from her longing to make connections has grown into a thriving Bible study group, composed of eight girls of various class standings.

Like many freshmen, Levoy felt confused when she first started high school. She was longing to make new connections and wanted to find a safe space to share her questions and worries about life.

“I felt weird [during my freshman year] because I did not really know what I was supposed to be doing,” said Levoy. “I remember wanting to have some of the older girls reach out to me, and to have a place where I could talk without judgment.”

This longing inspired Levoy to start a Bible study group during the fall semester of 2022. Her journey began with guidance from Gail McKenzie, former Kentucky-Tennessee Conference women’s ministries director, but as time progressed, she assumed sole responsibility for the project. With the support of her school, Levoy converted an underutilized space into a warm and inviting study room.

This semester, the Bible study group meets during their Monday lunch breaks. The group is currently studying the book, Freedom Looks Good on You, which guides participants through Jesus’ power to deliver people from various worldly chains such as shame, rejection, and comparison.

“I struggle with perfection,” said Ashley Fulton, a junior at Madison. “So, when we talked about this topic in our Bible study it really helped me grow and trust God more. It was also good to know that there are other girls who are struggling, too. We are able to support each other, and now I know I am not alone in dealing with these issues.”

Levoy says that when God puts a mission in your heart, He will see it through.

“If God is telling you to act then don’t hesitate — just go for it,” said Levoy. “This Bible study has helped me grow so much, and I hope it has also helped others get to know Jesus better. Once I graduate, I pray others will keep the Bible study going so that all students will have a place to share their struggles and experiences as teenagers.”

Kentucky-Tennessee | January 2024