Attempting to study the Bible demands more than gathering books and stacking them around yourself. Even with your computer open and a notepad ready, something is lacking. Without a study plan, your mind quickly falls prey to distractions. Let’s explore a healthy way to attempt Bible study.
Attempting to Understand Starts with Prayer
Before you open your Bible, open your heart. Invite God to turn your attention to what he wants you to discover. He inspired those who wrote the Bible. Now, he can inspire you. If you have specific concerns you wish to address with God, speak to him about them. Then write them on your notepad or type them into your computer. From time to time, return to them as a reminder of what was on your mind when you began your study.
Consider the Time Factor
A combination of the time you want to invest and the depth you want to go in your study will determine your process. Do you want to skip across the surface of the Bible? Or are you willing to dig to explore the depth of meaning? Reading through the Bible helps with continuity but lacks depth. Comprehension invites concentrated study, which takes focused time. Look at your month’s calendar. Every day may not allow you the same amount of Bible study time. Which days allow you more or less focused time? Plan your approach to Bible study to work with your time. I want to spend time each day in the Bible. However, there are some days I enjoy additional focused time.
Attempting to Find the Best Method
Many approaches to a spiritual feeding time exist. If you want to explore several ways to study the Bible, Rick Warren’s Bible Study Methods presents easy-to-understand plans. He gives simple step-by-step instructions to help you practice the following methods: • Devotional • Chapter Summary • Character Quality • Thematic • Biographical • Topical • Word Study • Book Background • Book Survey • Chapter Analysis • Book Synthesis and Verse Analysis. The only things he doesn’t provide are time and the super glue to keep you sitting in the study chair to follow his directions.
Some people work with far less detailed guides. If you are thinking of working with a brief passage, consider the short form I call “The A5 Approach to Bible Study.” This method is one of the most straightforward approaches to Bible passages.
- Ask God to Speak.
- Pray for God to give you the insight you need in this passage.
- Approach the Biblical Text.
- Read the text you will study.
- Read the text in a translation, paraphrase, and an interlinear Bible.
- How does the text relate to what is before and after it? What is the connection to other passages addressing similar topics?
- To absorb the text, meditate on it, memorize it, or rewrite it in your own words.
- Ask Questions.
- Who is involved?
- What is happening?
- Where is this taking place?
- When is this taking place?
- How do people respond?
- Address What You Discover.
- Consult your resources.
- Write down your discoveries.
- Apply What You Learn.
- What attitudes do you need to change?
- Is there something you need to start or stop doing?
- What do you need to believe or stop believing?
- What ministry does this text encourage?
Additional Methods
Similar patterns appear elsewhere. Some Bible students have created study plans using acrostics to assist them in investigating the passage. Some of those appear in the following links:
You will note each of these methods shares similarities. All of them take you deeper into the Bible than a cursory reading of the text. One pattern for engaging in Bible study may appeal to you. I encourage you to develop your own, especially if your heart language is not English. Remember, spiritual feeding includes several elements used in more complex research.
Get to Work
We can have useful resources available and a sound plan. Unfortunately, without reading what we have and attempting to understand what we are studying, we will fall short of meaningful Bible study. Remember to choose a good time and a place that lends itself to Bible study. Then get to work.
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Attempting to Understand the Meaning ~ Part 2
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Posted: August 21, 2020 by Harry Lucenay
Attempting to study the Bible demands more than gathering books and stacking them around yourself. Even with your computer open and a notepad ready, something is lacking. Without a study plan, your mind quickly falls prey to distractions. Let’s explore a healthy way to attempt Bible study.
Attempting to Understand Starts with Prayer
Before you open your Bible, open your heart. Invite God to turn your attention to what he wants you to discover. He inspired those who wrote the Bible. Now, he can inspire you. If you have specific concerns you wish to address with God, speak to him about them. Then write them on your notepad or type them into your computer. From time to time, return to them as a reminder of what was on your mind when you began your study.
Consider the Time Factor
A combination of the time you want to invest and the depth you want to go in your study will determine your process. Do you want to skip across the surface of the Bible? Or are you willing to dig to explore the depth of meaning? Reading through the Bible helps with continuity but lacks depth. Comprehension invites concentrated study, which takes focused time. Look at your month’s calendar. Every day may not allow you the same amount of Bible study time. Which days allow you more or less focused time? Plan your approach to Bible study to work with your time. I want to spend time each day in the Bible. However, there are some days I enjoy additional focused time.
Attempting to Find the Best Method
Many approaches to a spiritual feeding time exist. If you want to explore several ways to study the Bible, Rick Warren’s Bible Study Methods presents easy-to-understand plans. He gives simple step-by-step instructions to help you practice the following methods: • Devotional • Chapter Summary • Character Quality • Thematic • Biographical • Topical • Word Study • Book Background • Book Survey • Chapter Analysis • Book Synthesis and Verse Analysis. The only things he doesn’t provide are time and the super glue to keep you sitting in the study chair to follow his directions.
Some people work with far less detailed guides. If you are thinking of working with a brief passage, consider the short form I call “The A5 Approach to Bible Study.” This method is one of the most straightforward approaches to Bible passages.
Additional Methods
Similar patterns appear elsewhere. Some Bible students have created study plans using acrostics to assist them in investigating the passage. Some of those appear in the following links:
You will note each of these methods shares similarities. All of them take you deeper into the Bible than a cursory reading of the text. One pattern for engaging in Bible study may appeal to you. I encourage you to develop your own, especially if your heart language is not English. Remember, spiritual feeding includes several elements used in more complex research.
Get to Work
We can have useful resources available and a sound plan. Unfortunately, without reading what we have and attempting to understand what we are studying, we will fall short of meaningful Bible study. Remember to choose a good time and a place that lends itself to Bible study. Then get to work.
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Category: Ministry Helps Tags: application, attempt, Bible study plan, questions for Bible study, resources, spiritual feeding