Tips for Reading and Studying the Bible

Written by Adapted by Christina Crawley

Adapted from  God's Transforming Word: How to Study Your Bible

Many people use the first of the year to begin new projects or restart old ones. They commit themselves to lose weight, spend more time with family and friends, and even learn a new language. Why not use this time to begin a life-long habit of sitting down to read and study your Bible?

God's Transforming Word: How to Study Your Bible – Workbook

Begin by choosing a method of studying that works for you. Because learning styles vary from person to person and lifestyles are different, it’s important that you choose a method of reading, studying, and applying the Bible that fits you. Here are a few suggestions:

Synthetic Bible Study
This method requires that you overview a complete book of the Bible, which means you should read the whole book at one sitting. Start with the shortest books, such as Philippians or Ephesians then move on to larger books, breaking them into smaller sections. Don’t use any Bible helps, such as commentaries or dictionaries. Just learn on your own with the help of the Holy Spirit. Make sure you keep a note pad and pen close by for taking notes.
 
If you choose to study using the synthetic Bible study plan, think about reading the Bible through this year. The strength of accomplishing this task is the many resources and guides available to assist you. Here are two Bibles that can make a difference in the success of this project.

• The Every Day with Jesus Bible is specifically developed with a Bible reading plan.
• The Light Speed Bible provides guidelines for reading and understanding the whole Bible in record speed.

Inductive Bible Study
The most popular Bible study method today is this one. You basically read and interpret Bible passages on your own then compare your understanding with others. Reading the Bible inductively require these three components - observation, interpretation, and application. Here are questions you can use while working through this process.

• Observation: What does this passage say? - Write down what you feel God is saying to you in His Word.
• Interpretation: What does the passage mean? - If you can’t interpret the passage on your own, use cross references to assist you at this point, then compare your observation with the interpretation.
• Application: How does the meaning of this passage apply to me? - Once you know what the passage means, you are responsible to put it practice in your life.

Analytical Bible Study
Begin this method by writing a paraphrase of a passage of Scripture you have just read. Then use observation and questions to analyze the passage further. For example, you might ask, “Who wrote the passage?” “Who are the characters involved?” and so forth. Next, write a summary of what you have just learned based on your paraphrase, observations, and questions. Then make comparisons by finding other passages that teach the same message. You may use a Bible reference tool for this step. Finally, apply the passage to your life.

Background Bible Study
This approach requires that you look into the background and setting of the book you are studying. Who wrote the book? Why was it written? When was it written? What were the conditions during that time? Resources to help you answer these questions are commentaries, maps, Bible dictionaries, lexicons, etc. Check out Bible Navigator or visit LifeWay’s free online Bible Study tools.

You can do it! Make Bible reading and study a part of your plan for this year.

Christina Crawley is a Biblical and Instructional Specialist for LifeWay Church Resources, a division of LifeWay Christian Resources, Nashville. She serves as minister of leadership development at Simeon Baptist Church, Antioch.