Personal Bible Study Methods By Rev. Rick Warren Sat, Mar. 04, 2006, NVCCC Introduction – How to Study the Bible I. PRINCIPLES OF DYNAMIC BIBLE STUDY 1. The secret of dynamic Bible study is knowing how to ask the right kinds of questions.
The main difference in the 12 methods is the type of questions asked. Asking questions is a skill that you can develop. One benefit of studying the Bible is that you will begin to develop a more inquisitive mind.
2. Dynamic Bible study involves writing down what you have observed and discovered.
You cannot study the Bible without writing something down. “One of the most profitable things you can do in your spiritual life is to start some kind of spiritual notebook in which you write down thoughts and insights God has given you.” (14)
3. The ultimate goal of dynamic Bible study is application, not just interpretation. The Bible was given to change our character, and to bring them more in conformity with Jesus Christ. Some of the questions you ought to be asking yourself in your Bible study are: (1) What attitude do I need to change as a result of this study? (2) What do I need to start doing or stop doing? (3) What things do I need to believe or stop believing? (4) What relationships do I need to work on? (5) What ministry should I be having with others? Our goal is to know Jesus Christ and to change in our attitudes, thoughts, speech, actions and values so that we become more like Him.
4. Dynamic Bible study means that God’s Word must be studied systematically. This means that we study the whole Bible, Old and New Testaments. There are five basic steps: (1) Observing – seeing the basic facts contained in the text under study. (2) Asking questions – discovering additional facts by more intense observation. (3) Interpreting – analyzing what the text means. (4) Correlating – comparing what he has learned here with other biblical truths he knows, done by cross-referencing verses, and comparing Scripture with Scripture. (5) Applying – taking the truths and relating them to his life. Q: How is this like the work of a detective?
5. In dynamic Bible study you will never exhaust the riches in any one passage of Scripture. The key to studying the Bible is to stick with it. There is no limit to the number of questions you can ask, the observations you can make, or the applications you can find. Have the attitude of Jacob who said to the angel who wrestled with him, “I will not let you go unless you bless me” (Gen 32:36). II. PREPARATION FOR DYNAMIC BIBLE STUDY 1. Schedule your Bible study time.
First you need to make a distinction between a “quiet time” or “devotional” time (which you do daily, for a short period, say 10-30 minutes) and a “Bible study time” (which you do more irregularly, having blocked out 1-3 hours) to do more in-depth study. Then you need to pick the time when you are most alert.
2. Keep a Notebook. You have to write things down before you know that you know them. 3. Get the right tools. Reference tools will be recommended which you can use to build your personal reference library. 4. Spend a short time in prayer before each study. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to search our hearts for sin before we can search the Scripture for truths that will change our lives. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in your study. Pray Psalm 119:18, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.” III. SELECTING THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR GOOD BIBLE STUDY Witness the success of stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s. Q: Why is this so? A. The Purpose of Reference Tools There are many tools available. They are meant to help us get into the Bible, and they must not be allowed to replace the Bible. We study the Bible, not the tools. These tools represent the life-long study of godly men. B. The Tools Themselves There are eight types of reference tools. There is a handout for this: (1) The Study Bible (2) Several recent translations (3) An exhaustive concordance
(4) (5) (6) (7) (8)
A Bible dictionary and/or Bible encyclopedia A topical Bible A Bible handbook A set of word studies Commentaries.
IV. A BASIC LIBRARY VERSUS A MORE ADVANCED LIBRARY V. CONCLUSION These tools are a worthwhile investment for serious students of the Bible. Encourage the church to set up a section of Bible study reference tools in its library.
Preview of the 12 Bible Study Methods There is a handout for these 12 methods. We hope, by the grace of God, to do each one of these methods. 1. The Devotional Method 2. The Chapter Summary 3. The Character Quality Method 4. The Thematic Method 5. The Biographical Method 6. The Topical Method 7. The Word Study Method 8. The Book Background Method 9. The Book Survey Method 10. The Chapter Analysis Method 11. The Book Synthesis Method 12. The Verse-by-Verse Method Each time we meet, I will ask for the Co-Workers to share with us one specimen of the Bible study method we have just done. Homework: Read Chapter 1, “The Devotional Method of Bible Study.” Then follow the instructions and do a study using one of the passages on page 39. At our next meeting, we will discuss Chapter 1, and we will share the results of our personal study. NEXT MEETING: SAT, MAR 4 Prepared by Pastor Steven Tan February 2, 2006