Bible Study Methods for Beginners
There are so many different Bible Study methods available for those who wish to study God’s Word. We are going to look at Bible Study Methods for Beginners because sometimes the options are overwhelming, And, as many of us know all too well, too many options, can cause us to simply take no action and do nothing. That is not how we want to feel about Bible Study.
What is the best way to Study the Bible?
There is not a one size fits all and this is the only way you can study the Bible method. First of all, Bible Study does not need to be overwhelming. In fact, it shouldn’t be. Studying God’s Word should be informative and exciting for us. It should be a time that you look forward to each day. A time when you allow the Lord to speak to your heart from His Word.
Over the next couple of months, I will be sharing information about some of the Bible Study method options that are available. Many will be simple and can be completed in 10 minutes or less. Others may be a bit more involved and could take as much as an hour or even longer if you choose to study longer.
We’ll start with some of the simpler ones and then proceed to the others. You can pick any method that you want to use. You may wish to start with one method. Try it for awhile and move on to another method. I am certain that you will find one or two methods that you love. You may consider those methods to be the best way for you to personally study your Bible.
Here are some of the Bible Study Methods for Beginners that we’ll be looking at:
- Read, Write, Meditate and Pray
- SOAP
- Verse Mapping
- Inductive
- Word Bible Studies
- Character Bible Studies
- Book of the Bible Study
We’ll add to this list as we go along.
Should I always use the same method for my Bible Studies?
Most people, once they get comfortable studying the Bible, do not use the same Bible Study method all of the time. In fact, they may change regularly. They may choose a different type of study method based on other things going on in their life at the time.
For example, I tend to change Bible Study methods regularly. A couple of weeks ago, we were camping for 10 days, so I chose to “study” a book written by a well known Christian Pastor. It wasn’t referred to as a Bible Study, but it was excellent faith based material filled with Scripture references and even had some questions at the end of each chapter. I didn’t want to take a whole lot of study resources along with us on the trip. That book, my Bible, a notebook and a pen were all I needed for the Bible Study.
Now we are back home and I have easy access to my resources. My current study is an in-depth inductive Bible study. Don’t worry, I’ll share more about inductive studies later on in this series.
Additionally, I participate in a monthly Bible Study with about a dozen other ladies. Our study method of choice is Verse Mapping. That’s one of my favorite study methods. I’ve written about it before, so you can read about here right now if you wish.
As you consider the Bible Study method you may choose, you may also wish to consider what you want to study about.
Here are some Bible Study Topic ideas:
- A specific topic
- A character trait that you would like to develop
- One word
- Character in the Bible
- A book of the Bible
- A Bible reading plan
Knowing what you want to study will help you determine which study method you prefer to use. It will also help you stay committed and not feel overwhelmed once you start a study.
Bible Study Resources
There are awesome Bible Study resources available. Here’s a list of some of my favorites.
Bible Study Books
There are also some books about Bible Study available. I’ll review a few of those books over the next several months also, to help you decide which you may wish to read. It’s too easy to get overwhelmed if you try to read several of them. That’s not necessary.
Why should I study the Bible for myself?
Let’s stay focused on the fact that as believers, we are called to study God’s love letter to us, the Bible. He wants us to grow in our knowledge of Him and to mature as Christians. That is the main reason that we should desire to study the Bible. We want to get to know Him better.
A Daily Quiet Time that includes Prayer and Bible Study is just what we need.
One of the best ways to do that is to study His Word on our own. It’s great to listen to a Pastor who speaks the truth from the Word. But, we are each called to study God’s Word on our own also, with the Holy Spirit as our guide. That’s where personal Bible Study comes in.
How to Study the Bible for Yourself – Bible Study Methods for Beginners
We’ll get started next week with our review of different Bible Study methods. With each method’s review, it will be my goal that you can read the post and then use that Bible Study method.
Please let me know if there’s a specific Bible Study method that you’d like for me to review. Or, is there a book on Bible Study you’d like reviewed? How about any questions about Bible Study? I will do my best to answer any questions you may have or to recommend a resource that will help.
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