Wendy at Reforming the Feminine has been writing a series of posts on how to study your Bible. She gives especially good advice for people who are just starting (or re-starting) their Bible study.
Here are links to and excerpts from her posts:
- Week 1:
“Start with Jesus…. Does that sound simplistic and corny? If so, I apologize. But this is truly my Bible study method–I love Jesus and I desperately need Him. If you too love and need Jesus but are struggling to find Him in the Bible, let me point you to a concrete starting point. The Gospels!!!… Once you’ve read through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, I recommend a second reading of them. But this second time, note each time Jesus quotes an Old Testament passage…. But if you’ll take the time to follow these links between the Gospels and the Old Testament, you’ll be amazed at how each little piece starts to fit together over time, revealing the grand theme of Scripture to you. - Week 2:
”Even more importantly, in that night of Bible reading, I began to understand something I had heard from others for years but didn’t really appreciate–that God speaks through His Word in a very real, personal way. His Word is supernatural and living. It’s alive! I don’t know how to explain it. But I’ve experienced it enough to believe it’s true. The Bible isn’t simply a collection of important stories about God. It’s a living book that supernaturally speaks to us today. The Spirit uses this book in an incredible way to meet us in our personal, 21st century needs.” - Week 3:
“The sad thing is that there are a lot of Bible study resources that, in my humble opinion, intimidate and put off the very people who most need their help. In contrast, here are a few resources I’ve found that were truly helpful in my Bible study. Short on big words, long on meaningful help. If you too get frustrated by study helps that actually make things more complicated rather than less, you may find the things on this list a better fit for you.” - Week 4:
“Many of us don’t FEEL like we get much out of reading the Bible. And our reaction is to cop out—to listen to what others say about Scripture in books or sermons but to avoid studying it for ourselves. Certainly the preaching of the Word is a primary way that God speaks to His children, so definitely take advantage of all opportunities you have to hear the preaching of the Word. But you CAN NOT abandon your own study of the Bible and expect a healthy relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”
(We learned after writing this post that Crossway plans to publish Wendy’s first book in 2008.)
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