3 Simple Steps to Bible Study

A lot of people think that reading, understanding, and applying the Bible is something for leaders (pastors, professors, elders, small group leaders) but not for me. This is a pretty common attitude, and sometimes, unfortunately, it's perpetuated by well intentioned leaders or some with an inflated sense of their own importance. But God has made his Word available to all his people, not just the leaders of the church.

Howard Hendricks sets out 3 simple steps for good Bible study that everyone can do in his book Living by the Book​. It's helpful to think of these as 3 "buckets" to put your questions about the Bible into. Here they are:

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Observation: Make as many observations about a passage as you possible can. Ask questions like these:

• What is most obvious to me about this passage?
• What sticks out to me?
• What seems off or odd about this?
• What words keep showing up again?
• How does this connect to the passages before or after? 
• What seems to be some of the main themes of the passage?

Interpretation: Try to understand the meaning of this passage that is behind all the details of the passage:

• What is the key verse?
• What does this passage tell you about God?
• What details in this text seem to hold all the other details together?
• What is the place where a lot of these ideas all come together?
• If you could summarize this passage into one sentence, what it be?
• What is the need the passage is addressing? How does it address it?

Application​: Try to find specific ways to apply this passage to your life.

• What is one way your life should look different because of this passage?
• What are some key implications for your life?
• How should this passage change how you live?