Are you ready to start studying the Bible for yourself? Are you looking for different methods to study the Bible and enrich your reading of Scripture? Here are 11 different ways to effectively study God’s Word.
You can choose the one that fits your season of spiritual growth, the passage of the Bible you’re interested in, and the time that you have available. Explore different methods and let them spark ideas you can pursue in your study of the Bible.
1. THE SWORD METHOD OF BIBLE STUDY
The Sword Method of Bible Study is a simple, but powerful way to study the Bible. You simply ask 3 questions that cover the 3 most important points. It can be applied to a single verse or multiple verses (for example, the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10).
The blade of the sword points upward toward heaven, so you ask “what do I learn about God in this passage?” Next, the handle of the sword points down toward man, so ask “what do I learn about people in this passage?” The 3rd question asks how we apply what we learned: “What does God want me to do?”
There are many variations of this type of devotional or observation Bible study. You might have seen different graphics or charts for Bible Study methods that emphasize different aspects of learning and applying the Bible.
2. CHARACTER STUDY
In a Character Study or Biographical Study, you look at one character in the Bible and draw out lessons from their life.
There are many to choose from – major characters like Abraham, Joseph, Deborah, Moses, Ruth, David, Solomon, Esther, Paul, and Peter. There are hundreds of other characters in the Bible that you can learn from.
In a character study, you are looking at how God relates to people and how people respond to God. You can observe and learn from the dealings of God in a person’s life.
3. WRITE OUT VERSES FROM THE BIBLE
Writing out a verse or several verses makes you slow down and think about the Scripture. It can give you a different perspective on the verse than just reading it alone.
Write it in your own handwriting. It can be on a lined sheet of paper. You can also get creative and write it in a different pattern. You can get colorful if you want to. You can doodle a little bit and draw small pictures if it helps you process the verse.
As you write the verse, ask yourself:
- What words are my eyes drawn to?
- What is the main subject?
- What is the main verb?
Read the passage out loud several times. Try reading it slowly. Try reading it quickly to get a sense of the structure. Read it again as many times as you’d like.
I didn’t include journaling as a separate way to study the Bible because that can apply to any of these different ways to study the Bible. But, a journal would be a great place to keep these.
4. STUDY A BOOK OF THE BIBLE
Have you tried other ways to study the Bible and want to go deeper? Do you like to be challenged? Studying a book of the Bible, or doing a book-by-book study, is a great way to go.
Studying a book of the Bible is one of the more challenging ways to study the Bible because it involves a little bit of every method of Bible Study. It can involve studying themes, topics, characters, individual words, and cross-references.
A book study takes time and commitment, but it can also be the most rewarding! It’s my favorite way to study the Bible because it takes me deeper and helps me wrestle with the text over an extended period of time.
You might see many Bible verses in a whole new light when you read them in their context. You might even find that some of your favorite verses mean something different than what you might have heard in the past.
If you take a verse out of its context, it can seem to mean something different than what the author intended. The advantage of a book study is that it helps you keep Bible verses in their context. You want to know what God is saying and not change its meaning.
What I love about doing a book study of the Bible is that I usually end up where I didn’t expect. I start out with a general idea of what I think the book means. Then I end up in a surprisingly different place at the end. Also, whatever book I studied last becomes my new favorite!
Studying the Bible one book at a time requires some time commitment. It can take anywhere from a few weeks to many months to study one book of the Bible, depending on the length and complexity of the book.
5. READ THROUGH THE BIBLE
Reading through the Bible is a great way to study it. Every page of the Bible reveals God’s character, emotions, thoughts, and actions.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, forreproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
6. TOPICAL/THEMATIC BIBLE STUDY
As you read the Bible, there might be some topics or themes that you’re interested in going more in-depth into. A Topical or Thematic Bible Study is a type of study that explores a theme or topic through the entire Bible.
How to do a Topical Bible Study
- Choose a topic.
- Look up every instance of that topic in the Bible.
- Categorize and summarize your findings. Explore the differences, nuances, and connections in the verses.
There are many theological or doctrinal themes in the Bible. For example, how is Jesus both fully God and fully man. Theologians would call this the doctrine of the Incarnation. There are also topics like salvation, angels, or the nature of the church.
The topic can also be application-oriented. What are the fruit of the Spirit? How do you develop passion for God? How can I forgive people who have hurt me and let go of the past? What does the Bible say about baptism in water? What is the purpose of prayer and fasting?
There are countless numbers of topics and themes in the Bible that you can pursue. How is the color purple used in the Bible? What does the number “12” often signify?
Depending on the topic, it might be a study that takes an hour, or if it’s a major theme like the End Times, it could take months.
7. PRACTICAL STUDY
A Practical Study is like a topical study of the Bible, but with a broader focus on applying it to your life. These are topics that entire books can be written on. For example, practical studies can dive into topics like prayer, discipleship, raising children, relationships, how to live out your faith in the workplace, and how to share your faith with others.
All the tips and tools like concordance resources that we looked at in Topical Studies would also be useful for a devotional/practical study.