For some, studying the Bible is a familiar and cherished part of daily life. Perhaps that’s you – you’ve read your Bible devotionally for years and taken the time to study significant passages of Scripture. You’ve experienced the deep benefits it brings to your life.

 

But for others, the art of Bible Study is somewhat of a mystery. How do I get started? How do I do it? You may hear Bible teachers draw deep insights from Scripture and wonder how to do it yourself.

 

Whether you’re a seasoned reader or just beginning, the following is a simple guide to help you start a lifelong journey of studying God’s Word.

 

1. Choose a book to study. I would encourage you to begin with a book that has really interested you in the past. If you have been a Christian for some time, but are still a novice at Bible study, you may have been drawn to a specific book. If you are a new Christian, I would suggest you start with the book of Mark. It is longer, but still short enough (16 chapters), and it will give you what you need the most at the beginning. Get to know the life of Jesus.

 

2. Start with prayer. After all, the reason for studying the Bible is to know your God more fully. The Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit. Ask God to give you an attitude of humility and a willingness to submit to and believe in what you read.

 

3. Learn what you can about the book from helpful resources. Who was the book written to? Who is the author? What is the purpose for writing? What kind of literature is this?

 

4. If you can, outline the book. That will give you a sense of the flow of thought. Some people can do outlines better than others. But it really is okay to cheat and look up the outlines that others have done. By paying attention to the outline, you will learn a lot about the flow of the book.

 

5. Use a notebook and write down key words and phrases. A key word is one that appears over and over again. Some people like to underline or highlight their Bible. If that is you, you might want to circle or underline the key phrases that you find.

 

6. Take a smaller section of the book and write out what you think the author is saying in your own words. Doing this can be very helpful, because it shows that you have grasped the basic idea.

 

7. Share what you are learning with others, especially more mature Christians who might be able to help you deepen what you have learned.

 

8. Learn to make application. Are there promises to believe? Are there commands to keep? Are there attitudes that need to be changed? Are there things of which you need to repent? Are there new insights you need to digest?

 

9. Finally, keep at it. The more you do it, the more you will want to do it. You will develop a hunger for it, and you will learn to walk more closely with God.