Have you ever read the Bible and thought, “I have no idea what this means”?
You’re not alone.
Our goal for this series is to learn how to study the Bible in a way that is both effective and easy to duplicate. We hope that at the end of this six-week study you will come away with a tool box of sorts, with all kinds of tools and resources to help you study God’s Word.
Let’s get started!
Inductive Bible study is a method of Bible study that allows Scripture to interpret Scripture, without relying on commentaries or other people to tell you what the passage means. It is a way of studying the Bible carefully through observation of the passage. The SOAP method we use is form of Inductive Bible Study.
Even though it may feel easier to read someone else’s commentary or interpretation of a passage, it doesn’t train us to interpret God’s Word on our own. Those commentaries and books are not the inspired, inerrant words of God, only the Bible is. By learning to study it effectively, those additional tools become even more useful.
Inductive Bible study is important because it:
- Encourages us to think for ourselves.
- Allows us to evaluate the thoughts of others.
- Gives us the joy of personal discovery.
- Enables us to fall in love with the Author.
As we study each week, we’ll look at techniques of observation, interpretation, and application. You’ll only need your Bible and a pen! There are a few days where we’ll direct you to some additional resources, but for the most part we’re keeping this simple.
Take your time. Don’t get discouraged. God has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), and that includes His Word. If you are a believer in Christ, the Holy Spirit is living and active in your life. That means the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is actively working in your life and is willing and able to help you understand the Bible. He wants you to get it! Trust that He will lead you to a correct understanding of His Word.
You know what else? It’s okay to make mistakes! Don’t be afraid, but be teachable and willing to learn. Test what you have learned or concluded with the rest of Scripture. Does it line up? Is it consistent with truth found elsewhere in the Bible? Be willing to change your convictions and conclusions as the Holy Spirit teaches you and grows you in your walk with God.
We’re excited to walk together over the next few weeks as we seek to deepen our relationships with God.
I so desperately want to draw closer to God. I’ve spent too many wasted years trying to figure things out. I want to be in Christ.
Katrina,
Thank you for joining us on the blog today and sharing from your heart. You are definitely in the right place! I, too, am looking forward to new methods for interpreting His Word. God Bless You!
Hi Velma, I’m sorry to contact you like this but I couldn’t find another contact, or phone number. I was trying to become a monthly donor but thr site would not accept my email address. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I love the piece about thinking for ourselves. Growing up as a Catholic then having my parents take me to a word of faith believing pentacostal church during my formative teenage years, I have found myself having to start from ground zero to establish my own beliefs and faith. There was little room for individual thought in either church. Studying the Bible has helped me see the errors in both religions and correct my thinking. I met many beautiful and loving people at both places, but many of them just accepted what was taught without ever being like the Bereans in Acts 17. I now filter all teachings through the sieve of God’s Word before accepting anything as truth. It took years to undo the wrong teachings and there are still some natural inclinations to believe what I know to be false (like I haven’t received healing because my faith isn’t strong enough), but I know God is not done with me yet.
Nancy,
Thank you for joining us today and being so brave to share with us. I grew up in a Presbyterian Church, but as a lifelong lover of history, I often found myself researching topics simply because I didn’t understand them. Whether it was the culture or language of that time period, I wanted to put myself in their shoes. This study and ministry will do that for both of us. God Bless You!
What is SOAP method?
Stacey,
Great question! It stands for: Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer.
I’m open to new techniques in studying God’s word, retaining what I’ve learned, and applying it to everyday life. I want to become more of a doer of God’s precepts and less of an observer. Thank you LGG for the study guides.
Mitzi,
Thank you for joining us today. You are definitely in the right place, and we are so glad to have you here. God Bless You!
I am excited to learn to understand easier.
Sharon,
You are definitely in the right place! Praying for God’s guidance during this study and in the future. God Bless You!
Dog
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I know I am late comng into this – but I don’t even care! I am so glad to be here~~ I will pick up at week 5 and from there I will go forward with God!
I know the lord has forgiven me for my sins. But I still feel the need to repeat it even tho I know he has forgiven me? Idk why I do that, maybe guilt? But I truly have faith in him and know I have been forgiven. I want to get to know god more I want him to show me things . I want to know more. And I am gonna continue to read the Bible and learn. I know there are a few times where the enemy want to lure me away but I am true to god and I am going to stay in this path. I thank you lord for forgiving me and dying on the cross for me! Thank you for the many blessings you give us every day, for this day for the food you provide for us. Amen! ❤️