The journey back to school this year has been a difficult one in the U.S.. Parents have made difficult choices about how and where their children will learn, and school teachers and administrators have faced some of the thorniest challenges of their careers. A global pandemic will do that, I guess.
I am a teacher myself, and the COVID chaos has tamped down my usual affection for the back-to-school season. Normally I love to gather supplies, feel a temporary sense of organization and schedule, and look ahead with excitement about what the fall has to offer. This year, however, I felt tired before classes began.
Despite my fatigue, I can’t shake the sense of early-fall possibility. Like the new year, this part of the calendar offers a new start.
A New Start for Bible Study
Christians often start read-through-the-Bible plans in early January. We pour over schedules for books and chapters; some plans even build “make-up days” into each month.
We give a lot less attention to planning out our Bible study. This may be because our Bible study rhythms are tied to our church or small group. It may be because we have laid this important discipline to the side.
Today, I’m offering you a chance to plan out your Bible study. If you aren’t regularly studying the Bible, there’s no better time to start.
So join the children this fall. Head back to class. I invite you to design your own plan for studying the Bible this year.
In case you need a model, I’ve provided one below. There’s nothing special about my plan other than it’s already made. Feel free to modify mine or start from scratch.
How to Study the Bible
If studying the Bible sounds overwhelming or like a task reserved for professional clergy, I understand. Some people write and talk about Bible study so that it seems academic, dry, and intimidating. It doesn’t have to be this way!
This web site (Knowable Word) exists to help ordinary people learn how to study the Bible. If you need a quick way to prepare for your class, you’ve come to the right place!
I’d suggest you start with our summary page and then dig into more details. There are three ingredients to the age-old method we promote: observe, interpret, and apply.
When we study the Bible, we must first observe what is written. We must take note of the details and how they fit together. Then we interpret the text. We try to understand the meaning of the passage, and we search for the author’s main point. Finally, we apply the truth of the Bible. If we remain unchanged, our Bible study is incomplete.
An Example Class
Since the academic year usually lasts for about eight months, I’ve designed the class below to last from early September though the end of April, with some time off around the holidays. This long view will allow me to suggest a long book—Isaiah—for our study. (If you are designing your own class, you could choose a different long book or opt for several shorter books.)
The plan below begins with three weeks to do nothing but read through Isaiah as many times as possible. The Isaiah portion of many audio Bibles is just less than four hours. This means that an average reader should be able to read all of Isaiah three times during those three weeks in just 35 minutes per day. Rereading a book is the best way to understand its structure.
In your whole-book survey, put together a book overview. Try to outline the book as you go. These initial readings should not be passive!
At the end of the plan, I’ve scheduled some time for putting your thoughts together. In a high school or college class, your instructor might assign you a paper at the end of the term. This isn’t just busywork; writing or presenting your findings is a great way to help you process and organize all that you’ve learned. If you have a blog yourself, consider writing about your “class.” (Send us a link here at Knowable Word so we can read it!) You might even consider writing a guest post on this blog.
The Plan
Here’s the week-by-week schedule. Adopt and adapt and modify to fit your needs.
- Aug 30–Sept 5: read Isaiah
- Sept 6–12: read Isaiah
- Sept 13–19: read Isaiah
- Sept 20–26: Isaiah 1–2
- Sept 27–Oct 3: Isaiah 3–5
- Oct 4–10: Isaiah 6–8
- Oct 11–17: Isaiah 9–10
- Oct 18–24: Isaiah 11–13
- Oct 25–31: Isaiah 14–16
- Nov 1–7: Isaiah 17–19
- Nov 8–14: Isaiah 20–22
- Nov 15–21: Isaiah 23–24
- Nov 22–28: Isaiah 25–26
- Nov 29–Dec 5: Isaiah 27–28
- Dec 6–12: Isaiah 29–30
- Dec 13–19: Isaiah 31–33
- Dec 20–26: break
- Dec 27–Jan 2: break
- Jan 3–9: Isaiah 34–35
- Jan 10–16: Isaiah 36–37
- Jan 17–23: Isaiah 38–39
- Jan 24–30: Isaiah 40–41
- Jan 31–Feb 6: Isaiah 42–43
- Feb 7–13: Isaiah 44–45
- Feb 14–20: Isaiah 46–47
- Feb 21–27: Isaiah 48–49
- Feb 28–Mar 6: Isaiah 50–52
- Mar 7–13: Isaiah 53–55
- Mar 14–20: Isaiah 56–57
- Mar 21–27: Isaiah 58–59
- Mar 28–Apr 3: Isaiah 60–62
- Apr 4–10: Isaiah 63–64
- Apr 11–17: 65–66
- Apr 18–24: wrap up
- Apr 25–May 1: wrap up
How Far You’ll Go
In a chaotic year, God is constant and sovereign. He has revealed himself in his word. Let’s take advantage of this time to draw closer to him.
If you give yourself to careful, regular Bible study over the next 35 weeks, imagine how much you’ll grow in your understanding! Imagine how much you’ll change!
Leave a Reply