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Helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible

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Avoid Sloppy Bible Reading

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John Starke has a good article about sloppy Bible reading.

What I mean by “sloppy reading” is that often I come to a text of Scripture thinking I’m reading in order to be informed about how I might believe and live, but actually I’m coming to Scripture for affirmation of what I already believe and how I already live. And so, I’m a sloppy reader who’s likely blind to my sloppiness. And it’s likely you are too.

He illustrates by showing what we should take away from Jesus’ statement that he came not for the healthy but for the sick. Starke exposes the ease with which we fail to see Christ—even in the Gospels—and he models grace-filled application for us.

Check it out!

Top 10 Posts of 2015

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San Churchill (2007), Creative Commons

San Churchill (2007), Creative Commons

It’s hip and cool for bloggers to post their top 10 posts of the year. And we want to be hip and cool. Our hearts tell us to do it, and the Bible says to “walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes” (Eccl 11:9). So here goes.

10. A Bible Reading Plan for Readers

I posted this one last year, and then just re-posted it last week. That helps to encourage people to read it more, which encourages them to read the Bible more. I think.

9. Top 11 OT Verses Quoted in NT

This post was part of my 2013 series analyzing every Old Testament quotation in the New Testament. This one focusing on verses seems to be the one people first stumble on to.

8. How to Encourage Heart-Oriented Application

This post does just what you might expect it to do from the title.

7. Don’t Be a Commentary Junkie

Just don’t do it, okay? Your Bible study will be so much better for it.

6. Teach Bible Study to a 2-Year-Old

Many people really care about their kids! Just like Jesus (Matt 19:14).

5. Summary of the OIA Method

We put this one into the top menu so people could find it easily. It pretty much explains why this blog exists, so we’re glad it gets a lot of pageviews.

4. Details of the OIA Method

See the previous post, unless you want less of a summary and more of a detailed explanation. Then see this post instead.

3. Teach Bible Study to a 4-Year-Old

Many people care even more about their kids when they’re getting close to school age.

2. Main Points for All 66 Books of the Bible

This just isn’t fair. This, my most read post of 2015, barely contains any original content! I copied it all out of the NIV Proclamation Bible. I suppose there’s something deliciously humbling about this post’s popularity.

1. Teach Your Child to Have Devotions

And what’s even more delicious is that the #1 post belongs to Ryan, not me. This post was not only the most popular of 2015; its publication spawned the most heavily trafficked day in this blog’s history. I praise God for Ryan’s partnership! Best line: “When your child is old enough to read, give him a Bible and train him to use it.”

7 Benefits of Memorizing Long Scripture Passages

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Perhaps you’re not much of a reader, and this week’s contest announcement didn’t inspire you. Maybe you’re more interested in Scripture memory than Bible reading. If so, have you considered the benefits of memorizing long passages, even entire books, instead of select verses?

Chris Brauns suggests 7 benefits of systematic long-term Scripture memory, stretched over not only months but decades.

  1. It allows you to follow the example of the ant.
  2. Along with prayer, it offers the most immediate and intentional way to pursue sanctification.
  3. It enables you to identify insights into Scripture that take years to see.
  4. It teaches you what to pray.
  5. It preserves memories of when God’s word was impressed on you.
  6. It offers a tool for discipling others.
  7. It makes you a more efficient reader of theology.

Brauns’s article explains these points with helpful examples. Check it out!

An Example of Seeing Jesus on Every Page

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In “How the Bible Came Alive,” Rebecca Davis describes her experience reading Psalm 22 and learning to take her eyes off herself to see Christ. I appreciate her account of learning to follow the text wherever it would lead her.

What happened to me over the course of those two weeks — studying sounds far too academic. Meditating these days can have New-Age overtones. Pondering the Scriptures? Soaking in the Scriptures? But really the point isn’t what I did with the Scriptures. It’s what God did in me through them, as he held them up as a magnifying glass to see the Lord Jesus Christ more and more clearly.

Check it out!

Most Popular Verses of 2015

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YouVersion just released its list of the most frequently shared verses, according to its 200 million users worldwide. Romans 12:2 has fallen from first to fourth place, unseated at the top by Proverbs 3:5-6.

For the top five verses, along with a map showing the most shared verse in different parts of the world, check out the article at Christianity Today.

4 More Gifts to Encourage Bible Study

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Patrice_Audet (2013) public domain

Patrice_Audet (2013), public domain

There are two types of people: those who bounce through mid-December and those who slouch. There are two types of people: those who have finished their Christmas shopping by mid-December and those who haven’t. I trust you catch the correspondence.

My final pre-holiday gift to you is a list. (You’ll accept it unwrapped, I hope.) If you’re slouching, consider these suggestions for family and friends this Christmas. If you’re a bouncer (not that kind), don’t worry—these ideas are evergreen. Stash these tips for birthdays, graduations, or any gift occasion, like Limerick Day (May 12) or National S’mores Day (August 10).

Four Gift Ideas

Last year I shared three gifts to encourage Bible study; this year I have four more. As before, I’ve included a no cost option, so this list is for everyone.

  • A markup Bible — People are more likely to engage with the Bible when they interact with the text physically—circling, underlining, highlighting, outlining in the margins. Why not buy a Bible for a friend or family member dedicated to this purpose? This need not be an expensive gift. If you follow the links on this page, you’ll find several reasonably-priced options. (Additionally, remember that Westminster Bookstore has a great sale on ESV journaling Bibles through the end of 2015.)

    Bonus suggestions: For those who prefer to print out Bible passages instead of marking up a separate Bible, consider giving some printer paper and printer ink. Any markup Bible fan would be able to use good pens, colored pencils, or highlighters.

  • A Study Bible — Peter has recently cataloged his Study Bible recommendations, so read through his reviews and check out his spreadsheet to settle on a good option. If you buy a Study Bible for a loved one, make sure they’re aware of the many blessings and curses of such a resource. A Study Bible is like a sharp knife—a great tool when used carefully; dangerous otherwise.
  • A commentary — Like Study Bibles, not all commentaries are created equal. Some model good Bible study methods, and some specialize in speculation or historical esoterica. While you should turn to your Bible first, commentaries can be a great blessing if used with care. If you know of a friend diving into a particular book of the Bible for study in the new year, consider blessing them with a top-notch commentary. Peter has compiled a list of recommended commentaries here.
  • Time — Think of someone at church or in your neighborhood who is overburdened. A young mother with three kids under five, a mid-fifties man caring for his dementia-stricken mother, a single mom with two teenage sons. They are stretched so thin with responsibility and exhaustion, just the idea of Bible study is overwhelming. Think of ways to free them up so they can spend extended time with the Bible—babysitting, playing cards with the elderly mother, mowing grass, running errands, providing a meal. Let them know your intention with the gift, and point them to some online resources to help them study the Bible for themselves. (Helping in this way should probably come in the context of meeting your friend’s other physical needs.)

Disclaimer: The Amazon links above are affiliate links, so if you make a purchase after clicking through, you’ll be giving a small percentage of your purchase to Knowable Word—a great gift! This will allow us to keep posting and help ordinary people learn to study the Bible. It’s a circle of giving!

50% Off ESV Journaling Bibles

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From now until Dec 31, 2015, Westminster Bookstore has all ESV journaling Bibles at 50% off. Perhaps this would be a good time to consider getting a new markup Bible.

Check it out at Westminster Books!

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Dear Journal: If people click the Westminster link, this blog will receive a small commission. How should we notify them of this fact?

Basic Facts About the Bible

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At the Gospel Coalition, Joe Carter writes of some basic Bible facts we all should know. This background information helps us to understand better as we read and study. Carter briefly covers issues such as:

  • it’s a library of books
  • the Bible is self-referencing
  • why it’s called a “Bible”
  • the meaning of Testament
  • where chapters and verses came from
  • how we discovered the canon

Check it out!

The Basic Message of the Bible is Plain to All

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Here is something from Aaron Armstrong to be thankful for:

We shouldn’t act as though the Bible has hidden knowledge that only an elite few can access. That is the way of the mystical guru, who offers esoteric nonsense—absurdities in place of true wisdom. But the message of the Bible—at least in its basic message—is plain to all. Most anyone could come to the text of the Bible and understand the means by which God offers salvation (whether they agree with it or not is another question entirely). They can know the commands of God (whether they obey, again, is another question entirely). They can know there will be judgement, there will be a day when suffering and sadness end, when death is no more and all will be made new. Some elements are confusing, and some, frankly, make little sense to those living in the West today. Even so, there is no need for discouragement: what we can know, we can know.

Check out his full article.