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How to Get the Best Out of Your Study Bible

September 18, 2015 By Peter Krol

Though quiet, I consider myself a thoughtful person. Yet I too often allow my “introversion” to excuse my failure to love my neighbor through active listening and engaging conversation. My strength becomes a weakness when I over-rely on it or pay little attention to the need of the moment.

Similarly, a study Bible comes with both blessings and curses, depending on how you use it. Here are some suggestions for leveraging the remarkable strengths and sidestepping the destructive weaknesses.

1. Treat it as a reference work, not as your main Bible

quadrapop (2006), Creative Commons

Chefs buy knives in sets because they need different tools for different jobs. They don’t use paring knives to slice bread, or chef’s knives to quarter a chicken. It’s faster and safer to use the right tool for the right job.

And while folks in some parts of the world have trouble gaining access to any Bible, most readers of this blog can have as many as they want. With all the editions available to us, there’s no reason not to collect a well-rounded set. I have a Bible for reading, another for marking up, and a third to preach from. On my reference shelf, I have two more English translations, a Hebrew Old Testament, a Greek New Testament, and three study Bibles that serve different purposes (one is good at historical background, the second at main points, and the third at trains of thought). I also have a pew Bible from my church, but just so I can put page numbers into my sermon notes for announcing to the congregation.

You may not need this many Bibles. Most people will do fine with a simple one for study/markup and a fancy one for reference. Though, if you enjoy reading, I highly recommend also having a reader’s version.

But a bulky “study Bible” doesn’t serve well as your main Bible. Not only are you unlikely to carry a heavy tome on a regular basis, but also it will train you in ways you don’t want to go (see the curses again). Better to have an edition that keeps your attention where it should be: on the God-breathed words of Scripture.

2. Go heavy on overviews and historical background

Because the Bible was written to communities far removed from our time and place, we won’t assume the same things the original audience assumed. We won’t have the same shared experiences or cultural artifacts. So we need help. Study Bibles excel at exposing this distance and closing the gap with helpful information.

When you begin to study a book of the Bible, read that book’s introduction from your study Bible. It will explain the circumstances of writing and any necessary context. It will set you up to read that book as it was meant to be read, and it will help you to avoid gross misunderstanding. In addition, as you study through the book, you may hit names of unfamiliar places or people. These also present a good time to refer to your study Bible. Perhaps there is a map or chart that will make strong visual connections or explain allusions you never would have seen otherwise.

Of course, it’s even better for you to simply read the Bible—a lot. You’ll become more familiar with these things over time. But study Bibles also do well to help you on your way.

3. Wrestle with the biblical text without your study Bible

If you trust in Christ, you have the Spirit of Christ within you. If you have the Spirit of Christ, you have access to the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16), to the very author of Scripture (2 Peter 1:20-21). Do you trust that he can help you understand the things he has written (1 John 2:20-21)?

I’m not saying you can have perfect knowledge all by yourself, isolated from Christian community and history. I am, however, daring you to wrestle with the text—and with the Lord who inspired it—as an intelligent creature fashioned in his image. As a precious son or daughter who doesn’t need permission from the local police force to spend time with a doting parent. Just give it a try.

4. Refer to the study notes when you have a specific, impenetrable question—then set them aside again

See tip #3. If you hit a verse or passage that is difficult to understand (and there are plenty of them in the Bible), don’t run to your study notes like a shopaholic to a buy-one-get-one-free sale. Take a deep breath and count to 10. Put your nose back into the text. Discipline yourself to observe more closely and investigate more curiously. Read the paragraph in question at least 5 more times. Think and pray about your questions for at least 24 hours.

If after all that, you still have no answer—go ahead and check out what someone else has to say about it.

5. Read the articles and genre introductions

You’ve got this amazing reference library in a single volume. Take advantage of it! Most study Bibles have many articles on important topics, and they have introductions to the Bible’s major divisions (pentateuch, historical books, wisdom books, prophets, gospels/Acts, and epistles). Take your Bible education into your own hands and work these resources into your reading routine. You’ll be glad you did.

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Top 10 Curses of Study Bibles

September 11, 2015 By Peter Krol

I’m facing a parental dilemma. The young man renting our spare bedroom offered to take a few of my children to a shooting range to teach them to handle firearms. This fellow is training to be an officer in the United States Navy, and he’s responsible and trustworthy—but still!

Should I allow it or not? I’m no curmudgeon when it comes to risk; I practically taught my children to climb trees before they could walk. But might they still be a shade too young and immature for this responsibility? We already tend ample wounds from plastic swords, light sabers, and Nerf weaponry; can these children handle a Marlin .22 caliber rifle or a Sig Sauer Mosquito handgun?

I’m mildly consoled by the fact that our resident midshipman has no interest in a joyride. On his watch, nobody can touch a gun without memorizing four rules:

Never point a gun at anything you don’t want to shoot.

Treat every gun as if it were loaded.

Keep your gun on safety until you are ready to fire.

Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire.

Regardless of where you stand on pacifism or gun control, I’m sure you’d agree that guns are dangerous and require extreme caution. In this way, guns are just like study Bibles. We should have rules about how to use them safely.

Last week, I wrote about the 10 blessings of study Bibles. I also consider it my duty to caution you about their 10 curses. Some of these curses are inherent in the “study Bible” genre; other curses are common but not insuperable weaknesses. Thus, some study Bibles avoid some of the curses.

Physical Size

1. They are big and bulky—Rarely will you catch somebody carrying one in a backpack. To be fair, though, the ESV Study Bible has a compact version and convenient online access. Others offer similar options.

They draw your attention away from the biblical text

2. Not much text per page—Especially in the New Testament, and especially in Paul’s epistles. When study notes abound, there’s less incentive to read passages in the context of the chapter, section, or book (one must do a lot of flipping).

3. Cross-references receive greater attention—Not only do you get the usual center-column cross-references, but every 2 or 3 study notes highlight even more cross-references. But cross-references are way overrated. Along with word studies and harmonization, they are one of the most common distractions from rich, contextual Bible study. You’ll do better to ignore them, at least until you understand the passage at hand. Get the main point; then correlate with other texts.

They can be strong at “what” but weak on “why”

4. Study notes that miss the mark—They usually have only enough space to do one of two things: 1) observe the text well but leave no room for interpretation, or 2) provide interpretation that rings hollow because it’s not supported through explicit observation.

5. Book introductions that answer questions you aren’t asking—Some book intros are superb; others get bogged down with too many details. Often the difference lies in whether the intro clearly presents the book’s logic (train of thought), or whether it delves into topics like the exact dating of Mark’s Gospel and whether Mark was written before or after Matthew.

6. Outlines that summarize but don’t explain—Most outlines focus on observation (summarizing content), not on interpretation or logic (following trains of thought). This helps you find certain episodes within a book, but it doesn’t do much to help you understand their placement. In addition, many study Bible outlines treat Bible books like stream-of-consciousness term papers: I, II, III.A., III.B., IV., etc. I just saw one that went from I to XVI with no further subdivisions! I always check out Dorsey’s Literary Structure of the Old Testament when I study an OT book. I wish there were a comparable volume for NT books.

7. Lack of clear main points—You’ll find pages of word analysis and historical background. And many study Bibles have summaries of content. But a summary is different from a main point. Only the most courageous editors take the risk of stating “the main point (or the main theme) of this book is ____________.” Even better is when they give you main points for not only each book, but also for each chapter.

They can hinder discovery

8. They train you to micro-analyze the text—Words often get more attention than sentences, which get more attention than paragraphs, which get more attention than chapters, etc. Study Bibles sometimes train our senses accordingly, like the young pastoral candidate I once interviewed who thought he’d attain maturity in his sermons when he could preach on a single verse.

9. They train you to observe (and observe small) but go no farther in the study process—This point follows from points 4-8 above. Some folks think they’ve studied the Bible because they’ve read the notes and looked up the cross-references. But have they learned to ask questions and answer them? Can they figure out (and fight for) the main points? Have they learned to apply the same truth to different groups of people?

10. They lead you to believe you can’t study the text on your own—If I locked you in a room with nothing but a pencil and a clean text (no study notes or cross-references), would you know what to do with it? Would you even think it possible you could know what to do with it?

Study Bibles deliver amazing blessings, but please use them with extreme caution.

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When the Bible Overwhelms You

September 7, 2015 By Ryan Higginbottom

Rod Waddington (2013), Creative Commons License

Application is the youngest sibling of the OIA Bible study method family. He is third-born and regularly forgotten. We assume he’ll tag along and join his brothers in the back seat of the car, but too often he’s still hiding under the rack of sweatpants at Walmart.

Application is far from automatic, mostly because application is hard. In fact, application is downright rare.

You’ve probably skipped application in your devotions from time to time. (I know I have.) Many preachers never get to application, and some Bible study leaders only raise the issue during the last two minutes as a conscience-soothing garnish. One of the weaknesses of the American church is a half-hearted commitment to Bible application.

Application Can Overwhelm

We occasionally stick the landing. We discover the author’s central theme through observation and interpretation. We buckle up and start to apply the text.

And then we’re hit with a flash of panic. I can’t do this. We feel overwhelmed.

I see at least two causes. Through his Spirit, God may bring a heavy conviction upon us. Like Peter’s audience at Pentecost, we may feel our guilt acutely and see our disobedience in every shadow. We’re overwhelmed because we don’t know where to turn or where to begin.

We may also feel overcome because of repeated exposure. We listen to sermons, attend Bible studies, have personal devotions, and read “Christian living” books. (You may add: we read ridiculous blog posts.) With each interaction we see a need for repentance. We’re overwhelmed because we think we just can’t handle one more. Our list is long enough!

Poor Reactions to Feeling Overwhelmed

In our flesh, we face temptations in these moments of brokenness.

We might be tempted to sit out this round. This is too hard! I don’t know where to start, so I won’t.

We might be tempted to cut back on our interaction with the Bible. If we leave the Good Book on the shelf, we can pretend all is well. Welcome to the land of the ostrich.

What might it look like to proceed faithfully when we feel overwhelmed by the call to apply the Bible?

Three Steps to Take

I can think of three steps to take.

Recognize there are no more demands on you now than a week ago. When you hear or discover an application of the Bible, you’re not being inventive. You’re seeing more of the law’s demands which were always there. God’s standards are enormously high—he doesn’t lower them when we embrace the gospel. “Be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect” (Matt 5:48). If you’re feeling guilty about missing this standard, cheer up—you should have been feeling guilty about it yesterday!
Remember the gospel. The weight of the law is immense and a proper view of God’s law provokes our feelings of guilt. Why do we feel guilty? Because we are guilty! This is just as true for forgiven sinners in the church as it is for unrepentant sinners everywhere. We all need the death of Jesus in our place, and we all need the works of Jesus credited to our account. If you are a Christian, rejoice! God has embraced you and pledged himself to you, forever. Your behavior didn’t get you in, and your behavior won’t take you out. God’s call to obedience is real, but your lack of growth won’t turn your gracious Father away.
Get specific. Much of the feeling of being overwhelmed results from deep conviction but vague notions of obedience. This is the time to get specific and practical. Has God convicted you that you don’t take enough gospel-directed risks? Identify a specific risk you can take in a conversation with a coworker or neighbor this week. Ask a friend to follow up with you next Sunday. Have you been selfish with your time? Think of a creative and generous way to use 60 minutes this week to bless others.

Top 10 Blessings of Study Bibles

September 4, 2015 By Peter Krol

When I graduated from high school, my parents bought me an NIV Study Bible with a shiny blue protective cover. I knew I was in the big league with this thing. I could take my Bible and not merely read it; now I felt fully equipped to study it.

I still get excited by new study Bibles. When I first got my ESV Study Bible, I kept staying up late to read it. Now that I blog about Bible study, most publishers give me free copies for review. I just finished reviewing the Reformation Study Bible. In the last week, I acquired both the NIV Zondervan Study Bible and the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible (reviews will take a few weeks). Eventually I’d like to write a post comparing and contrasting these study Bibles (and more), recommending the ones that best promote OIA Bible study.

As I immerse myself in study Bibles, I’m reminded of the many blessings we have at our fingertips in the English-speaking world. Here are what I consider to be the top 10 blessings of study Bibles.

1. One-stop shop

Study Bibles collate the best pieces of a wide variety of resources. Unless you must dig exceptionally deep, there’s no need for a Bible atlas, Bible dictionary, dictionary of theology, library of commentaries, archaeological papers, exhaustive concordance, church histories, or systematic theologies. These are all good resources, and they come in handy for higher-level students. But for the average Christian, a good study Bible can replace a small library and still address the essentials.

2. Quick answers to straightforward questions

I’m studying Job, and I’m confused by Behemoth and Leviathan mentioned in chapters 40-41. I want to know the different ways interpreters have understood these two poetic figures. I open my study Bible, find the text, and get a quick survey of different answers.

3. Book introductions

I use study Bibles for this purpose more than any other. If I want to become familiar with the main point and themes of a book, I read the book 10-20 times. But if I want to understand all the historical things an original reader would already know about the situation in which the book was written, I read a concise book introduction in a study Bible. Who wrote 1 Chronicles? When was Galatians written relative to Paul’s other letters? What first-century situation did Revelation address?

4. Historical background

This point is similar to #3, but on the level of verses or chapters instead of books. Study Bible notes excel at placing key historical information in the right spots to help you get what’s going on. For example, how far was Joseph and Mary’s trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem? How long would it have taken? Why couldn’t they just stay in Nazareth for the census?

5. Maps

Unless you grew up in the Middle East, you need to look at maps when you study the Bible. My favorite study Bible maps are in full color, but the less expensive options do them in black and white.

6. Charts

Sometimes I like making my own charts; it helps me retain the information better. Once I created two timelines of the Kings of Israel and Judah—one from 1&2 Kings and another one from 1&2 Chronicles—and tried to understand the similarities and differences between them. But I’m no graphic artist, and others make such charts much more visually appealing.

7. Articles

Not every study Bible has articles in it, but those that do try to make them useful. Introduction to the Prophets. How to read the Bible. Key heresies from church history. Why different Bible manuscripts say different things. The challenge, however, is to remember that your study Bible has these articles in it. Otherwise, you can spend a lot of time searching Google for something worthwhile on a topic that comes up.

8. Illustrations/Photos

Similar to maps and charts, good illustrations stimulate visual learners. What would Noah’s ark look like next to a football field? How was Moses’ tabernacle or Solomon’s temple laid out? And here’s a sneak peek of my reactions to the NIV Zondervan Study Bible: Photographs! Why haven’t I seen other study Bibles that put real photographs on the page? I can see a threshing sledge, a cedar of Lebanon, a dead sea scroll, a signet ring, and a view of Samaria from the north. This is genius.

9. Verbal clarification

Don’t miss out on untranslatable word plays. (Why do people keep laughing when they hear about baby Isaac?) Don’t get confused by Hebrew or Greek idioms. (Does a man sleep with his fathers because the Supreme Court legalized it?) Don’t get caught buying into common misunderstandings. (Because God knows the plans he has for you.) Study Bibles thrive on clarifying the meanings of words and short phrases.

10. Teams of editors

Usually, a commentary is written by a single scholar. Like it or not, you get a single perspective on the text. Granted, the commentator still has an editor, but the editor is most likely better at writing and grammar than at theology and interpretation. Study Bibles still have individuals working on particular sets of study notes, but teams of editors review the whole and create alignment among the parts. Such spreading out of responsibility usually makes the product more cogent.

Let’s praise God for these incredible blessings, while keeping them in perspective. Next week, I’ll list the top 10 curses of study Bibles.

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Ten Characteristics of a Great Small Group Member

August 10, 2015 By Ryan Higginbottom

Both inside and outside of the church, we talk a lot about the characteristics of leaders. And rightly so. For any organization, leaders cast the vision, set the goals, and model the actions.

We hear far less about followers. This, despite the fact followers far outnumber leaders!

What Makes a Good Follower?

cassandra (2012), Creative Commons License

We have lots of resources devoted to leading small group Bible studies. But what if you’re not the leader? What if you’re eager to glorify God by attending a Bible study?

Here are ten traits found in a great small group member. If you are attending a small group, make these qualities your target and the subject of your prayers.

What is a great small group member like?

He is a servant. The ideal small group member knows that he has an important role within his group. While he expects to be blessed by attending his small group, he sees the opportunity to bless others through his actions, words, and prayers. He relishes his opportunity to bear the burdens of his brothers and sisters in the Lord.
He is committed to the Bible. He values his friends and their contributions, but his highest authority is the Bible. He knows that cursory and thoughtless readings don’t honor God, so he pushes himself and his friends to dig again and again into the Scriptures. He works hard to keep his Bible study skills sharp.
He is open-minded. He is willing to change his mind when presented with compelling Biblical evidence. His convictions are shaped by God’s unchangeable word.
He listens. He values what others say. He knows that the Holy Spirit gives wisdom about the Bible through the insights of fellow believers. Because he cares for his friends, he is eager to hear how God is at work in their lives.
He is compassionate. He prays for his friends and follows up on those requests. He sends notes of encouragement to those who are fighting for joy in God.
He engages. He answers questions from the leader, and he poses questions himself. When the discussion drifts, he points the group back to the text. He gently draws out those who are shy, and he asks the bold to justify their claims from the Bible.
He is prepared. He labors before his group gathers so the meeting will have maximum impact.
He is vulnerable. He bares his heart to his friends, knowing that honesty is a crucial weapon in the battle against sin.
He perseveres. He is committed to his group despite the imperfections of both the leader and the other group members. He knows that all sinners (including himself) can be difficult to love, and he extends to others the forgiveness and grace he wants for himself.
He is growing. While spiritual growth may be difficult to spot from one day to the next, when he looks back over the course of a year, he can see more of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. (See Gal 5:22–23.) This growth is no cause for pride, but he rejoices in God’s faithful love for him. This growth is inspirational and infectious within his small group.

If you measure yourself against this list and come up short, don’t lose heart. Jesus is the only one who followed any list of good behavior perfectly. If you are God’s child, you don’t earn his smile; rather, his smile never departs from you! This provides both the motivation and the power to work toward blessing your small group.

I’m sure this list is not complete. What characteristics would you add?

What Aerial Dogfights Have in Common With Bible Study

July 31, 2015 By Peter Krol

Observe, Interpret, Apply (OIA). That’s the heart of this blog’s message. We follow these steps when we read the Bible because God has communicated, and OIA is communication. This is one reason OIA is the best Bible study method.

However, what matters is not the terminology but the substance. The substance is both simple and profound, but people might use different terms to describe the same thing.

Case in point: John Boyd’s OODA loop. According to the Art of Manliness, “John Boyd is described by some as the greatest military strategist in history that no one knows.” He developed a strategic tool to help fighter pilots, but this tool has also proved helpful for governments, businesses, and other competitive entities.

Christopher Ebdon (2006), Creative Commons

The OODA loop describes a process of thinking and decision-making that deals with uncertainty and gives a competitive edge.

O: Observe
O: Orient
D: Decide
A: Act

Can you see any similarities to OIA?

If not, let me remind you that the Interpretation (I) phase of Bible study can be divided into two sub-phases: Q&A and determining the author’s main point. Boyd’s “Orient” step involves breaking down your presumptions and reconstructing ideas from the data you’ve observed (very much like Q&A). His “Decide” step involves making an educated guess about which mental model best fits the situation (sounds like taking a stab at the author’s main point).

If you’re interested in the philosophical underpinnings of how to think and make decisions, you’ll find Brett McKay’s article fascinating. Don’t get distracted by his use of unfamiliar terminology (including “The Tao of Boyd”). McKay describes something that explains human communication and decision-making, which is why we can see Jesus using the same process with the Scripture (reason #3 for why OIA is the best Bible study method).

Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of the OODA Loop – it has the power and potential to change your life.

Absolutely right.

HT: Andy Cimbala

Let Down Your Guard to Keep Up the Fight

July 27, 2015 By Ryan Higginbottom

In the classic image of a gray, moat-encircled castle, the drawbridge is a crucial defense tool. When the bridge is up, enemies are exposed and archers have the advantage.

In this position the castle is isolated and cannot receive any food, supplies, or correspondence. Though dropping the bridge makes the castle vulnerable, a fearful king who won’t let others inside is in trouble of a different kind. The king falls if the bridge doesn’t.

Your Heart is a Castle

Georges Jansoone (2006), Creative Commons License

We shield our hearts from others without thinking. On one level, this is natural—we don’t need to reveal deep secrets in every conversation.

But some people don’t let anyone across the drawbridge. We need community to apply the Bible, and at its core a community is a network of close, honest friendships. Letting down our guard is difficult, but it isn’t just a nice idea to consider—it’s essential to growing as a Christian. Without friendships, our hearts starve like the paranoid king.

Small Group Prayer

A small group is an important place to build Biblical community. Your fellow group members may not start out as your dearest friends. But as you meet regularly and discuss the most important topics in the world, you create an environment where transformational vulnerability is possible.

Even a brief period of prayer can promote honest sharing in your group. These opportunities can embolden people to disclose themselves in ways that mark true friendship.

The group leader should encourage prayer requests that cannot be delivered in another setting. You can learn about Bob’s aunt’s cat’s bunion surgery by email without missing an opportunity to care for Bob. But when Bob confesses his anger or loneliness or gluttony, you are better equipped to bear his burden and love him if you can look him in the eyes and draw him into a conversation.

Assignment #1: Find one personal item to share during your next small group prayer time. What are the areas of your life in which you see great need for repentance and growth? How can you strengthen your group with stories of God’s provision or his deliverance from an entangling sin (Heb 12:1, NASB)?

Applying the Bible

Effective Bible study involves careful observation, intense interpretation, and penetrating application. Though it is the most uncomfortable part of the process, if we skip application we’ve missed the point.

Applying the Bible is more than just saying “pray more,” “read my Bible regularly,” “trust in Jesus,” or “focus on the Lord in everything.” Amen to these exhortations, but when application is not concrete it’s like trying to visit Greenland by “going north.”

Friends within your small group can help you get specific, but you need to open the door before they can walk through. Here are two keys: practicing application on your own, and being willing to discuss application (past and future) in detail.

The vocabulary isn’t all that important, but the more familiar you are with the categories of application, the more broadly and thoroughly others will be able to address your concerns during your small group meeting. As part of this process you must anticipate the particular resistance your flesh offers to change. If you can pinpoint your tendencies, you can enlist help to combat them.

You also need to be able to talk about application with your friends. When the Holy Spirit helps us connect the main point of a passage to an area of disobedience in our lives, we need to push through the fear and feelings of exposure that often ride shotgun. If you are willing to be specific about your sin and answer questions from your group members, you will be that much closer to the obedience you seek.

Assignment #2: For your next small group meeting, read the relevant Bible passage ahead of time and prepare some personal applications to discuss with your group. Remember that vulnerability inspires vulnerability, and if one person in a group is willing to talk honestly, others will as well.

How to Ruin a Small Group Discussion in 4 Easy Steps

July 13, 2015 By Ryan Higginbottom

You know what’s fun? Ruining good things. Like squirting mustard on ice cream. Or playing The Four Seasons on kazoos.

A good Bible study group can be a blessing to the people who attend—so let’s put a stop to that. Since many benefits of a small group come through the interaction between group members, we’ll focus our disruptive energy there.

Susan Sermoneta (2005), Creative Commons License

Having a fruitful, Bible-centered discussion is hard—many details must fall into place, and several people need to catch the same vision. But ruining a discussion is easy. It takes only one person! Just a few of the techniques below will do the trick.

Hijack the Discussion

Like any conversation, Bible study discussions can be spoiled with a simple disregard for manners.

So here’s the first suggestion: Drive the conversation off topic. It doesn’t matter where you steer—just yank the wheel. If you’re a novice, turn the discussion to yourself: your history, fears, afflictions, regrets, or heroes. With some practice, you’ll be ready for the next level: introducing issues that appear to be on-topic. For example, when studying one of Paul’s prayers, question how prayer works instead of discussing the substance of his prayer.

Achieve expert status by using controversial topics. Season your remarks with hot-button issues for maximum distraction. Be careful not to visit the same well too often lest you become the end-times guy and your leader nip your efforts in the bud.

Shut Down the Discussion

If you’re serious about ruining a conversation, put yourself above the group. Here are two ways to assert your importance.

First, monopolize the discussion. When the leader asks a question, jump right in. Ramble through your responses, and leave little time for others. (Pro tip: Avoid eye contact with your leader. Good leaders can warn monopolizers with a look.)

Second, spurn the discussion. Broadcast your disdain lest anyone think you’re just quiet. Hold your head in your hands. Sigh. Yawn. Communicate that the questions are either ridiculous or beneath you. Create a distraction without going so far that you’re asked to leave.

Starve the Discussion

Lively, significant discussions need an engaged, honest group. A wise leader will start the game of catch, but he shouldn’t need the ball often.

To maim the discussion, keep the dialogue shallow. Don’t listen to others or follow up after any responses. Push the conversation in academic or intellectual directions. Insulate yourself and others from applying the Bible or discovering where application is needed.

Cripple the Discussion

It’s time for your trump card. Instead of just being impolite, the most insidious way to demolish a small group discussion is to misuse the Bible.

Ignore your Bible. Give your “gut response” to questions. Talk about “what the passage means to me.” Don’t ask anyone to justify their answer from the Bible, and learn to deflect if this question comes to you.

Give Sunday school answers. Most answers in a first-grade Sunday School class are either “God,” “sin,” “love,” “trust in Jesus,” “be nice to my sister,” or “obey my parents.” Grab some of these or their grown-up equivalents (“read the Bible,” “focus on the Lord”), and let the clichés commence. Offer Christian-sounding responses without the trouble of engaging the text.

Invoke your Bible’s study notes. Don’t use the notes as an aid—assert them as a final authority. This is most effective when the notes contradict a recent response.

Chase cross references. When your leader asks an interpretive question, blurt out some verses from your Bible’s cross references. Don’t look at the context; you only need the same English word in both places.

Don’t study the Bible. As a summary, this suggestion is your most powerful tool. Make sure that you don’t observe, interpret, or apply the Bible with any care or concern. Also, stay away from certain blogs that promote these behaviors.

3 Tips for Bad Bible Study, Part 3

June 19, 2015 By Brian Roberg

Today we conclude our series helping you avoid the troublesome effects of good Bible study. If you’ve been following along, you may have already observed first-hand how assuming you already know what the text says shields you from unsettling new ideas. Hopefully you’ve also understood how dangerously exposed you are to the life-changing truths of the Word if you fail to find your own meaning.

Having mastered these tips, you’re ready to complete the trifecta of biblical impotency:

3. Protect Your Heart

If your aim is to stay in control of your life and not have to change course every time some pesky fact or bothersome truth comes along, this tip is the ace you can always keep up your sleeve. After all, human nature is what it is and occasionally you’ll let down your guard against learning something from the Bible. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you’ll find yourself having clearly understood a truth from God’s Word which you had never understood before.

When you find yourself in this situation, don’t give up. It’s not too late to render harmless even the most disruptive truth. All you need to do is prevent it from penetrating your heart. Protect your heart, and you’ll never have to worry about your life being shaken up by the Bible. I don’t care how profound the truth is. If you can keep it segregated from your motivations, hopes, and treasures, you’ll be no more affected by it than if you’d never understood it at all.

To accomplish this, work from the inside out. Identify the things that are most important to you, the things closest to your heart. These might be achievements you want to attain, affections you want to win, or objects you’d like to own. If you’re not sure, try completing this sentence: “I would be satisfied with my life if only _________.”

Now here’s the key step: once you’ve identified the desires of your heart, build a wall around them. Never allow what you read in the Bible to question their intrinsic value or their ability to satisfy you. If you want to be secure in your plans and preferences, your heart’s desires need a wall to protect them from examination. Think of it as granting them a certificate of exemption from scrutiny. This is how you protect your heart.

It’s hard to overstate the power of this technique. People who diligently apply themselves to protecting their hearts can build up a shield that is all but impenetrable. In fact, some people’s hearts are so well-armored that they can flagrantly disregard my first two tips for bad Bible study yet still be in no danger of having their plans disrupted by the Word.

As strong a defense as this is, though, remember that it is your last defense. If you’ve allowed yourself to open your mind to the Bible, and if you’ve acknowledged that it speaks an objectively true message to you, then the wall around your heart is all that’s left between your comfortable status quo and the earth-shaking effects of God’s Word. If one well-placed arrow finds a single gap in your wall, your heart will be pierced and your plans will go out the window. The comfort of empty ritual will be gone, replaced by whatever it is that God intends for your life.

If that happens to you, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

3 Tips for Bad Bible Study, Part 2

June 18, 2015 By Brian Roberg

In the first post of this series we looked at a tried-and-true method for achieving bland, ineffective Bible study. Today we’ll add a second method to our arsenal:

2. Find Your Own Meaning

The Bible calls itself a “sharp double-edged sword.” That sounds awfully dangerous, doesn’t it? No need to worry; you can keep that sword safely in its sheath by looking for a private, personal meaning for every text you read. Just come up with a summary of the text which you can claim is true for you (and not necessarily true for anyone else), and you’ll be safe from being pricked by the Word.

You need to know this tip because there are people out there who still hold to the idea that a text has an objective meaning. They would say that an author has a single main point in mind while writing which he or she wants to communicate to readers. The problem with this is that you’re left dangerously exposed to any number of ideas which might upset the serene status quo of your own thinking!

Here’s a quick example: John 3:16. Ask one of those objective types what this verse means, and he’ll start yammering on about “context,” being “born again,” etc, etc. What’s worse, he’ll probably land on a rather unsettling conclusion involving sin, death, faith, and the need for repentance. So much for safe, empty ritual! A much simpler and safer approach would be to say, “I’m so glad God loves the world. That means He loves me. That makes me happy.” Why go further than that?

So instead of asking, “What does this text mean?”, ask, “What does this text mean for me?” See the difference those two little words make? They’re all you need to protect yourself from annoying life-changing truths!

Here’s a few particular suggestions for applying this tip:

Remember to apply our first tip for bad Bible study: assume you already know what the text says. You’ll be much better positioned to make up your own meaning if you start with what you think the text says rather than what it actually says.
Avoid thinking about the fact that the text you’re reading was written by a particular person (in a particular place at a particular time). Instead, imagine the words floating ethereally. This makes it easier for you to attach your own meaning to them.
Similarly, try not to think about the fact that the text was written to a particular audience. If you start thinking about other people who have read the same words you’re reading, it’s harder to make up your own private meaning.
In Bible study meetings, keep the discussion centered on feelings. If you have to say something about the text itself, stick with vaguely spiritual statements like, “Wow, it’s just amazing that it says such-and-such.”

Give it a try! Apply this tip in your Bible reading, and I guarantee you’ll stay safe from stinging conviction, tumultuous encouragement, and lofty joy. Instead, you’ll stay in control and you’ll know just what to expect: nothing much at all.

One word of caution: Finding your own meaning will help you read the Bible without danger of learning anything, but be careful not to apply the strategy too generally. There are times when it’s a good idea to consider what the author intended to say. For example, I would not recommend finding your own meaning in the following types of writing:

Emails from your boss
Instructions for operating power tools
Anything written by the IRS

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