Knowable Word - Bible study help

Turn Your Mediocre Bible Study Into a Thing of Beauty

May 11, 2016 By Peter Krol

For this week’s Check It Out, I bring you this gem from the fake Christian news site, The Babylon Bee: “Church Small Group Looking Forward To Six-Week Study Of Awkward Silences.” If you’d like to turn your mediocre Bible study into a thing of beauty, just consider following this example:

“I think it’s great how the group is really all participating in making things as awkward as possible,” [Pastor] Parker stated to reporters after the first session. “Trust is so important in a small group, and I know that if I ask anyone any sort of question whatsoever about the text, or application, or life, or anything at all, I will be greeted by a deafening, unbearable, soul-crushing silence that, while in reality only lasts 30 to 45 seconds, goes on for several consecutive eternities within my tortured mind.”

Parker’s small group appears to be off to a great start, according to sources present at the study. Parker’s query, “So, what does ‘redemption’ mean to you?” was met not only by awkward silence, but at least two throat-clearings, two sniffs, and one sudden, brief inhalation. A question about the deity of Christ resulted in multiple Bible pages being rustled in a contrived manner, as well as one uncomfortable murmur before lapsing into abject quietude once more.

“I feel blessed to lead this group,” enthused Parker. “I can hardly wait for our study of Galatians and the empty, mute void of uncomfortable despair ahead.”

Check it out!

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Give Them Freedom to Fail

May 6, 2016 By Peter Krol

What causes that sinking feeling when a parent watches his freshly-licensed teenager drive off alone for the first time? Why do field trips require chaperones? What tempts a supervisor to micromanage? Why do I gasp every time my 17-month-old hurls herself down a sliding board?

I’ve already covered one possible answer. When I wrote about the “I do, You help” stage of training a Bible study apprentice, I explained why it’s hard to delegate responsibility, and I challenged leaders to find the courage to let them try. The chief obstacle I focused on was fear of failure.

But now that we’ve hit the “You do, I watch” stage of training, we ought to consider another possible answer: We believe it will go better if we’re with them. And we’re right, after a fashion. It will go better. For now.

Don’t Launch the Apprentice

Finn Frode (2014), Creative Commons

Here are 3 reasons why you should not launch an apprentice to start a new group without you.

1. Group members will receive better teaching.

We’re here for the people, right? We can give them $10 Bible studies, or we can give them 50-cent Bible studies. Let’s give them the best. Why send people to start a new group, when the teaching will be weaker, the main points will be less clear, and the application won’t be as specific or transformative?

2. The apprentice will have less pain.

There is a lot of pressure involved in leading a small group. You’re used to that pressure by now, but your apprentice is not. It might really serve this person not to have to take that burden when you carry it so competently.

3. You will have greater peace of mind.

When you keep your apprentice close, you’ll have a better perspective on how you can help. You’ll know what’s going on and how you can support the work. You can provide quality control, mature discernment, and immediate responsiveness. You won’t have to worry about mission drift or incremental cynicism.

Launch the Apprentice

However, consider your situation. If you want it to go better now, it will never change then. You can bury that shiny talent right in the ground. Don’t worry; you’ll still have it when your master returns. Then you can give it back to him and be done with it (Matt 25:24-25).

Or you can take some risks. You can trade with your talent to produce more. Send that apprentice out. Start a new Bible study, inferior to the old one. Over time, that inferior apprentice-led Bible study might actually surpass the quality of your own. It might grow faster than you could have grown it. It might reach some people you never could have reached.

And someday, without your help, your “apprentice” will launch another new apprentice. What will your Master have to say to you then? Are you ready to enter his joy (Matt 25:20-23)?

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Basic Principles for Bible Reading

May 4, 2016 By Peter Krol

Here’s a great but brief video from Michael Horton and the White Horse Inn with some basic principles for Bible reading.

Engage the text.
Don’t assume you know what it means.
Look for the original meaning to the original audience.
Learn from how other Christians have read this passage around the world and in different times.
Remember the big picture is about Jesus Christ.

Check it out!

HT: Kevin Halloran

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Two Concerns About Gospel-Centered Materials

May 2, 2016 By Ryan Higginbottom

Over the last ten years or so, we have seen an explosion in books, sermons, and teaching materials focused on the gospel of Jesus Christ. What a glorious, precious development!

The Blessings of Gospel-Centered Resources

Giovanna Orlando (2010), public domain

These publishers, writers, and speakers focus on the central story of the Bible: Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. Jesus himself taught that all the Scriptures pointed to him (Luke 24:27).

Instead of extracting broad, moral lessons from the Bible, these authors and speakers connect the passage, book, or character to Jesus. They look for themes within the text which anticipate or flow out of Jesus’s saving work. Further, they show how the gospel is essential to our growth in Christian faith and obedience.

As a result, we have seen the adjectives gospel-centered, gospel-driven, and gospel-powered (and others) used in relation to parenting, work, marriage, productivity, and many other aspects of the Christian life. Like many others, I have been strengthened in my faith and walk with God through books which fall under this umbrella.

I thank God for this abundance of helpful resources. And I am grateful for the writers, publishers, speakers, and organizations that loudly and joyfully proclaim the central importance of the gospel of Jesus.

Two Cautions

We should use all of God’s gifts appropriately. Oranges are great for your health, but your body would object if you ate only oranges. In the same way, I have two concerns about using only gospel-centered resources in our churches.

1. Creating unhealthy dependence

As Christians, our central written resource is the Bible. And most gospel-centered writers love the Bible.

But when a writer is eager to connect his topic to the gospel, he may focus on Bible stories, characters, or themes and not the Bible text itself. His readers will see evidence of Bible study but may not learn to study the Bible themselves.

Making disciples demands both teaching and equipping. If our training materials never pass along Bible study skills, the next generation will be hungry on the dock instead of baiting hooks in the boat (and showing others to do the same).

Books and curricula that show gospel connections without instruction in how to find these connections can create an unhealthy dependence. Younger Christians especially may develop a reliance on materials which, while terrific, are not the word of God.

2. Missing the Trees for the Forest

Don’t miss the forest for the trees! This warning lifts our eyes from the details to the bigger picture. But the details are still important! How can we know the forest if we don’t examine the trees?

When we’re over-eager to connect a passage to the Bible’s large, gospel story, we miss some of God’s purpose in that passage. We need to give each part of the Bible its due. Consider two illustrations.

Do you know the story of the creation and fall, or do you know Genesis 1–3? To explore the difference, ponder this: What was the name of the person who first ate the forbidden fruit? Those who know only the bigger story might say “Eve.” But those with eyes on the text will say “the woman.” Eve wasn’t named until after the fall and the curse (Genesis 3:20). Names are crucial in the Bible, so we gloss over an important detail if we call her Eve (mother of the living) throughout the story.

For another example, consider Genesis 22, when God commands Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Those on the lookout for gospel nuggets might rush to note how Abraham’s faith and willingness to sacrifice his son teaches about God’s willingness to do the same. But a closer reading reveals a different angle. God calls Isaac Abraham’s “one and only son” three times in this chapter. But Isaac wasn’t Abraham’s only son! (Don’t forget Ishmael!) This doesn’t make God a liar, of course, but points to the covenant promise. God promised Abraham blessings specifically through Isaac (Genesis 17:21), and God reaffirms this in Genesis 22:15–18 after Isaac’s life is spared. By grace, Abraham trusted God and knew that if Isaac died God would restore his life (Hebrews 11:17–19). This story is more about promise and resurrection than sacrifice and death.

The process of correlation involves understanding Bible passages as part of a single whole. (Check out our posts on healthy correlation.) When handling God’s word correctly, we should study the passage at hand, draw out the main points, and connect those main points to other passages and themes of the Bible.

Though all the Bible points to Jesus, the connections are not always obvious. When we smooth over the details and nuances of individual passages, we miss much of God’s instruction for us.

Conclusion

Resources that explain and trumpet the gospel of Jesus Christ are a great blessing to the church. Embrace these works, but cling to the Bible above them all. If we want to create a Bible study culture in our churches, we cannot use gospel-centered materials by themselves.

Thanks to Peter for his help planning this post.

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5 Signs They’re Ready to Fly

April 29, 2016 By Peter Krol

As you train a new Bible study leader, how do you know when the person is ready to lead a separate group? When should you move an apprentice from the “You do, I help” to the “You do, I watch” stage of training? If we advance people too quickly, they may burn out and give up. If we move them too slowly, the training could become stagnant and lifeless. What are the signs of a good balance?

Rick Bolin (2011), Creative Commons

1. When they don’t need your direction to prepare

Of course, no leader matures beyond the need for continuing education. But over time, apprentices should become increasingly self-sufficient. They should be able to figure out the main point of a passage. They should be able to develop good questions. They should be able to launch a study well. They should find greater comfort in studying the word and greater ease in teaching it to others. Your 1-1 meetings should focus more on shepherding the people in the group and less on the mechanics of leading the group.

2. When they don’t need your help to succeed

Of course, no leader matures beyond the need for assistance and feedback. But over time, apprentices should become increasingly effective. They should be able to observe group dynamics and shift their plan according to the needs of the moment. They should be able to hear what people say and ask good follow-up questions. They should have built strong trust with regulars, and they should know how to welcome newcomers. They should model good Bible study skills and teach them to others. Your presence at small group meetings becomes less about helping the apprentice see the obvious and master the basics; it becomes more about observing—so you can later reflect to the apprentice—the extreme or unusual situations.

3. When they don’t need your charisma to inspire

Of course, no leader matures beyond the need for refreshment and reminder. But over time, apprentices should become increasingly self-motivated. And their motivation should increasingly inspire others. They should be able to articulate a clear vision for the group. They should be able to instruct, remind, encourage, and inspire others to Christlikeness. They should rely more on the Lord than on the trainer to relieve their stress, strengthen them with grace, and to move others to action. You can continue coaching, even from afar, but the life of this leader and this group must not depend on your ability to cast a compelling vision.

4. When they don’t need your encouragement to persevere

Of course, no leader matures beyond the need for comfort and encouragement. But over time, apprentices should become tougher and more committed to the cause. They should be able to face some opposition or setbacks without crumbling. They should know to get enough rest and nourishment to enliven them through tiredness. They should know why they believe the Scriptures to be worth studying, so they can press on when it feels tedious. They should find some creativity to freshen up routine, boredom, or persistent unresponsiveness with group members.

5. When they ask for more

I gave this as a sign for when they’re ready to help, and for when they’re ready to lead. I keep it on this list, because it’s so crucial for any training. If your apprentice has no ambition to reach people, grow people, serve people, improve things, influence outcomes, honor God, or move forward—you should ask some hard questions, of both the apprentice and yourself. But when a godly drive for more compels the apprentice to launch a new group, God be praised. His kingdom is not dependent on you, and the Lord of the harvest is sending more laborers to work his fields.

I hope your training has this end in sight: Preparing apprentices to fly on their own. Too few parents have this vision for their kids. Too few supervisors encourage this ambition with their employees. And too many Christian leaders, busy keeping themselves at the center of their ministries, fail to launch more warriors into the foray.

When the time comes, may we find the courage and influence to launch the next generation of leaders.

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Is the KJV the Most Reverent and Majestic Translation?

April 27, 2016 By Peter Krol

A few months ago, I reviewed the excellent Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible (RHKJV). On my study Bible buying guide, that study Bible tied for a close second place as one of the study Bibles that promotes good Bible study skills.

Joel Beeke, who led the editorial team for the RHKJV, wrote a short article in 2008 with “Practical Reasons for Retaining the KJV” translation. Though Beeke doesn’t take an extreme (KJV-only) position, Mark Ward recently wrote a response to Beeke’s points, explaining why modern translations are more helpful for modern people.

If you’ve ever wondered whether we should keep the KJV because it was the “standard English translation” for so long, or because it sounds more majestic and reverent than modern translations, you’ll want to see what Ward has to say. I stand by my recommendation of the RHKJV, but I retain significant caution with the elephant within (the archaic translation).

Check it out!

Disclaimer: My son, if thou wilt receive my words and click my Amazon links with thine own right hand, thou shalt supply an odour of a sweet smell when a commission from thy purchases provideth this blog with new tablets of stone upon which to engrave its writings. Blessed be ye of the Lord. But I say unto all which clicketh not: Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice?

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Women in the Church: Great, But Technical

April 22, 2016 By Peter Krol

Sometimes we need to read larger chunks of the Bible more quickly. And sometimes we need to drill down into a single chapter or verse. Either way, our goal is to understand clearly what God has spoken, so we can know him and live for his good pleasure.

Because too much study of verses-in-isolation can give us a mistaken picture of God’s intentions, my interest lies more with the first, broad type of reading. But I’m also committed to regularly studying small portions of text, in context, to gain deeper insight into the big picture. To that end, I was delighted to receive from Crossway a review copy of Women in the Church (3rd Edition): An Interpretation and Application of 1 Timothy 2:9-15 in exchange for an honest review.

And this book goes deep. The subtitle deceives, as this book is really about not the paragraph of 1 Timothy 2:9-15, but the lone controversial verse of 1 Timothy 2:12: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.” Though parts of the book look at the paragraph – and even the full chapter – to explain the passage’s logic, the book targets verse 12 as the chief subject. Beyond that, one chapter of Women in the Church examines, nearly exhaustively, the lone Greek word behind the English phrase “exercise authority.” So after discussing the cultural context of first-century Ephesus, the contributors move from the word “exercise authority,” to the phrase “teach or exercise authority,” to the sentence, to the paragraph, to the chapter, to contemporary non-Western cultural applications, and finally to a virtual round table discussion about contemporary Western-culture applications.

As I said, this book goes deep. The material is thorough and exhaustive. The controversial verse gets tackled from almost every direction. I benefited greatly from this book, and I’m glad to have read it. I highly recommend the book for pastors, scholars, and academically minded Christians familiar with the Bible’s original languages.

However, I can’t recommend it for the average reader for three reasons:

It is long.
It is technical.
It uses much Greek without ever transliterating it. For example, when discussing the word for “exercise authority,” the book never uses authentein. It uses αὐθεντεῖν. If Greek study will play a role in a work of scholarship I prefer this approach; but I admit it makes it difficult for people who don’t know the difference between v and nu.

The contributors try to make the book more accessible in the last chapter, where they interview a panel of pastors and Christian writers about their own church experiences. And this chapter begins exceptionally well:

“Tried-and-true Bible study moves from observation to interpretation to application. In this volume so far, we’ve done plenty of observing and interpreting…But while the detailed efforts at observation and interpretation have clarified the meaning of the passage, many questions remain on the level of significance, that is, with regard to specific points of application in the myriad of contexts in which many of us find ourselves today.”

I couldn’t agree more with this quotation. But unfortunately, the chapter doesn’t follow through on its promise to offer “specific points of application.” The round table discussion remains vaguely general. And in the end, I found it less than satisfying.

With that said, the rest of the book offers careful scholarship on key questions that arise over this passage. Is Paul addressing a specific cultural situation that no longer holds true today? Does “teach or exercise authority” really mean “teach authoritatively”? Is authentein best translated as “assume authority” (NIV) and not as “exercise authority” (ESV) or “have authority” (NKJV, HCSB)? Is the prohibition time-bound, as is the prohibitions on braided hair and jewelry in 1 Tim 2:9? How do we make sense of the many objections to the “traditional” understanding of this verse?

So my feelings on the book are mixed. If you have these burning questions, and you’re not threatened by a technical approach to them, go for it. There is much here for you. But if you just want plain English, you may want to wait for another book that takes this research and adapts it for ordinary folks.

Disclaimer: The Amazon links in this post are affiliate links. Clicking them and buying stuff will help us continue to maintain this blog, at no extra cost to yourself.

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5 Reasons to Read the Entire Bible This Year

April 20, 2016 By Peter Krol

Back in December, Jeff Robinson gave 5 good reasons to read the entire Bible in 2016. How are you doing with your reading plan? Do you think it’s still worth it to read the Bible this year? Let Robinson’s 5 reasons motivate you to press on:

It helps you learn the overarching story of Scripture.
It will improve your ability to interpret and exegete Scripture.
It will keep you habitually in the Bible.
It will ensure you are engaging (and being engaged by) Scripture at least as frequently as you’re engaging other books.
It will force you to navigate those tricky, less traveled roads of Scripture.

Robinson explains each point and gives ideas for how to get started. Though it’s not still January, it’s not too late to get going. Check it out!

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Choose Good Sunday School Materials for Children

April 18, 2016 By Ryan Higginbottom

Sunday school materials for children—they fill the earth as the waters cover the sea. The sheer number of options is dizzying.

Organizations produce these materials using a lot of thought, time, and talent. The illustrations are professionally designed. The coloring pages and craft ideas are creative and instructive. The projects and activities are memorable and moving.

But the core of a Sunday school curriculum is the content. How should churches choose what their children study?

Anonymous, public domain

What’s the Substance?

Below, I’ll argue for the Bible as the cornerstone of a Sunday school curriculum, but there are many other approaches in use.

Moral lessons/examples — We’ve all seen these lessons that don’t quite ring true. Dare to be a Daniel! What are the five smooth stones you need to defeat the Goliath in your life?

Sunday school lessons as moral examples spring from the belief that a child’s behavior is of primary importance. The main lesson each Sunday is either be good, be nice, or be courageous. They treat the Bible as a baptized version of Aesop’s Fables.
Theology — Theology is inescapable when talking about God, but some curricula focus only on theological lessons. Children hear about angels, tongues, baptism, heaven, or the end times, often using extra-Biblical stories or dramas.

Materials like these are often tied to a provincial, denominational approach to Christianity. Parents and elders want the children to grow up and agree with all their theological points, large or small. They want more members of their church or denomination.
Christian life issues — This approach applies a vague Christian morality to common youth concerns. Some churches try to pick “edgy” titles in the hope of attracting teenagers.

Applying the Bible means that Sunday school lessons should land on all the difficult and interesting parts of life. But without a grounding in the Scriptures, to kids these lessons can sound like finger-wagging warnings from adults.

The Bible gives us morality, theology, and practical instruction for life. But a Sunday school curriculum addressing only these topics is incomplete and imbalanced.

Teach Children the Bible

For Christians, the Bible is essential. In it, we learn who God is, what he has done, and what he demands from us. Most importantly, in the Bible we learn the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Church leaders confess the importance of teaching these truths to children. So perhaps it seems obvious to teach children the Bible.

But there is a strong pull, for both children and adults, to move on from the Bible. Whether due to boredom or spiritual dullness, Sunday school lessons are often Bible-adjacent instead of Bible-focused.

Because children need the Bible, they must learn to study the Bible. Any Sunday school program that neglects Bible study skills sends warriors into battle without the sword training they need.

Broad Recommendations

Here’s my big-picture recommendation: Find a Sunday school curriculum that points children to the Bible and trains them to study it. The material you choose should accomplish this in age-sensitive ways.

In early elementary school, children are ready to observe and ask interpretive questions. Sunday school materials can provide structure to develop these skills. Patient teachers can guide the children toward the main point of a passage and help them to apply it.

In late elementary school, children should be able to go through the OIA process themselves. They might benefit from worksheets or Sunday school supplements, but this age group is ready for full-fledged Bible study. The emotions and changes in their lives provide plenty of opportunities for application.

Middle school students might not need a curriculum at all. Churches can invest those Sunday school dollars into Bibles for the children. Tell them to bring a notebook and pen on Sunday morning and show them how to study the Bible.

As you look for material for children’s Sunday school, make sure the kids take long drinks from the Bible. And as they get the Bible, make sure they learn how to study it themselves. Training the children with these skills is a sure way to build a Bible study culture in your church.

Here are two follow-up links: our resource page for teaching Bible study to children, and a review of an Advent family devotional and classroom curriculum.

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Listen to the Best Interpreter

April 15, 2016 By Peter Krol

This is a guest post by Zack Gugenheim. Zack lives in Lewisburg, PA with his wife Heather and their two children. Since 2008, he has ministered with DiscipleMakers, training students in bible study, evangelism, and discipleship. He is the lead campus staff at Bucknell University. You can follow his blog at Escape Escapism, or find him on Facebook. If you’d like to write a guest post for Knowable Word, please see our guidelines.

I was going to be the best. As a college student, I wanted to know God’s Word, and I wanted to interpret the Word well—and I wanted everyone to know it. Though God was working in many people, He was obviously working in me more! I expected people would see me as a deep thinker with an influential voice. What I didn’t expect, however, was that, during Bible study, I would find a better interpreter.

At our meeting we studied Matthew 13. In the chapter, great crowds gather to Jesus, and he tells of a sower who sows seed. Four soils each produce a result. Three yield no fruit, but the fourth yields lots of fruit!

As a proud, young, Christian, I of course knew the parable. But my greatest surprise came at what Jesus told His disciples afterwards:

Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom… (Matt 13:18-19a)

Jesus explains the parable. The sower sows the seed of God’s Word. And the soils? They represent people who hear the Word. At this point, the Bible study leader remarked, “Do you realize that as we interpret the Bible, the Bible is actually interpreting you?”

Ed Yourdon (2008), Creative Commons

I was in shock. I wanted to prove myself as a great Bible interpreter. But I hadn’t yet realized that the best interpreter in the room was the Word itself. It exposed my hard heart, and it revealed my lack of fruit. My invulnerability, pride, and self-centeredness were in the open. God’s Word had found me out, as it always does.

Now, of course we want to observe, interpret, and apply. We should be good students of the Word. But we must remember it isn’t a one-way street. We need more than good scholarship; we need exposure. As we look at God’s Word, it’s being sown in our hearts. And our response to that Word reveals what kind of people we are.

Can a book know us better than we know ourselves? The book God wrote can, and exposure produces change in us. Consider Hebrews 4:11-13:

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Imagine that. The world’s sharpest sword pierces your heart; it sees and understands all your thoughts and intentions. And nothing is hidden from God. You are naked and exposed. Why? So you may strive to enter that rest. In other words, only exposed people will cling to the cross of Christ.

So, as you interpret God’s Word, have you considered how it’s exposing you? Or do you hide behind facts, theology, or pride? Do your applications penetrate the surface of your life? Is God’s Word showing you where you are weak?

Let’s interpret God’s Word well. But as we do, let’s remember that this Word is always the best interpreter in the room.

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