Knowable Word - Bible study help

Bible Study Magazine

May 25, 2016 By Peter Krol

I’ve mentioned it before, but I’m happy to say it again: Bible Study Magazine is just terrific. If you don’t mind print magazines, and you’d like to be challenged more by your time in the word of God, this magazine is well worth the investment.

It publishes 6 issues per year. Each issue focuses on a book of the Bible. Many short articles tackle different issues regarding that book.

For example, the current issue is on the book of Mark. Sample articles deal with:

Why Mark portrays Jesus as hiding his Messianic identity.
Why the disciples are such bumbling ignoramuses in Mark.
How Jesus’ interaction with the legion of demons launches a campaign to reclaim the nations for his glory.
How the demon-possessed boy (Mark 9) helps us understand why some of our prayers go unanswered.

The best part of each issue is this “special section” on a book of the Bible. There are headline articles interviewing famous Bible teachers, but I can take them or leave them. And the suggestions for 8-week Bible studies sometimes get a little tedious and tunnel-vision-ed. But the 10 or 12 one-page articles on Mark (or other featured book) always stimulate and stretch.

Check it out!

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The 3 Laws of Launching New Leaders

May 20, 2016 By Peter Krol

In the life of every Bible study apprentice, there comes a time for independence. A time when trails must be blazed and sunsets must be ridden off into. New small groups must be formed, and new leaders must be set loose to form them. And when this time comes, three laws will inevitably take effect.

The Apprentice Will Not Be Ready

Nobody perfects a skill without first trying and failing. And an apprentice who stays close to the trainer, who is eager and capable to correct every misstep, can’t really fail. The goal, of course, is not merely to fail, but to fail in the right direction. Like major league sluggers, we need to be okay with high volumes of strikeouts. Each one teaches something about timing, bat speed, or pitch count expectations. Few apprentices will ever feel ready to lead their own groups, but that shouldn’t stop them from trying.

The Trainer Will Not Be Ready

Nobody likes to see a protege struggle. No decent Bible teacher wants a short-term decrease in ministry effectiveness. But eyes of faith see dormant glory. This mustard seed will become the greatest of all garden plants. This bit of leaven will penetrate the doughy lump. This jar of clay proclaims the surpassing power of God to grow his church. And this frail limb may eventually become a mighty oak of righteousness.

The World Will Not Be Ready

Do you remember how Hebrews speaks of our faith heroes, that the world was not worthy of them (Heb 11:38)? Then remember also that those folks, though commended, didn’t receive what was promised. God provided something better for us: Jesus, seated at God’s right hand (Heb 12:1-2). But before he took his seat, Jesus committed to sending his Spirit to empower his followers to do greater works than Jesus himself had done (John 14:12-14). So we ought to expect generation upon generation of new heroes who proclaim faith in Christ and trust in no other. The world cannot handle such titans.

In training your Bible study apprentice, perhaps you had a part in shaping one of these heroes.

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Two Kinds of Bible Study

May 19, 2016 By Peter Krol

At her blog Brown Sugar Toast, Christa Threlfall quotes an interview with Kelly Collier to explain two kinds of Bible study: by plow and by trowel. Both kinds should be part of your study diet.

Plow Bible study “moves through large portions of Scripture more quickly, looking for specific themes.” Trowel Bible study is “taking a passage or verse of Scripture and settling in to dig for a long time.” When we write about Bible study at Knowable Word, we normally refer to trowel Bible study. However, we also try to remind you regularly of the need for plow Bible study. For example, see the post on a Bible reading plan for readers.

Threlfall’s/Collier’s explanation of the two types of study will encourage you to press on. Check it out!

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Bible Study Begins With Church Leaders

May 16, 2016 By Ryan Higginbottom

anonymous, public domain

Leaders set the tone. A greedy, money-grabbing CEO will find his employees less than generous. Those who work for a patient, caring boss are likely to follow suit. Like a river into a lake, the culture of an organization flows downhill from the leadership.

Over the past five months, I’ve written about the importance of a Bible study culture within the local church. Today we examine the fount of that culture: the church leaders.

A Call to Prayer

If a healthy Bible study culture begins with church leadership, we should consider this important question: How can we encourage our leaders in their Bible study?

Above all, we should pray. We must plead for our leaders, that they would love God by reading and studying his word.

It’s easy to take this for granted. Surely my pastor studies the Bible; that’s part of his job! But a pastor’s life can quickly fill with meetings, hospital visits, phone calls, and administrative tasks. A pastor can wake up on Friday and realize he’s been “doing ministry” all week without much of a devotional life. Most pastors feel this tension acutely and know their weakness.

Church members can support their pastors by praying! We need our leaders to prize the Bible and give it serious, studious attention. The battle lines are spiritual, and we can pick up arms by folding our hands in prayer.

A Call to Sunday School

Sunday mornings are busy, especially for pastors and elders. But leaders can point to the importance of the Bible by the way they use the Sunday school hour.

Elders are often called to counsel or teach on Sunday morning, and preachers occasionally need before-service time to collect their thoughts. These are important callings.

But, whenever possible, elders should be with their people, learning with and from them. They should participate in the classes, join the discussions, and help people think through and apply God’s word. In this, leaders show they need to learn and that the Bible is as important for them as they say it is for everyone else.

Use the Bible During Elder Meetings

When the elders of the church meet, time is precious. There are events to plan, finances to discuss, requests to consider. Taking 20 minutes to study the Bible might seem like a waste.

It isn’t!! In fact, it might be the best use of your time together.

Studying the Bible brings a purpose and direction that’s hard to match. You see the gospel clearly and you break free from guilt, performance, and a hundred other wrong ideas about relating to God. What could be more important for a leadership meeting than passion for and unity around the most important truths in the world?

Personal Bible Study for Leaders

An elder might attend Sunday school and participate during elder-meeting studies, but what happens at home? Our priorities are revealed in our personal time, so how can we encourage our church leaders to study the Bible in private?

If we know our leaders well enough to converse with them (and we should), the answer is simple: Ask questions and give encouragement.

Ask your elders how you can pray for them. Mention you’d be glad to pray for their devotional life, since consistency and depth can be difficult, especially for leaders. Pray consistently and follow up after a week or two.

Ask your elders what they’re learning in their personal study time. Ask in humility, eager to learn.

Gracious, Christ-like leaders welcome these questions and ask them of each other. They admit to seasons of spiritual dryness and stretches of inattention to the Bible. They are glad for the support, encouragement, and prayers of others in the church.

Persevere in Doing Good

A robust Bible study culture in a church begins with the leaders. With grace, love, and courage, let’s persevere in our prayers and encouragement for them.

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Who Really Wrote The Psalms?

May 13, 2016 By Joel Martin

Who wrote the Psalms? Predominantly King David wrote them. Who spoke the Psalms? The witness of the New Testament is that Jesus is the primary speaker of the Psalms. It’s his voice we should hear as we read the Psalms.

Jesus Spoke The Psalms

When the author of Hebrews read Psalm 22, instead of David, he heard Jesus telling the Father of his intent to be the worship leader for the church: “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” (Heb 2:12)

When Luke read Psalm 31 he knew David wrote it, but the voice that resounded in his ears was Jesus’ voice as he hung on the cross, calling out with a loud voice, saying, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46)

Jesus had grown up hearing Psalm 118. It was written ages ago, but to him the words of Psalm 118 were his words. Psalm 118 was about him, and it expressed his thoughts. So, when rejected by the religious leaders, he spoke the words of Psalm 118 as his own: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes”. (Matt 21:42)

We should hear the voice of Jesus when we read the Psalms. Jesus is the new David who spoke the Psalms, the new worship leader who leads his people through the Psalms in worship (Heb 2:12) and the new David who experienced the more ultimate suffering and victory that his ancient father expressed in his psalms (Matt 22:44).

Reading The Psalms Afresh

This truth has unlocked new treasures in some of my favorite Psalms. If Jesus is the primary speaker of Psalm 20, did you know that his prayer for you is …

May God grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans! (Psalm 20:4)

May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! (Psalm 20:1)

May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! (Psalm 20:1)

May we shout for joy over your salvation! (Psalm 20:5)

Do you ever doubt that Jesus is for you? Does it seem that he has forgotten? I’ve lost loved ones, experienced heart-wrenching break-ups, seen loved ones destroyed by Parkinson’s, seen churches and ministries split because of fighting and pride, and experienced deep loneliness and separation. I’ve wondered if God even cares. Does he pay attention?

The resounding answer is “Yes.” He cares. In fact, right now he is praying for God to grant your heart’s deepest desires. He is praying for an overflowing joy in the very salvation that he bought for you. He is praying that God would protect from trouble. We know God hears his son!

Do you see the power of reading the Psalms with Jesus as the speaker? I encourage you to read the Psalms in a fresh way. See that Jesus is the primary speaker of the Psalms. See that the Psalms are all about Jesus (Luke 24:44).

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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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