Bible Study | Knowable Word

Teach Bible Study to a 4-Year-Old

June 7, 2013 By Peter Krol

OIA Bible study works for anyone of any age, because it simply codifies how all communication works. In another post, I gave some tips for teaching it to 2-year-old children. Now we graduate up to the 4-year-olds.

I’ve taught the 4-5 year-old Sunday school class at my church for over a year now. I’m delighted by how much these kids can understand. When class goes poorly, I’m tempted to blame the kids (“boy, they were really wound up this week!”). But often, the class falters because I’ve failed to communicate the exciting drama of God’s Word.

When has the class been most successful? Here’s what I’ve learned.

1. Read the Bible

Children’s story Bibles are great (some of them, at least). They’re the training wheels that help the kids get started. I really respect The Jesus Storybook Bible and The Gospel Story Bible for 4-year-olds.

But always, always, always read the Bible as well.

I’m tempted to think they won’t get it. But they get it when we explain it (see #3 below).

I’m also tempted to think they don’t have the attention span for it, and I need to read a “condensed” version of the story. But, for example, the tower of Babel story in Genesis 11 has 222 words in the ESV. The Gospel Story Bible uses almost 450 words for this story, and The Jesus Storybook Bible has over 530. Which one is more likely to push the limits of the children’s focus?

2. Situate the Text

One goal is to get the children comfortable with the Bible. So, every week in Sunday school, we discuss what book of the Bible the story comes from.

Then we sing two songs – one for the Old Testament book titles, and one for the New. The children raise their hands during the song when we get to the book that contains this week’s story. It’s a treasure hunt, encouraging them to sing along and listen carefully.

In this way, the children have memorized all the books of the Bible, and they’ve become comfortable with the basic arrangement of books.

3. Clarify the Point

This point may have the greatest effect on the quality of my class.

Some of our best classes covered unusual topics like the temple or Nehemiah building the walls of Jerusalem. Other highlights covered more familiar stories like baby Jesus and the shepherds, Elijah on Mount Carmel, or Daniel in the lions’ den.

But there was a common thread running through each successful class: I understood and was clear on the point of the Bible story.

Certainly the stories themselves have great value. We need to know our family’s history. We must pickle in the tales of their ups and downs.

But the stories are all there for a reason. God wants to introduce these 4-year-olds to the Hero of the story. He exposes their need for a Hero. And he satisfies their desire for a Hero.

These kids keep me honest. They won’t let me get away with a dumb answer. They’ll keep asking “why?” until I start to make sense. Good for them.

4. Focus on Jesus

He is the Hero. The whole Bible is about him. Any Bible class that doesn’t climax with Jesus is a failure.

These kids don’t need to be able to win Bible Quiz bowls. They don’t need to be good kids.

They need to trust in Jesus as their only hope for life. Let’s help them get there.

5. Visualize the Story

Visualization helps the children to exercise their observation muscles. We can put ourselves into the story and relate to the characters when we see what it was like for them.

We can show illustrations. We can use flannel figures. We can ask questions.

Building the walls of Jerusalem

In our class, we like to act the story out. It gets us up and moving around. Sometimes we get a little rowdy, but that’s okay. If we run out of main characters, children get to play the parts of trees, chairs, rivers, or lions. We’ve built towers to the ceiling, and we’ve struck rocks to get water.

These little ones are precious to the Lord. He wants to know them. Will you help?

UPDATE: This post actually focuses on teaching children the Bible. For more help teaching them Bible study, see the next post.

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What Materials Do You Use?

May 31, 2013 By Peter Krol

I serve with an organization that focuses on discipleship. When people hear our vision for training college students to mature in faith and impart it to others who can teach others (2 Tim 2:1-2), one question inevitably hijacks the conversation.

So what materials do you use?

Mars Hill Church Olympia (2012), Creative Commons

I struggle to answer this question because it often comes with a wagon-load of assumptions.

To many people, “discipleship” means having a program of instruction.
A program of instruction requires manuals and/or participant workbooks.
Therefore, those who succeed at “discipleship” must have some excellent “materials” that others could benefit from.

I disappoint terribly when I respond, “Our main materials are the books of the Bible.”

I really don’t intend any disrespect by it, so I usually begin by listing a few books we’ve found to be helpful. But I always drive that train right back to the station of Scripture. Sometimes blank looks are my reward.

The Benefits of Good Materials

Study guides, Bible study workbooks, leaders manuals, and classroom curricula all have a role in Christian education. Their role is like the role of a tee in Little League baseball.

A tee is the first guidepost for a child learning to play the sport. It assures the child that he can hit the ball without fearing it will hit him. It defines where to stand, where to swing the bat, and when to run. It’s a good friend and capable mentor.

As the athlete develops, the tee endures as a tool. Even the pros use tees to help them perfect the mechanics of batting.

The tee is not part of the big game, however. The tee trains and refines, but it also launches players into the real thing.

In the same way, we need good materials to show us the way. Young Christians can practice the basic mechanics of Bible study with a good guide. Leaders can gain confidence when they have a structure already provided. Mature believers can fine-tune their understanding of Scripture and stay connected with their generation by checking the insights of others.

But the materials are not the meat.

The Dangers of Good Materials

We unintentionally communicate that the Bible is not enough to grow a Christian (or to introduce someone to Christ).
We rely on the “experts” and don’t learn to think for ourselves.
We go to study guides too quickly, and short-circuit our understanding of a passage.
We assume we can’t learn how to study the Bible ourselves.
At worst, we enable a culture of study guide addiction in the church and enforce a priestly layer of materials mediation between people and God.

A Vision for Good Materials

I know it might sound hypocritical, as I’m writing materials on the dangers of materials. There’s something in there that could sound self-contradictory.

But my goal is to provide materials that train people not to need more materials – at least as the substance of their walk with God. The best materials will remain supplemental.

Imagine if your small group wanted to do a study of marriage and their first idea was to study the Song of Solomon together.

Imagine if you asked people for advice about a parenting struggle and they pulled out their Bibles to answer the issue.

Imagine if your congregation’s debate over the church budget was driven by people quoting verses about godly money management.

Imagine if all the core members of your church invited their neighbors to discussion groups in their homes about one of the Gospels.

Discussing a book or following a program isn’t wrong. It’s quite useful if it hits the target.

But doing it all the time is like going to the shooting range with a Nerf gun.

What Saving Private Ryan Taught Me about Bible Study

May 17, 2013 By Peter Krol

In Steven Spielberg’s World War II film Saving Private Ryan, a team of soldiers receives orders to penetrate Nazi lines, find an American paratrooper (Private James Ryan), and bring him out. The team’s commander selects six men from his own company, and one from another company, for the mission.

The outsider is Corporal Upham, a clerk fluent in both French and German, who will help the team with communication along the way. Upham initially resists the call because he has worked behind a desk for the entirety of the war. He hasn’t fired a weapon since basic training. He is not free to choose, however; he must join the team.

For skirmish after skirmish, Upham cowers behind boulders and trees until the fighting wanes. He interacts freely with French civilians and Nazi prisoners of war, but he refuses to fight. Fear crushes action, and despair dislodges duty.

Near the film’s climax, Upham comes face-to-face with a German warrior. Ammunition belts hang from Upham’s shoulders like a priest’s vestments. His loaded rifle is in hand. His knife sits strapped to his hip.

Yet he falls to the ground in quailing terror. He doesn’t even pull the trigger.

The German saunters past Upham, smirking, after killing Upham’s comrades. The enemy proceeds, threatening, but leaves Upham to bathe in his filthy cowardice.

Caution: this clip has gruesome violence.

While not necessarily sharing Upham’s spinelessness, many Christians share his inaction when it comes to firing their weapon.

The sword of the Spirit – the Word of God, the Bible – pierces hearts and slays sinners (Eph 6:17, Heb 4:12-13). This divine scalpel cuts away cancerous thoughts and beliefs and transplants them with healthy ones (Rom 12:1-2). This heavenly blowgun discharges profitable projectiles that not only penetrate but also persuade their victims to perform good works with complete competence (2 Tim 3:16-17).

This bloodstained blade strikes down nations and promotes the benevolent yet unyielding sovereignty of the one who is himself the Word of God (Rev 19:11-16). His fury is unquenchable, but his salvation is unstoppable (Rom 1:16-17).

Fire your weapon, soldier.

The average American household has 4.4 Bibles within its walls. More English translations exist than ever before. The Internet and mobile devices make God’s Word far more accessible than a permit to carry a concealed weapon used to be.

Learn to use your Bible. Learn to wield it with skill. Don’t hang it around your neck. Don’t mount it on the wall. Don’t waste valuable space on your bookshelf with it.

Remember, workbooks or Bible study guides are like training wheels, helping you practice the basic mechanics. But the time comes when you have to pop them off and let loose and just keep pedaling. Are you ready?

Question: What prevents you from studying your Bible as much as you’d like?

You are Now Approved to Study the Bible

April 6, 2013 By Peter Krol

Sometimes people don’t study the Bible because they feel unqualified. I’m here to tell you that you’re ready. You’ve graduated. You’re accepted for the position.

I just finished a 41-part series on how to study the Bible, but that’s not the source of your credentials. Your qualifications go much deeper. Consider Paul’s exhortation to Timothy.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15, ESV).

Observe Paul’s command: “present yourself to God as one approved.” The main verb is “present,” not “approve.” We make all kinds of mistakes when we get this wrong.

Mistake #1: Present yourself to God to get his approval.

Sometimes we think we need to be qualified before we can approach the Lord (even through Bible study). Paul says you’ve already been approved, so present yourself accordingly.

Mistake #2: Fail to present yourself, fearing God’s disapproval.

This mistake is the ugly stepchild of the first one. Sinners who think they need God’s approval eventually stop trying to get it. They keep failing, so they give up.

Mistake #3: Present yourself to men as one approved.

This is the classic mistake of religious people. We think that if others respect and appreciate us, we must have arrived. Either we seek people’s approval, or we act superior as those already approved. In either case, we focus on the wrong thing – ourselves.

Mistake #4: Present others to God as one approved.

We make this mistake when we find our worth in the success of those we lead. The Judaizers in Galatia were guilty of this error (Gal 6:13), as am I. Every week in my 5-and-6-year-old Sunday school class, we sing a song with the names of the books of the Bible. Subsequently, parents express amazement at how well their children know all the books. It must mean I’m a great teacher, which must mean I’m gaining God’s approval for my service…

The Challenge: Present yourself to God as one approved.

You don’t need to get approved. You are approved. Notice what Paul wrote to Timothy earlier in the chapter:

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim 2:1).

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel (2 Tim 2:8).
[The elect] may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory (2 Tim 2:10).

Remind them of these things (2 Tim 2:14).

Paul repeatedly draws attention to the fact that we can’t earn God’s approval. Our reconciliation with God is initiated by grace, accomplished by Jesus’ death and resurrection, and accompanied by eternal glory. Timothy must constantly remind his people of these things.

He must constantly remind himself. We must remind ourselves. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved.” It’s hard work to remember these things.

So I remind you. Don’t study the Bible to get approved. Study it because you’re already approved.

Jesus died and rose for you to qualify you for a position close to God. Now, do your best to remember it. As you remember it, you’ll be ready handle the word of truth rightly because you’ll see this message of grace on every page.

Miss the message of grace, and you’ll no longer handle the word rightly. But if you trust in Christ you’re still approved, so you can keep trying each day to get it right.

See How to Study the Bible for help along the way.

3 Tips for Healthy Correlation, Part 2

March 29, 2013 By Peter Krol

Yesterday, I gave the first tip for healthy correlation. Here are the last two.

2. Don’t just harmonize; rather illuminate

In former generations, it was all the rage in Bible circles to harmonize parallel passages. A teacher would take a story like the feeding of the 5,000 in Matthew 14, Mark 6, Luke 9, and John 6, and he’d “re-write” the story using details from all four accounts. Then he’d preach or comment on the harmonized text, and not on any one of the original texts.

If you like old commentaries, you know what I mean. John Calvin didn’t write any commentaries on Matthew, Mark, or Luke. He just wrote one commentary on the “Harmony of the Gospels” and another one on John.

Unfortunately, this approach misses the fact that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all had different points to make, even when recounting the same event. This goes for Samuel, Kings and Chronicles as well. And Kings and Isaiah. And Leviticus and Deuteronomy, for that matter (with respect to laws, not events).

Here’s what’s good, though: sometimes other passages can help to illuminate the passage under study. For example, Genesis 15:7-21 doesn’t make a lot of sense to modern readers without help from Jeremiah 34:18-20. Ancient readers were familiar with the ritual; we are not.

3. Don’t connect words; connect ideas

Word studies are even more popular than donuts and coffee when it comes to Bible study. With the advent of internet search engines it’s easier than ever to look up every instance of a particular word or phrase and string them together.

The problem is that a word’s meaning isn’t in the word itself but in its use in the sentence. For example, what does the word “mean” mean? Does it have to do with defining something? Or is it a person with a bad temper? Or is it the average of a set of numbers? Or a lack of some sort? Or is it just hip slang for “great,” as in “she cooks a mean casserole.”

We can know the answer only when we see the word in context.

I just Googled the phrase “run for the border.” In the top 7 hits I got a seedy hotel, a marathon, a 3.5-mile race, a “Mexican” fast-food restaurant, a hedgehog in a sweater, a country music album, and a book about immigration control. Now if I did a “word study” that combined all these uses into one unified meaning, I could probably make some big bucks off it.

Word-connections can be very helpful when it comes to people or place names (for example, if you’re reading Philippians, you might search for “Philippi” to get more background on it from Acts). But for general vocabulary? Not so good.

Here’s a better way forward. Study each passage in context and grasp its main point. Then look for other passages that address a similar topic or idea. Then connect them to get a full picture of the idea.

As you correlate, correlate well. And build your understanding of God’s Knowable Word. As you do, you’ll grow closer to the Lord himself, day after day after day, world without end, amen.

3 Tips for Healthy Correlation, Part 1

March 28, 2013 By Peter Krol

Correlation is the process of connecting Bible passages into a systematic theology or worldview. Correlation could also be described as topical (some might say “deductive”) Bible study.

Correlation is not the same thing as cross-referencing. Cross-referencing is what we do when we surf the Bible as though it were YouTube. We read one passage, which makes us think of another one, which makes us think of another one, which makes us think of another one, which makes us think of another one, world without end, amen.

Unfortunately, cross-referencing rarely produces much insight into any of the texts. It certainly takes a lot of time, which produces some satisfaction. But it doesn’t help us to know God. It’s like speed-dating, giving the impression of activity without much intimacy.

How do we correlate effectively while avoiding the dangers of unhelpful cross-referencing?

1. Don’t correlate too soon; understand each passage first

When I study the Bible, and I feel stuck (the meaning isn’t coming to me as quickly or intuitively as I’d prefer), it’s easy to stare at that center column in my Bible and start flipping. But I’m in danger of making an unhelpful connection.

When I feel stuck, the answer is usually to go back and observe better. Or to think of a few more questions. By all means, I should have a guess at the main point before I attempt any connections to other passages.

For example, one of my study Bibles has a cross-reference on Luke 2:1 that takes me to Matthew 24:14. So there’s a connection between “the entire Roman world” in Luke 2:1, NIV and “this gospel will be preached in the whole world” in Matt 24:14, NIV. Perhaps that means that Matthew is talking only of Rome? Or is Luke showing us how Jesus paves the way for the kingdom to expand?

None of these questions are necessarily bad or incorrect, but they will take us away from what Matthew and Luke want to communicate. Let’s not get distracted.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the other two tips.

Correlation: Understanding the Whole Bible

March 22, 2013 By Peter Krol

The Bible consists of 66 different books, written by dozens of people across millennia.

The Bible is one book, written by one author (God the Holy Spirit), conceived in eternity and executed in history.

Both statements are true. In the Bible, unity and diversity co-exist, just like in the Trinity and in the Church. So we must be fair to both.

When we talk about OIA Bible study (Observation, Interpretation, Application), we focus primarily on the diversity of Scripture. Each author of each passage has a unique point to make. We read each text in its context to figure out its main point, connect it to Jesus, and draw applications for today. We’ll get something different out of each passage. Different cultures and different generations will draw different applications from the same main points. That’s okay; in fact it’s beautiful when we see God’s Knowable Word connecting with any person in any culture at any time.

It’s important, however, not to neglect the unity of the Scripture. God the Holy Spirit spoke through each of those different authors. He strategically unravelled the stories and the laws and the poems and the letters in just the right way to reveal the Lord Jesus to the world.

After studying a passage of Scripture, it’s important that we connect what we learned to the rest of Scripture. We call this process Correlation.

For example, Luke 2 teaches about God’s plan to rescue the lowly and rule them graciously through the birth of his Son. But it’s not the only passage that speaks of his rescue or rule. It’s not the only passage that speaks of Jesus’ humanity. In fact, if we treat Luke 2 as though it has the whole truth about Jesus’ embodiment, we’ll come away with a pretty thin perspective.

We’d miss the fact that God wants to be with us (Matt 1:21-23). We’d miss out on the beautiful imagery of God’s residence in the temple: God’s altar, light, water, bread, incense, and private chamber (Exodus 25-40). We’d miss the point that Jesus’ humble birth prepares him for his gruesome death (John 12:27). We’d think that imaging him simply means going to be where people are; we’d miss the corresponding need to call them away from what they’re doing (Mark 1:16-20).

Stephen understood Correlation when he spoke to the Jewish rulers in Acts 7. He didn’t focus on a single Bible passage, but he connected them all together to show how the religious have always rejected the godly.

The author of Hebrews understood Correlation when he wrote of the intricate connections between priest, temple, and sacrifice – and how the whole system finds its fulfillment in Jesus.

John understood Correlation when he wrote his climactic book of signs (we call it Revelation). He pulled together all the imagery of the Bible into one dense letter written to encourage persecuted believers in the Roman province of Asia. John was so skilled at smooth Correlation that many people miss it today. We tend to read Revelation with internet newspapers as our reference guides, and not in light of the other 65 books of the Bible, as John intended (Rev 1:1-3).

In short, Correlation is the process of constructing a systematic theology from the Scripture. We shouldn’t pit one passage against another. Rather, we work to understand how they fit together. As we do so, we get to know the Lord who made himself known in the Scripture.

My Application

March 15, 2013 By Peter Krol

"Making Pottery" by Lennart Tange (2012), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License

Lennart Tange (2012), Creative Commons

Bible study profits you nothing unless it changes your life by pointing you to Jesus and conforming you to his image. On this blog, we seek to help ordinary people learn to study the Bible. We want you to be like Jesus and to love him more.

To that end, here’s one final post on the topic of application. I’d like to share with you what I’ve learned through my study of Luke 2. I don’t do this to communicate that my applications are in any way perfect. I do this merely to give you an example of what it looks like to “fill in the boxes” of application. You may want to consult the worksheet as you read this post to help you see what it could look like to fill it in.

Peter Krol’s application of LUKE 2:1-21

Main Point: God sent Jesus to be born so he might save the lowly and rule them graciously. This brings him highest glory.

Inward Application: The general idea is that I’m struggling to spend time with my children these days. God has put a lot on my plate, and I’m tempted to let family time be the first thing to fall off my plate. But they are some of the “lowly ones” in my life whom I’m called to care for.

HEAD: I must reject the lie that I have better things to do than play catch, practice memory verses, or wipe little butts. Jesus stooped down to rescue me; he wants me to do the same for the lowly ones in my family.
HANDS: I will block out my daily schedule from 5-7pm for family time. I won’t expect to have any “personal time” until the children are in bed. In the next week, I will ask them to do stuff with me more times than they ask me to do stuff with them.
HEART: I will put off selfishness and put on humility. I will think of my children more than myself. When a child asks me to play a game, I will think about how the Lord Jesus responds to my requests (HINT: he doesn’t make excuses to avoid having to answer me). I will ask the Lord for help to be cheerful when my plan doesn’t work out. I’ll exercise self-control when I feel disappointed or tired.

Outward Application: There’s a guy I disciple who struggles with putting himself in other people’s shoes (in contrast to Jesus, who took on our nature so he could save us). He gets stuck in his own perspective, and he loses influence with people when they feel misunderstood or ignored. This passage can help me to help him.

HEAD: I can point out specific situations where I see people either gaining or losing trust with this person (usually I’m too lazy to take note of specific instances). I can help him to connect the dots between his actions and the consequences of those actions (increased or decreased trust). We can celebrate the victories, and look to Jesus in the failures.
HANDS: As we discuss specific situations, I can ask “what went well, and what could you have done differently?” We can practice listening and conversation skills to help them become more natural.
HEART: Next time we meet, I’ll ask him to label the issues with biblical terms (learning to be quick to listen and slow to speak, learning kindness and tenderheartedness, not thinking of himself too highly). As the issues come to light, we’ll consider how Jesus lowered himself for our sake, and I’ll ask what desires keep him from doing the same. In other words, why does he love his own perspective so much? What does it give him that makes it so hard to give it up?

What do you think? Was I specific enough? Did I remember Jesus?

Be Specific in Your Application

March 8, 2013 By Peter Krol

Bible study is perfect for people like me who fear exposure. We who love to mince words and divert attention feel right at home in some churches because it’s easy to deceive spiritual people with high-minded platitudes.

“How are you today?” “I’m too blessed to be stressed.”

“What did you think of the sermon?” “It was pretty good. I like the pastor. He’s easy to listen to.”

“How would you like to grow this year?” “I don’t pray enough. I need to pray more.”

“I need to love my family.”

“I’d like to be a witness to my coworkers.”

And on and on and on.

We hear God’s Word all the time, but we often respond so generally that we rarely change. But God wants to change specific people in specific ways. So we must be specific in our application.

The Apostle John wrote a letter to churches infiltrated by false teachers. These teachers were slick. They were full of vague platitudes like “We know God” and “We love God’s people,” but something was seriously wrong beneath the surface. True believers were second-guessing themselves and their assurance of eternal life because these teachers claimed to have critical inside knowledge unavailable to the masses.

John tackles the issue head-on at the beginning of the letter:

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8, ESV).

In other words, anyone who refuses to acknowledge that he is a sinner is utterly deceived. There is no fast-track with God that can eliminate sin this side of glory. Anyone who claims otherwise does not live in reality.

But notice which error John exposes next:

If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us (1 John 1:10).

In other words, when confronted with a specific sin, anyone who covers it up, shifts the blame, or denies it calls God a liar. This person does not understand God’s Word.

What is the point?

John says that those who understand God’s Knowable Word will acknowledge two things:

They have sin (as a general fact)
They have sinned (in specific instances)

It’s not enough to trust in Christ to forgive your sin, if you are not willing to ‘fess up to the details.

This means that our application of Scripture must be specific. Platitudes aren’t enough. General principles will go only so far.

What does it mean to apply the Bible specifically?

Point your finger at yourself before you point it at anybody else. You’re not qualified to help others grow in Christ unless you are growing in Christ yourself.
Focus on your heart more than on your behavior. Don’t apply the Bible shallowly. Figure out what you desire or believe, and work to change those desires and beliefs. Don’t worry, your behavior will follow.
Know your next steps. Don’t be satisfied with your application until you’ve identified specific steps you can take to address the issue. When you close the Bible and walk away, what will you do to put the application into practice? How will you remember these lessons in the midst of temptation?
Make progress measurable. How will you know if you did the application or not? “Pray more” is not measurable. Next week, can I ask you if you prayed more? Prayed more than what? How? When?
Put off and put on. Think of application as a process of stopping certain things and starting other things. Put off the old self and put on the new self. Don’t focus on stopping sin without actually replacing it with godliness.
Don’t be lame. It’s easy for application to become mechanical or to miss the point (“tomorrow I’ll set my alarm 10 minutes early and pray…”). Ask others who know you, “what do you think I most need to grow in?” Target those areas. Don’t miss the point of what God wants to do in your life by focusing on irrelevant minutiae.

God’s Knowable Word is a piercing Word. It rips us apart and puts us back together. It identifies exactly what is wrong with the world: me and you. It shows us the solution: Jesus. It gives us hope that we can break the patterns of brokenness and replace them with more life-giving options. Let it speak to the details of your life (Heb 4:12-13).

How to Apply the Bible: Summary

February 22, 2013 By Peter Krol

A few weeks ago I promised that anyone could learn how to apply the Bible to life. Since then, I’ve given a several categories to help flex your application muscles. Today I’d like to pull it all together.

We can apply the Bible in 2 directions and to 3 spheres. Think of these things as a matrix, with the spheres (head, heart, hands) down the left side and the directions (inward, outward) across the top. Here’s a worksheet to help you visualize it.

When you sit down to study the Bible, and you feel stuck in application, use this worksheet to help. Just write a few ideas in each box, and see if you can fill all six.

Here are some tips to help you do so:

Don’t fall into the trap of too much self-centered living. Push your application outward, and consider how you can be more effective at influencing others to know Christ.
Don’t fall into the trap of overly theological application (too much focus on your head). God cares about what you think and believe, but he also cares about your character and obedience.
Don’t fall into the trap of overly ethical application (too much focus on your hands). God cares about what you do, but he also cares about your thinking and character.
Don’t fall into the trap of overly pietistic application (too much focus on your heart). God cares about who you are, but it should flow out to your thinking and obedience as well.

Finally, here are some positive suggestions:

Remember Jesus Christ,risen from the dead (2 Tim 2:8). Your application will fall to pieces if it’s about you and your strength to produce change. Only the resurrection power of Jesus, put within you by his Holy Spirit, can make any difference in your life.
Get specific. Your application will flutter about in the wind of life if you don’t nail down details. Don’t settle for broad principles; make concrete action steps.

I’ll expand on these last two tips in the next few weeks.

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