Remember the adage about a fish?
“Give someone a fish and they’ll eat for a day; teach them to fish and they’ll eat for a lifetime.”
I grew up in north Louisiana, where fishing is a way of life. Eating fried catfish that someone else caught is fun and delicious, but eating the one you caught is far better! There’s a satisfaction that comes with knowing you fed yourself and knowing you have the ability to do it again.
And while that idea may be important for fishing, it’s an immeasurably more important concept for how people encounter God’s Word. I depended on others to catch and serve me for many years. Learning to feed myself has been life-changing for me.
As a church leader, the essential question is: are you merely providing your congregation with Biblical truth, or are you teaching them how to seek it out for themselves? Are you spoon-feeding them the occasional meal, or are you helping them engage with the Bible on their own every day?
Yes, it takes a bit longer to equip your people with the tools they need to truly study for themselves, but what an exciting gift it is to pass on the skills of Bible study that help a Christian grow for a lifetime. It’s one thing to be fed by your church on Sundays. The gathering of God’s people is critically important! But it’s far greater to know how to feed yourself God’s truth Monday through Saturday. With that in mind, here’s a reminder of five critical skills your people need and one tool you can use to help them learn how to study the Bible independently.
Identify Key Genres
The Bible is inspired–every word comes directly from the Holy Spirit. However, the Bible also contains the personalities and styles of human authors. They wrote in different genres and in different times. Understanding these genres–narrative, poetry, proverb, prophecy, letter, apocalypse–helps the Bible resonate more in our lives.
Do your people know the distinctions between each Biblical genre?
Analyzing the Context
To understand the Bible fully, we must consider the context of each book and story. This knowledge is gained by studying the origins of the words and the circumstances surrounding the books, by exploring the cultural background of the Bible—or the “cultural context”—and through the “interpretive context,” learning from those who have previously studied and taught the Bible.
Are your people equipped to analyze the context of what they read in the Bible?
Performing a Word Study
The Bible was not written in English, so connecting the dots between our language and the original language of the Bible is crucial. A word study in the Bible involves taking a specific word from Scripture and exploring its original meaning, usage, and context to better comprehend what the biblical authors—and ultimately God—intended. It’s like zooming in on a single word to uncover its richness, nuance, and significance throughout the Bible.
Do your people know how to find the meanings of the words they read in the Bible?
Tracing Theological Themes
Tracing theological themes in the Bible is the practice of following a significant idea—like covenant, kingdom, presence, holiness, grace, or justice—from Genesis to Revelation to see how that theme develops, deepens, and connects across the whole story of Scripture.
Think of it like following a golden thread that runs through the Bible’s tapestry. Instead of zooming in on one word (like in a word study), you’re zooming out to see how big-picture truths unfold across time, authors, and genres.
Can your people identify the major theological themes they encounter in the Bible?
Applying the Meaning
Application in our Bible study helps us connect the truths of the text to the needs of our hearts and lives. Just as there are correct and incorrect ways to take medications, we can also apply the Bible in both right and wrong ways. Applying Scripture means taking what the Bible says and living it out in real, tangible, everyday ways. It’s the step where you move from just knowing or understanding what a passage means to actually doing something about it.
Do your people know how to rightly apply God’s Word?
The Bible is the most beautiful book ever written. Within its pages, we encounter Jesus, and through the Word, He speaks to us. If the answer to any of the questions above is “no,” let’s assist your people in learning to fish for themselves! I’ve collaborated with Rooted Network to create a resource called How to Study the Bible, aimed at helping others develop the skills necessary to understand God’s Word. It’s designed for group use, teaching and practicing the skills I’ve mentioned, and more. You can download a free sample here. I’m praying it will help you assist your people in learning, personally, how to enjoy the Bible and hear from God.
The post Monday-Ready: Training Church Members to Engage the Bible Every Day appeared first on Church Answers.
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