Three Bible Study Methods for Beginners
Recommendation by Ashley Davis
So you’ve decided to study your Bible on your own! You’re excited! You’ve got the stuff, you’ve got the Bible, you’ve got the want-to… but you suddenly realize you have no idea how to start or what you’re doing! Many of us spend a decent amount of our Bible study time learning from outside resources (maybe even our very own Ladies on Track Bible Studies! ), but there are seasons where we want to dig into God’s Word without the influence of an outside book or guide. We’ve got a few methods to share with you today to help you learn just how to do that!
Method #1 – Notation For Reading Intentionally
This method is great for students looking to read the Bible with intention. Maybe you’ve been reading the Bible for awhile but you often find your thoughts drifting off to your to do list. Or maybe you’ve read it, but you’ve had a hard time following what’s actually going on as you read. With this method, as you read you circle anything God does (so any verb), bracket anything God says, and underline any text that says who He His. If there was something else you wanted to note in the text, you could box that text. I used this method a few years ago when I read through the chronological Bible in 100 days. That was such a fun, fast way to get a big picture of God’s whole story, but I needed a method to help me read with intention. This one did just the trick! This is an easy method to make your own; don’t feel boxed into my idea here! Do your own thing.
Method #2 – Personal Standouts (+ a bonus idea)
While using this method, I usually read a chapter or two of the Bible slowly. I highlight anything that stands out to me in the reading. Sometimes it stands out because I have questions about what a word means or who a person is or even because the text touched my heart in a special way. After highlighting, I go back and read only the highlighted portions a second time. I then use a pen to circle words that seem meaningful to me. I look up definitions of words that I want to explore further and do some searching online or in a commentary app if needed. This is a great time to use the margins in my Bible to make notes for personal reflection or for later use.
Bonus Idea
A bonus idea to use a method like this is to highlight a standout verse from each chapter that you read and write it in a different journal. Imagine if you did this for the whole Bible! You’d have a notebook full of the most impactful verses to you! The verse you choose could be the best one that summarizes the theme of the chapter, or it could be one that had a significant impact on your heart during your reading.
Method #3 – SOAP
The SOAP Method is final the method we’re recommending today! I first heard about SOAP from our friend Cheryl Thornhill over at Purest Treasure Ministries. With this method, you can use the acronym SOAP to help you dive into scripture on your own. First, you choose your Scripture, then you make Observations about the text, next you make some personal Applications, and then you conclude with Prayer. I love the specific prayer aspect of this method. The Word is awesome and serves us well no matter what, but praying through what we’ve studied and learned is where the real heart changes happen. Click to download a pretty digital version of this method to keep on your phone, tablet, or to print out for your prayer journal!
Whichever method or Bible study you use to get into God’s Word, we pray you will grow to spending time with Jesus daily! A consistent walk with him makes all the difference. If you’ve tried before and failed to see progress or consistency in this area, we encourage you to get back up again and go for it! Jesus’s expectation is not perfection. He’s waiting and wanting to meet with you, and he’s happy any time you show up.
