Online resources to help you study: maps, charts, outlines, key words, etc. On this one page, you’ll find links to websites and Bible study software.
16 things to do while your Bible study is on break
Is your Bible study on break for the holidays? Many studies end before Thanksgiving and don’t resume until January. What can you do over break to stay in the Word? Here are some good ideas.
Bible Study 101: Learn to Study the Bible
Now is a great time to improve your Bible study skills. Follow this series to learn how to study the Bible, where to find the tools you need to study and how to use them.
“Has God said?” The role of personal revelation in Bible teaching
You’ve probably heard a teacher, pastor or preacher say something to the effect “and then God told me.” What’s up with that? What role does personal experience and/or personal revelation play in Bible study? For me, the bottom line is: Scripture takes precedence over emotions and experience; and teachers ought to strive for accuracy and precision in their language. Here are the guidelines I use when teaching.
Interpreting Narratives
Narratives are true stories. Over 40% of the Old Testament Scriptures are narratives. Generally, the purpose of a biblical narrative is to show the Lord at work in His creation. Every genre found in the Bible presents unique challenges for understanding. Narratives are no exception. With narratives we think in scenes, plot and character, rather than paragraphs and outlines.
Understanding prophecy
Studying biblical prophecy is an often overwhelming task. Much of it is written in Hebrew poetry. The names and places are foreign, and the metaphors don’t always resonate with our modern ears. Yet we can usually understand the main point. If studying an Old Testament prophet overwhelms you, here are some tips to get you started.
How to format teaching notes
Ultimately, how you handle your speaking notes will depend on personal preference. As you experiment, here are some ideas that may help you find your style and prepare like a pro.
Read through the Bible
Have you decided to read through the Bible as one of your New Year’s Resolutions? Here’s a great selection of plans to help you keep that resolution.
Interpreting Epistles
Every genre found in the Bible presents unique challenges for understanding. Here are guidelines for studying epistles.
How NOT to interpret the Bible: don’t ‘think twice’
One of the most common mistakes in interpreting the Bible is riffing on a particular word or phrase at the expense of context. No one thinks they fall into this trap and yet, if you listen for it, you’ll hear it everywhere.
The Hebrew Calendar
When studying the Old Testament, dates can be a source of confusion, especially when they switch between the Jewish name and the Babylonian name in the same story. Here are my reference tables. Jewish Feasts For more information see: Hebrew4Christians Passover (Pesach) – Nisan Unleavened Bread (Chag Hamotzi) – Nisan First Fruits (Yom habikkurim) – […]
Bible Maps, Charts & Tools
Without the proper tools, your ability to do great Bible study is limited. On this one page, you’ll find links to websites, maps, charts, overviews, outlines, timelines encyclopedias, concordances and tips on how to use them.
Bible Study Basic Tools
If you’re building a building a bible study library, here are the basic tools you need.
Becoming a Bible teacher
So you’d like to teach the Bible? How do you get started? How do you decide if Bible teaching is your calling? Here’s my advice for aspiring teachers.
Read through the Bible 2015
Have you decided to read through the Bible as one of your New Year’s Resolutions? Need a plan to help you keep that resolution? The Ligonier Ministries Blog complied a great list of different charts and plans to read through the Bible in a year. Here’s a sample of plans in their collection. Most are […]
