4-Step Bible Study
Introduction
Some people think it requires brains to learn how to study the Bible. It doesn't—It requires patience. As you read the 4-Steps for studying the Bible, don't require yourself to understand them right away. Just read them, and let them begin to seep in.
Then as you look at the examples, your goal is not to get through the example. Your goal is to look at a part of the example and see if that part makes sense. Then sample another part. Don't rush yourself. You will learn best if you see a portion of an example, have time to digest it, then come back for another exposure. Believe it or not, during the time you are not thinking about the example is when most of the learning takes place.
The only thing required to learn how to study the Bible is patience to not have to understand everything right now and curiosity to keep returning to the examples until enough things make sense that you want to give it a try. As more questions come up, patiently look at additional examples. Give them time to sink in and most of your questions will be answered. If you get stuck, write us, and Denise or I will help you get unstuck. But don't let anyone tell you it takes brains to learn how to study the Bible. All it takes is patience.
Take a look at the 4-Steps for studying the Bible below, and notice how they are applied in the 3 examples that follow.
Some people think it requires brains to learn how to study the Bible. It doesn't—It requires patience. As you read the 4-Steps for studying the Bible, don't require yourself to understand them right away. Just read them, and let them begin to seep in.
Then as you look at the examples, your goal is not to get through the example. Your goal is to look at a part of the example and see if that part makes sense. Then sample another part. Don't rush yourself. You will learn best if you see a portion of an example, have time to digest it, then come back for another exposure. Believe it or not, during the time you are not thinking about the example is when most of the learning takes place.
The only thing required to learn how to study the Bible is patience to not have to understand everything right now and curiosity to keep returning to the examples until enough things make sense that you want to give it a try. As more questions come up, patiently look at additional examples. Give them time to sink in and most of your questions will be answered. If you get stuck, write us, and Denise or I will help you get unstuck. But don't let anyone tell you it takes brains to learn how to study the Bible. All it takes is patience.
Take a look at the 4-Steps for studying the Bible below, and notice how they are applied in the 3 examples that follow.
Step 1 - Facts
What do you see in the verse?
What do you see in the verse?
- Write down what you see in the verse.
- Use short phrases.
- It is OK to use same words as are in the verse.
Step 2 - Lessons
What can you learn from the verse?
What can you learn from the verse?
- Write down what you can learn from the verse.
- Is there an example to follow, an idea to believe, or a comfort to accept?
- State it as a principle.
Step 3 - Challenges
Turn each lesson into a question that challenges you.
Turn each lesson into a question that challenges you.
- Take each lesson from Step 2 and turn it into a question.
- Begin the question with something like, "Am I willing to…"
Step 4 - Response
Respond back to God.
Respond back to God.
- Listen to what God might be saying to you through this verse.
- Write down how you respond to what He is saying.
Example (John 11:35)
In the left column below, I wrote all 4-Steps for studying John 11:35, "Jesus wept" (KJV). This is the shortest verse in the Bible. If you want to see how I came up with a particular point in the study, click on the "Explanation." If you want a more complete explanation, click on "More Explanation."
In the left column below, I wrote all 4-Steps for studying John 11:35, "Jesus wept" (KJV). This is the shortest verse in the Bible. If you want to see how I came up with a particular point in the study, click on the "Explanation." If you want a more complete explanation, click on "More Explanation."
Step 1 - Facts
What do you see in the verse?
What do you see in the verse?
- It is talking about Jesus.
- It is saying that Jesus wept.
Step 2 - Lessons
What can you learn from the verse?
What can you learn from the verse?
- Jesus has feelings.
- Jesus knows what it is like to be sad to the point of tears.
Step 3 - Challenges
Turn each lesson into a question that challenges you.
Turn each lesson into a question that challenges you.
- When I pray to God am I willing to approach Him like He has feelings?
- Do I believe that Jesus knows what it feels like to be sad to the point of tears?
Step 4 - Response
Respond back to God.
Respond back to God.
- Father, thank you for being someone who can relate to how I feel. Thank you for being vulnerable to let me know that you feel hurt sometimes.
Example (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
You shouldn't feel the need to come up with a Lesson for each Fact. Normally there are several Facts and only one or two Lessons. In the left column below, I wrote all 4-Steps for studying another verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV).
You shouldn't feel the need to come up with a Lesson for each Fact. Normally there are several Facts and only one or two Lessons. In the left column below, I wrote all 4-Steps for studying another verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV).
Step 1 - Facts
What do you see in the verse?
What do you see in the verse?
- No matter what is going on...
- …we should give thanks.
- It is God's will that we give thanks.
- Christ Jesus has something to do with this.
Step 2 - Lessons
What can you learn from the verse?
What can you learn from the verse?
- It is good for us to give thanks even when things are not going well.
- If I give thanks for things, I can be 100% sure I am doing God's will.
Step 3 - Challenges
Turn each lesson into a question that challenges you.
Turn each lesson into a question that challenges you.
- Am I willing to give thanks for 3 normal things today and for 1 difficult thing today?
- Am I willing to try and do what God wants me to do, even if I don't understand it completely?
Step 4 - Response
Respond back to God.
Respond back to God.
- Father, I know that you want me to get the most out of life and I can see that looking for things to be thankful for, would improve my experience. Help me relax when things are going wrong and look for things I can be thankful for.
Example (Psalm 19:1)
This next Bible verse is Psalm 19:1 (KJV). Every chapter in the book of Psalms is a song the children of Israel would sing. We've lost the melodies they used when singing, but many current day musicians continue the tradition by writing present day music for the words in these verses. At the beginning of many Psalms, like this one, are instructions to the ancient musicians and sometimes a statement about who wrote the Psalm. David wrote this Psalm. It is fine to skip over these instructions when studying the verse. In the left column below, I wrote all 4-Steps for studying this verse and the links to the right explain how I got each point.
This next Bible verse is Psalm 19:1 (KJV). Every chapter in the book of Psalms is a song the children of Israel would sing. We've lost the melodies they used when singing, but many current day musicians continue the tradition by writing present day music for the words in these verses. At the beginning of many Psalms, like this one, are instructions to the ancient musicians and sometimes a statement about who wrote the Psalm. David wrote this Psalm. It is fine to skip over these instructions when studying the verse. In the left column below, I wrote all 4-Steps for studying this verse and the links to the right explain how I got each point.
Step 1 - Facts
What do you see in the verse?
What do you see in the verse?
- He is saying something about the sky.
- Somehow the sky is telling me something about God.
- The sky helps me understand something about how great God is.
- The sky is God's handiwork for us to admire and learn from.
Step 2 - Lessons
What can you learn from the verse?
What can you learn from the verse?
- God is vast and magnificent, virtually limitless.
- God is an artist and appreciates beauty (as seen in a beautiful sunset). He is also very powerful (as seen in a massive storm).
Step 3 - Challenges
Turn each lesson into a question that challenges you.
Turn each lesson into a question that challenges you.
- When I look at the sky, do I see how much God is bigger than my problems?
- When I see a beautiful sunset or an intense storm, do I pause and take in what God is telling me about Himself?
Step 4 - Response
Respond back to God.
Respond back to God.
- Father, you are great and glorious. Thank you for reminding me to not view my problems as being so big in comparison with what you are like and with what it is like to be in your presence.
What's Next?
This page has introduced you to the 4-Steps of Bible study by studying three single verses. If you feel ready to try these steps on a passage of your choosing, I would encourage you to do so. There is nothing more helpful than trying your hand at it. If you would like more detailed help with the Steps or would like to see how these Steps work on longer passages, press the button below. In the next page we will look at Step 1 - Facts in more detail and demonstrate more examples of studying Bible verses using all 4-Steps.
This page has introduced you to the 4-Steps of Bible study by studying three single verses. If you feel ready to try these steps on a passage of your choosing, I would encourage you to do so. There is nothing more helpful than trying your hand at it. If you would like more detailed help with the Steps or would like to see how these Steps work on longer passages, press the button below. In the next page we will look at Step 1 - Facts in more detail and demonstrate more examples of studying Bible verses using all 4-Steps.
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