Studying the Bible is always important, whether you’re going through difficult times or wonderful times. It’s critical that we sit down and analyze the Bible closely so we can learn more about who God is, gain wisdom, and see and follow Jesus. However, you may struggle with how to get the most out of your Bible studies. This week’s Encounter Church blog post will help you learn more about how to study the Bible in-depth, so you can ensure you’re making the most out of every study session!
Encounter Church offers church services in Denver, including Bible studies. The best part of it all is that we can conduct these meetings using tablets, computers, or phones, so we don’t even have to leave the comfort of our own home to spread the love of Christ!
At Encounter Church, we believe Bible studies are invaluable, as they offer endless benefits, especially during major world events, like a pandemic. We believe that studying the Bible should not only be valuable, but also enjoyable. Read on to learn more about how you can best study the Bible and contact us today to join our non-denominational church in Denver.
What Is a Bible Study?
For those who may be unfamiliar, a bible study is the process of deeply analyzing the Bible and learning God’s word. If you’re a beginner, you may feel intimidated when you look at your Bible — there are about 1,200 pages after all! You may be wondering why you should bother spending your free time “studying” something when you’ve just finished a long day or work or school. Encounter Church believes that Bible studies can help you better understand and interpret Scripture.
Analyzing the Bible has endless benefits, including receiving direction, answered prayers, strengthened faith, wisdom, freedom, and more. This all sounds great, but what if you don’t know where to start? There are lots of opinions on how to correctly (or incorrectly) study the Bible, but we’ve provided some basic guidelines to help you get started.
Start Off With a Prayer
We recommend beginning each study session with a quick prayer. This prayer could include things like thanking God for the opportunity to learn the teachings of His word, or inviting Him to open your heart and teach you through His word.
Break It Down In a Way That Makes Sense to You
A simple way to dive into Bible studies is to break the Bible down into sections that make sense to you, which can help make it more manageable. You can break it down by chapters, verses, paragraphs, words, or however you choose. This is completely up to you, and you should do whatever works best for you. If you are part of a bible study group, you can follow along with their breakdown, too!
Watch Videos That Dissect the Bible or Use Other Tools
Another fun way to make bible studies easier is to watch videos or use other tools that can help you clearly break down the Bible. There are endless videos that break the Bible down and make it easier to understand — you can even search for specific details, such as sermons or chapters!
Other study tools include translations, dictionaries, lexicons, and other resources. These can better help you understand the terminology used in the Bible, as well as help direct you towards the word of God.
You can also invest in a study Bible, which provides you with more information to help you understand the context of your studies.
Make It Fun
At Encounter Church, we believe this recommendation is the most important. During your Bible studies, you should be having fun! There are many ways you can do this, and it all depends on personal preference.
Find colorful pens, sticky notes, or a personalized Bible if that will help you stay organized. Studying the Bible doesn’t have to be boring, in fact, it shouldn’t be! You can choose to color-code your Bible if that’s helpful to you, or you can use acronyms or Bible verse mapping to help you analyze what you just read in a fun, exciting way. Do whatever you need to do to help yourself get excited and have fun with it.
Keep a Journal As You Study
A super helpful and fun way to study the Bible is to keep a separate journal as you study. You can either follow guides about what to include in your journal, or you can decide yourself. Write down your thoughts, feelings, questions, or other ideas about what you just studied. This will help you stay engaged and allow you to get your thoughts out about what you just read.
It can also help you better interpret each passage because it will force you to think a little deeper about what you just read than you might typically think.
Study Where You Can Focus
When you’re engaged in a Bible study, we recommend you go somewhere quiet and comfortable, so you can focus solely on what you’re learning. If you’re at home, get comfortable! Curl up in your PJs with a warm cup of tea, or do whatever you need to do to help yourself focus.
If you’re studying in a group setting, try to minimize distractions. Put your cell phone away and really try to be mindful of your studies, rather than focusing on other things going on. The purpose of Bible study is to not only learn the word of God, but to also benefit yourself, so try to get as much out of each study session as possible.
Join a Bible Study Group
Bible study doesn’t have to be something you do by yourself. Maybe you prefer to have solo study sessions, but you’d like to find a group to discuss what you’ve learned. Encounter Church offers bible studies in the Denver area.
If you’d rather study from the comfort of your own home, set up a Zoom meeting or a FaceTime call and discuss with those in your group!
There is no right or wrong way to study the Bible, as long as you’re keeping an open mind and learning God’s word along the way. Bible study should be something you look forward to, so customize your routine to make it fun!
Spreading the love of Christ is important all the time, but it’s crucial in uncertain times like these. For more information about the events at our non-denominational church or to become a member, reach out to Encounter Church today! We’re excited to help you get involved in the community while spreading the love and teachings of Christ.