How to Study the Bible Seminar!?

1. How to Study the Bible Seminar!? Into Thy Word Ministries Weteach people how to study the Bible in a simple, clear, and concise way, since 1978! www.intothyword.org

2. Read 1 Timothy 1:3-7 • Open in Prayer! • What do you want to get out of this presentation? What are your goals? • Do you realize that if you are a Christian, and have read the entire Bible, you are in the minority? Does this scare you? • How do you feel about your level of Bible understanding?

3. Why should we study the Bible? • Because, to be a growing, effective Christian, we need to get what is in the Bible. • We have to end the apathy, arrogance, confusion, and falsehoods coming out of the church. • We have to stop our self-grandstanding and keep preaching the message of Christ crucified, because it is about Him—not us.

4. Why should we study the Bible? • That way we can take the Wonder Christ has given you and know it! • That way we can take the Wonder Christ has given you and share it with others! • That way you are exposed to wondrous opportunities in encountering Christ even more in order to be better transformed for the work He has for you!

5. Why should we study the Bible? • Be the person who reads and studies God’s Word much, and apply the precepts to all aspects of your life! • We glorify our Lord when we yield ourselves to His precepts, we are giving Him glory which is the primary fruit from studying the Bible!

6. Why should we study the Bible? • We cannot do what He has given when we refuse to yield ourselves to our Lord. • (Prov. 1:7; 3:5: 9:10; John 14-15; Gal. 2:20-21: Phil.1:6; 3:10)!

7. Why should we study the Bible? • The study of the Bible matters! • We must study the Bible because it is the foundation for life. • God even commands us to study His Word as the priority before we do anything else (Deut. 6: 6-9). • Because we are to love Him (Deut. 6:4-5).

8. Why should we study the Bible? • Because Jesus demands we teach others the Word (2 Tim. 3:14-17).   • Because we are to fear, trust, understand, and respect Christ as LORD (Prov. 1:7; 3:5: 9:10)  • As a Christian, we need to live a life of distinction; and the only way to receive the knowledge of that distinction is to get into the Word! 

9. Why should we study the Bible? • We do not want to be “barcode” Christians who do not care what is in the box because only the label matters, or that Christianity is just “fire insurance” from hell!  • We must seek out the truth and the answers that we need from the final authority, and not the ways of the world!

10. Why should we study the Bible? • The point of Christianity is to be a transformed person through self-surrender to our Lord’s holiness, through His Word and prayer! This is what glorifies our Lord (Gal. 2:20-21; Phil 3:1-14)! • He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:30 • REMEMBER: THE BIBLE IS GOD’S LOVE LETTER TO YOU!!!

11. The Main Goal of Bible Study • DON’T JUST INTERPRET IT, BUT… • APPLY IT TO YOUR LIFE!!!  • John 3:5, 30; Gal 2:20-21; Phil. 3:10!

12. The Main Goal of Bible Study • Unfortunately a lot of Christians think that all we have to do is read the Bible, and do what it says, and there is nothing to interpret. • Or they will react against the educated “professional” Christian who is a teacher, scholar or pastor.

13. The Main Goal of Bible Study • They do not want the Bible to be some kind of obscure book they cannot understand. • But what they are in fact doing is reading the Bible without any understanding and making excuses for it and it is very doubtful they are doing what it says! (Of course some scholar’s love to wrap things in confusion!) 

14. The Main Goal of Bible Study • Some Christians have no problems with interpretation, it is the application and obedience that they have trouble with. • We tend to understand the precepts of the Bible so well that we will rationalize them away, such as “do everything without complaining or arguing” (Phil. 2:14). Thus we complain and argue all the time.  

15. The Main Goal of Bible Study • REMEMBER: BE SURE TO INCORPORATE WHAT YOU KNOW INTO YOUR LIFE!!! • “You search the scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me” (John 5:39)

16. The Main Goal of Bible Study • Since the Bible is God’s authoritative Word… • We will spend more time in it! • That is why you are here today?! • Are we prepared to allow the Word of God to get in us and make changes and to transform and renew our minds for His glory? (Romans 12) 

17. Do you struggle with the Bible? • Do you believe that how much you are in the Word will dramatically affect every decision and action that you will ever face and make? • Is the Bible in your home read much, but studied little? Or read little and studied little? Or? • What are you going to do about it?

18. Do you struggle with the Bible? • How does the lack of solid Bible leaders and Bible knowledge produce a weak church, ripe for false teachings and political power plays? • Do you believe that how much you are in the Word will dramatically affect every decision and action that you will ever face and make?

20. Why Inductive Bible Study? • Read Acts 17:11-12: Because we can gain so much more from His Word, precepts and call. • Inductive Bible study is learning how to exegete the Bible for all its worth with our best efforts. • We do this through teaching people the tools and skills to help observe the text, dig out the meaning, and then apply it to their lives.

21. Why Inductive Bible Study? • Inductive simply means to use “logic induction” (reasoning = faith + reason) by examining the particulars, facts and essence of a text first before making any conclusions. • Inductive Bible Study enhances the exegesis (Bible Study) process by enabling us to read the Bible for all its impact, value and significance.

22. Why Inductive Bible Study? • We first examine the ideas and words of the text… • This leads us to the meanings and interpretations… • Then we are led to the conclusions and applications.

23. Why Inductive Bible Study? • We are “interviewing” a passage, we are also allowing His Word to intervene and interview us! • We do this with reverence, respect and humility without our preconceptions or agendas. • Seeking what God is actually saying before we seek what a passage means.

24. Why Inductive Bible Study? • Then we can apply it to our life in a more effective and effectual manner. • In other words… • I want to know Christ and His Word better, to be convicted and impacted so I can line my life up to His.

25. Why Inductive Bible Study? • Because if not, we will have Eisegesis or Isogesis! • This means “to lead in” or “reading into the Scriptures” as in to introduce into the text our own presuppositions, ideas and thoughts while ignoring what is actually there to satisfy our own agendas and opinions.

26. Why Inductive Bible Study? • This is usingourpersonal interpretation or agenda or presupposition, inserting or expressing ones own ideas, bias, seeking what we want it to mean rather than the actual intended meaning of the passage. • This ignores the language, context and culture, leading us to incorrect conclusions, inconsistent understandings and also leads to heresies and false teachings!

27. What is Inductive Bible Study? • Thus, a bad Bible Study method enables us to read into a text what is not there and draw out what God is not saying. • Isogesiscauses us to think this way: In other words, don’t confuse me with the facts; I have already made up my mind, I want to think my way and or lead my life my way not His Way.

28. Why Inductive Bible Study? • Check out: Acts 17:11; 2 Corinthians 4:2; 2 Timothy 2:15 and see how God wants us to study His Word! • Inductive Bible Study is not just for a pastor or Bible Study leader, it is for anyone who wants to know and grow in our Lord.

29. Why Inductive Bible Study? • Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17 • You can do it!

30. Why We Do this?

31. What is Inductive Bible Study? • Inductive Bible study has 3 primary areas: • First is Observation • Second is Interpretation • Third is Application

32. What is Inductive Bible Study? • There are many ways to study the Bible and the best way is that you do it! • There are other common ways to study the Bible and all have their advantages and shortfalls. • Inductive is far the best way to know His Way!

33. First is Observation • This is carefully going over the text to see what is going on, the “who, what, where, when, how, and why.” • This is done by teaching you how to pull out the facts through the nature of Scripture and how to avoid presumptions and fallacies, because God’s Word speaks for itself.

34. Second is Interpretation • This is taking what is said and finding out what does the text mean. • How to interpret literally in the correct context. • That is we never take out of God’s Word what is not there, or read in our will as His.

35. Third is Application • This is taking the plain meaning and putting it to practical use. • This is the, ‘how shall I respond’ to the Word. • What sin to get rid of, what commands to yield too, the pitfalls to avoid, the actions to engage in, and the promises we are to keep.

36. Doing Inductive Bible Study! • Look at the whole text in its context and pulls out facts, interpret, and then apply them to your daily life. • This works as long as the ‘exegete’ (you, draw out and from and not read in) is honest to the text.

37. Doing Inductive Bible Study! • Reading into the Bible ones wills and agenda leads to false teaching! • Reading from the Bible, gleaning what is there in context, leads to glorifying our Lord!

38. Doing Inductive Bible Study! • This is taking the plain meaning and putting it to practical use. • This is the, ‘how shall I respond’ to the Word. What sin to get rid of, what commands to yield too, the pitfalls to avoid, the actions to engage in, and the promises we are to keep.

39. Doing Inductive Bible Study! • At Into Thy Word,’ we have an 8-step process. At the heart, are the 3 steps of Observation, Interpretation, and Application. • Our extra steps are not to be convoluted, but allow you to draw out even more. Because we capitalize on how our minds work, so you get more out of your experience in His Word.

40. What convoluted looks like

41. Doing Inductive Bible Study! • Because of the way our minds naturally work, we expanded the 3 step ‘Inductive’ process into 8 steps. This is done in a logical and systematic way. This is not adding irrelevant information, causing distraction, or making it convoluted, but rather making the process easier and more insightful.

42. Doing Inductive Bible Study! • Our unique process of ‘Into Thy Word’ allows each step to build upon the previous step in a logical and systematic way… • This paves the way for the next step. So you learn more and are able to progress, learn and grow at your own level.

43. Doing Inductive Bible Study! • STEP I: “KNOWING THE KNOWABLE:” BRINGING OUR MIND TO BE RIGHT WITH GOD! • This is about Prayer and Attitude, two essential factors that will enable you to excel if you do, or fail if you do not.

44. Doing Inductive Bible Study! • STEP II: “HOW”: THE METHOD OF GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD • The first two steps is showing you how to start, choosing your text, and how to go about it. • The next 5 steps are the inductive process of observing then learning, then applying it into your life.

45. Doing Inductive Bible Study! • STEP III & III (B): “OBSERVE IT” ASK WHAT DOES IT SAY?! • This has to transpire so we can dig out what is there. • “OBSERVE IT” ASK WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

46. Doing Inductive Bible Study! • Since we naturally interpret and jump to conclusions in our fallen human thinking, we just start the interpretation process, because you are going to do it anyway. • We then place a ‘governor’ to slow you down, without sacrificing your enthusiasm and creativity, so we can do it right.

47. Doing Inductive Bible Study! • STEP IV: “QUESTIONS”: ASK AND LEARN! • We then ask key essential questions to dig out more that we may have missed.

48. Doing Inductive Bible Study! • STEP V: “KNOW IT”! • Then we can really start to make sense and internalize the implications and truth, so it effects who we are at the very ‘existential’ core of our being. • This needs to take place before we can apply it. Because we need to be the people of God in order to do the work of God.

49. Doing Inductive Bible Study! • STEP VI: “APPLICATION”! • We take a careful look on how we can do this with honesty and forethought. And then take on the responsibility to reciprocate, that is telling others! • Then, the last step is taking the previous steps and writing it down for lasting remembrance and commitment.

50. Doing Inductive Bible Study! • STEP VII: “CHARTING YOUR PATH” • This is so we can keep track what we learn as you progress. You can use this step throughout the inductive process. • And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:10