Personal Bible Study Plan – How to Study The bible
At London Church of Christ, we believe that the Bible was written through God and is our guidebook to living a God-filled life through Christ Jesus.
If you are reading the Bible for the very first time, speaking to other Christians about the ‘right’ way to study the Word can be confusing and overwhelming. Out of a desire to help, they might recommend all sorts of personal bible study methods and plans that you simply don’t know where to start.
Confusion can even begin when choosing the Bible itself to study, with a wide number of different editions, styles, and translations to choose from.
Should you start from the beginning, or pick out key stories? Do you feel like giving up before you have even started?
Don’t panic, you’re not alone, everyone feels a bit overwhelmed when they begin studying God’s word, but we are here to help.
Bible study methods
We offer a range of Bible study groups that will help you to gain a deeper understanding of the Old and New testaments and how they fit together into the whole Bible, as well as what the Bible teaches us about our own lives.
It is important to be able to read the Bible on your own, however, and develop your own personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Finding the right Bible study method to help you study God’s word alone as well as part of a group will transform your life as a Christian and we are going to guide you through some of the best studies, translations, and techniques to do just that.
What is the Bible
The Bible is not just one book, which makes reading it a bit more tricky.
It is a collection of sixty-six ancient texts, all called books themselves that create an overall narrative when placed together.
These texts were written over a period of several thousand years by over 40 different perspective authors from different places, cultures, and times, so it is no surprise that readers of modern fiction or one-author books might struggle to find their flow at the start.
The truth is that there is no one ‘right’ way to read the Bible, and everyone develops their own techniques and approaches as they go.
Bible types
The first thing to do when you begin reading the Bible is to choose a translation.
They are called translations because that is exactly what they are, ancient Hebrew and Greek languages translated into English. Any Bible or Bible commentary you read in English has been translated and as most words can have multiple meanings in different languages, the translation plays a major role in the meaning of certain parts of bible verse.
There are 3 main types of bible that can be used for personal bible study purposes.
Word for Word translations (Literal)
Formal word for word translations of the bible where the accuracy of translation is prioritised over ease of reading can be useful for advanced Bible study by readers who want to interpret the Bible for themselves. They generally rely on an advanced Bible knowledge, however, and are not generally recommended from novice Bible Readers.
If you choose to read a word for word translation with little or no previous bible reading experience, you will need a good Bible dictionary and a whole lot of patience.
There are no English word for word Bibles that are extremely popular and even translations such as the King James version, thought to be one of the boost literal English translations of the Bible is prefaced by a message from the translations saying they did not use word for word translations in all instances.
Thought for Thought Translations
Dynamic Thought for Thought Translations of the Bible are a bit more reader friendly than word for word, with translators making at least some attempt to convey the meaning of phrases by converting them into the equivalent phrase in the reader’s language.
One of the best examples of this is measurements of weight, money, and time. A day’s wage, in the 1st century, for example, was called a denarius, which would have little meaning to a modern reader so is changed to ‘a day’s wage’ in thought for thought Bibles such as the New International Version (NIV).
Paraphrase translations
Usually the best starting point for those looking to study the bible. Paraphrase translations have been rearranged by the translator somewhat to make them flow better and easier to read for someone used to modern literature. Reading different paraphrase translations is a great way to gain multiple perspectives on different Bible verses from different Bible scholars.
How to Study the bible
There are two main approaches to reading the Bible: Exegesis and Hermeneutics.
Exegesis refers to the message that the text had at the time it was written, looking at the historical context, the ideas and thinking of the time, and the effect that the events had.
There are many personal Bible studies available that take this approach and materials, both online and physical that provide historical commentaries on Bible texts.
Exegesis Bible study will also examine the type of text each book of the Bible is, be it historical accounts, poetry, parables, gospels, legal texts, letters, or anything else. Many Bible books feature several different genres. Studying the bible by genre will give us some perspective on how the text was meant to be interpreted given the context of the time and how literal or figurative the author was being.
Hermeneutics, on the other hand, refers not to the literal interpretation of the bible text, but instead how it is meant to be interpreted, what it means for us in our own lives, and how we can use it to fuel our own spiritual growth. Some of the commands in the old testament and the new testament are meant for us today, and some were relevant given the historical context of the time, but no longer applicable.
Reasonable hermeneutics allows us to learn the most we can from the Bible and give it the most meaning to our own lives.
Using Hermeneutics you can break scripture down into 4 key categories:
- Theological truths
- Commands
- Principles
- Patterns/Precedents
Bible Study Process
Following this general workflow is a useful tool for examining Bible passages using both Exegesis and Hermeneutics.
Bible Reading Tips
In your own personal Bible study, following these key tips can make your readings more fulfilling and relevant:
- Start with a prayer asking God to grant you wisdom and help you to understand his will and the path he has set out for you.
- Read as though God or Jesus Himself is telling you the story. These are God’s words, after all, simply told through the stories of others.
- Read it out loud for better comprehension. You could also think about getting yourself an audiobook edition of the Bible if you find it easier to interpret things that way.
- Take notes – Noting down any questions that you have during your personal Bible study sessions will remind you to ask someone at Church or one of your fellow Christians about it later. Trust us, if there’s one thing we like talking about it’s the Bible, and will be more than happy to help you understand God better.
Join a Bible Study Group
By far the easiest way to begin reading the Bible in London is to join a London Church of Christ beginner Bible study group.
These small groups feature people from all walks of life who want to get to know the Bible in more detail without judgement and alongside others who are beginning the same journey.
These groups are incredibly beneficial as people often have the same questions and concerns at this stage of Bible study and are willing to ask them in a setting where they know they won’t be ridiculed or expected to have a pre-existing knowledge of God’s word, Jesus, or the holy spirit.