Many Christians want to
understand the Bible better, but few have an effective plan for doing so. Some
people have a plan for daily Bible reading, but they cover the entire canon, at
most, once or twice in the year, if even that much. They may read every
chapter, but how well do they understand it, and how much do they retain?
A plan to read the Bible
once or twice a year is good for devotional reading, but it is inadequate for
real Bible study. Rather than reading every book once, personal Bible study
should focus on reading each book many times. Every chapter of the book being
studied should be read repeatedly, at least three times. As each chapter is
read, ask yourself the following questions. (1) What is the main idea of this
passage? Summarize it in just a few words. (2) What does this passage teach
about God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)? Write down your observations. (3) What
does this passage show me about God’s overall plan to redeem humanity in
Christ? Summarize how it relates to the gospel. (4) What does this passage show
me about my responsibilities in Christ? Note how you can apply it in your life.
(5) How can I pray and give thanks in light of this passage? Speak to the Lord
about what you have learned and ask for grace to incorporate it in your life.
In this way you can easily study the entire Bible and develop simple notes and
a brief summary of every chapter in it.
What might this look like
in application? Besides daily devotional reading, you might commit to studying
one chapter in this way 3-5 days a week. Read the chapter (at least) three
times, and use a notebook to record your answers to the above questions. Be
brief. This is personal Bible study, not seminary research. Keep a master list
in your notebook of the chapter summaries you create. Limit your chapter
summaries to 3-5 words each, and review them several times weekly to aid in
eventually memorizing them. Each study session should take no more than 30-45
minutes, and most chapters will only require 20-30 minutes. If you study one
chapter of the Bible in this way Monday-Friday, you will study every chapter in
the Bible is just over four and a half years. –JME
