How can I study the Bible effectively?

Without effective Bible study one’s spiritual life will not show any growth. If one does not give the word of God the chance to speak to you, you will not get spiritual food, and therefore there will not be any growth.

Here are a number of hints for fruitful Bible studies:

1. Work according to a plan. Decide on a fixed time to do your Bible studies every day.

2. Do not read just anywhere, jumping from one part of the Bible to another, without any plan. You can study through one Bible book at a time; you can study different themes, like faith, love, and so forth; you can do character studies of people in the Bible, like David, or the apostle Peter.

3. Make notes. Keep a pencil and notebook with your Bible. Ask yourself the following questions and write down short answers:

What is the background of this Scripture passage (who are the people, what is happening to them, what happened before this, why were these words spoken and to whom)?

What was the message of these words to the people who read these words the first time, long ago, or to whom they were spoken?

What is the main thought of the text?

What does God want to tell me in this Scripture passage?

What answer do I give Him? How should I obey Him?

Also remember to read other passages about the same subject. A Bible with references will help you to find the other passages.

If you do Bible study in this way, it will become a special experience that you will not want to miss again. God gave the Holy Spirit to help and guide you in this.

It is also very helpful to do Bible study with other Christians. Try to find a group in your church or among your Christian friends who will want to do this with you. Use a course book, like those of Biblecor, or use the questions that we gave you in this letter.

If you have problems with certain verses or passages, feel free to ask us to help you understand them better.