Review
Andy has put together an amazing resource. We will definitely be using this for not only our School of Ministry students, but in our training for all of our leaders, for our one-on-one discipleship and small group Bible studies
From the Publisher
More Bible Study Methods Than Any Other Book!
No other resource provides the large variety of Bible study methods, how-to illustrations, and study aids that are available in this one book. The hundreds of hours spent researching and proving these forty methods will enable you to find one that will fit your goals and begin enhancing your understanding of God's Word, today. Whether you are a teenager or a mature Bible student, a Sunday school teacher or a pastor, a stay at home mom or a busy executive: you will find in the pages of this book, a number of Bible study methods that will add excitement and enjoyment to your study of God's Word. In addition, you will have resources at your fingertips that will help you to train and encourage others who want to learn how to dig into the Scriptures as well.
Why Use a Method to Study the Bible?
Why do we need a method to study the Bible; isn't it enough to have a desire to know God's Word as we simply read the Scriptures? While a desire to know God's Word is an absolutely, necessary motivation, unless we have a plan to act upon, we are bound to fail. A Bible study method is a plan. So, each of the forty methods in this book provides a different plan that will help you to think through the passages you are reading. They will allow you to slow down and patiently and prayerfully reflect upon the Scripture you are studying. Each method provides questions to answer, charts to fill out, and a variety of other ideas on how to draw the most from your time in God's Word.
Each chapter in this book contains step-by-step instructions for a study method that you can immediately begin applying to your Bible reading. I would encourage you to try each of the forty methods at least once. They will teach you new ways to approach both difficult and familiar passages and help you to absorb more of their meaning.
From the Author
Why Pastor Andy Deane Wrote This Book
This project came about after what I thought was going to be a fairly simple task of teaching a group of junior high students a few basic inductive Bible study principles that would help them to dig into the Word on a daily basis. The class wasn't forced upon them; they wanted to learn how to study the Bible for themselves. So, I agreed to share some of what I have learned about studying the Scriptures with them. I even threw in some clever (or at least I thought so) illustrations and examples that teenage minds could relate to, in an attempt to make the class fun and memorable. But to my surprise, after forty minutes they were actually worse off then when we began; all I had to show for my effort was a room full of frustrated and confused teenagers.
The collective look of bewilderment on their faces was one of the scariest moments I've ever had as a youth pastor. However, the worst part of all was that I accomplished the exact opposite of what I had set out to do: instead of getting them excited about studying the Bible, they left feeling as though it was totally out of their reach.
What a disaster! I quickly realized that the biggest mistakes I made were:
1) Trying to teach them a method of Bible study that was too complicated for them to grasp.
2) Presenting it to them as if it was the only way to study Scripture. I was determined to right this wrong, but first I needed to do a little research. So, I began to look for the perfect Bible study method - one that would open their young minds to the greatness of the Bible.
A personal quest began to grow out of my utter failure. Every day I searched for new study methods that would unlock God's Word. I read over thirty books (many out of print) and visited countless websites looking for the best Bible study methods. None of the ones I found were perfect, but many of them had interesting points of view and seemed like they would be fun to try. So I did. That is when I began to realize that I was onto something more than I anticipated at the start. My search resulted in not one, but numerous inspiring and challenging Bible study methods suitable for any Christian, young or old, who desires to draw nearer to the Lord through studying His Word.
In the end, I had compiled a list of forty different step-by-step Bible study methods. I tested each of them myself, improving upon some in order to make them a little more efficient and to the point. As I was doing the work, a desire to share my discoveries with others began growing in my heart. I wished that everyone could read the books and websites for themselves, but I knew that wasn't very realistic. So I did the next best thing. I decided to bring it all together in this one book, Learn to Study the Bible: Forty Different Step-by-Step Approaches to Help You Discover, Apply, and Enjoy God's Word.
From the Back Cover
Has your Bible study time ever felt dry and unorganized?
Do you ever walk away forgetting what you just read?
Have you lost your excitement and joy in Bible reading?Many Christians answer yes to these questions.
In Learn to Study the Bible you'll discover forty different step-by-step Bible study methods that you can use to study the Scriptures in many new and exciting ways.
Why use a method to study the Bible?
Unless we have a plan to act upon, we are bound to fail. A Bible study method is a plan. So, each of the forty methods in this book provides a different plan that will help you to think through the passages that you read. They will allow you to slow down and patiently and prayerfully reflect upon the Scripture you are studying.
This book contains the largest variety of methods!
It has more methods, how-to illustrations, and study aids than you will find in any one resource. Whether you are just getting started in your walk with the Lord or a mature believer, you will find a number of Bible study methods that will add enjoyment to your study time.
About the Author
Andy Deane was raised in a Christian home and accepted the Lord at an early age. As a college student, he attended New York University in New York City where he lived and worked in the shadow of the World Trade Center. On September 11th, 2001, his life was spared from death, and amidst the destruction that so quickly engulfed the city when terrorists attacked, Andy's relationship with Jesus Christ was renewed and deepened. On that day, God taught this young college student a lesson about His sovereign power that changed the course of his life forever.
Today, Andy serves as an associate pastor at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge in central New Jersey where he oversees a vibrant junior high ministry. In 2009 he published his first book, Learn to Study the Bible: Forty Different Step-By-Step Methods to Help You Discover, Apply and Enjoy God's Word. His greatest desire is to equip and inspire God's people to dig into the Scriptures and begin comprehending and applying the richness of His Word into their daily lives.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Imagine this hypothetical situation: You are asked to sift several tons of sand from one pile to another, by spooning it through a hand-held strainer. Without a doubt you would consider that kind of a task to be futile and boring. However, what if you were told that while doing this you were guaranteed to fi nd a gold nugget every hour, and as you continued sifting through the pile you would begin fi nding them every minute. In addition, whatever treasure you found would be yours to keep. No longer would the task seem futile or boring. The pile of sand would take on a whole new meaning to you because of the value that was hidden within. The same analogy can be made of Bible study. With very little effort, great riches are ours to discover and keep, as we carefully sift through the Word of God each day. With access to such great spiritual treasure, we can relate to the words the psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:162.
Gold, Diamonds, and Emeralds
Exactly what kind of treasure can we expect to fi nd in the Bible? I've heard Psalm 19:7-10 rephrased by someone this way: "The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. God's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree. God's Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You'll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries." That is my prayer for everyone who reads this book. May you become skilled at discovering God's great treasure, and be excited by the spiritual riches that are yours to keep, as you learn to study the Bible.
Eight Benefits of Studying the Word
1. It assures us of salvation - 1 John 5:13
2. It cleanses us from sin - John 15:3
3. It gives peace - John 16:33
4. It brings joy - John 15:11
5. It guides our decisions - Psalm 119:105
6. It helps us in prayer - John 15:7
7. It strengthens - 1 John 2:14
8. It leads to success - Joshua 1:8
The Bible Answers Life's Biggest Questions
In addition to discovering the richness of our Creator, studying the Bible also helps us to learn more about ourselves, and the world in which we live. Answers to all of life's biggest questions are found in God's Word.
Questions such as:
* Who am I?
* Where am I going?
* Why am I here?
* What should I do with my life?
* Where did I come from?
* What's my relationship to God?
The Bible answers all of these questions and many more. From cover to cover, the Bible is God's revelation to us.
