The New Testament Prophet John the Baptist was known as a "voice crying in the wilderness" as he proclaimed the Word of God. His message was fresh, powerful, and relevant to the spiritual needs of his time.
Many people today have become echoes of spiritual truths they hear from those around them. They are not a voice through which God can reveal His message, but are only an echo of what they hear from others. They are like the prophets of whom God said, "steal my words every one from his neighbor" (Jeremiah 23:30).
In order to speak God's words you must first know what God has said. The purpose of this course is to equip you to understand God's Word. You will need only this manual, a Bible, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to learn these "Creative Bible Study Methods".
A method is an organized way to accomplish something. It is an orderly plan. Bible study methods are an organized plan to study God's written Word. The word "creative" means "having the ability to produce that which is new." This course teaches you how to study God's Word for yourself. You will not have to rely on the research of others because you will be able to create your own Bible studies based on your study of God's written Word. By learning proper Bible study methods you will become a voice through which God can speak His truths to a spiritually hungry world. You will no longer only be an echo of what you hear from others.
"Creative Bible Study Methods" introduces the Bible as the written Word of the one true God. It explains divisions of the Bible, versions, translations, and paraphrases. First, the course guides you to discover what the Bible teaches about itself, then creative methods are explained and you are given the opportunity to use each method discussed.
The course also explains how to outline, make study notes, mark your Bible for easy reference, and reduce lengthy passages to simple charts. The course guides you to proper interpretation and application of God's Word. It directs attention to the greatest Teacher of all, the Holy Spirit. If you follow the guidelines presented, you will experience a new, creative spiritual life flowing within you.
No method of Bible study can replace the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit. He is the spiritual force that endues a method with creative power. He whispers into the human spirit the truths of God's Word which create a new spiritual life flow.
The study of methods is not an end in itself. It is not the final goal. The methods are only a means to accomplish the objective of studying God's Word. It is not enough to learn these methods. You must use what you learn to study God’s Word and apply its truths to your life and ministry.
Although you may complete the lessons in this manual, in reality you will never really complete this course. Your study of God's Word will never be finished because its rich spiritual truths can never be exhausted.
Introducing the Bible Lesson One
This chapter introduces the Bible which is the written Word of the one true God. The word "Bible" means "the books." The Bible is one volume which consists of 66 separate books.
The Books of the Bible Lesson Two
This chapter contains a summary of each of the 66 books of the Bible which make up the major divisions of the Old and New Testaments. It provides an introduction to the content of both testaments. Three suggestions for successful Bible reading are given and you will choose a systematic plan to start reading God's Word.
Versions of the Bible Lesson Three
This chapter identifies the original languages in which the Bible was written and explains how the Scriptures have been translated into other languages. You will learn the difference between a translation and a paraphrase version of the Bible. Examples from various versions of the Bible are provided.
Before you Begin Lesson Four
Many people try to begin Bible study the same way they study any other book. They take their Bible, open it, and start to read. But often their study does not last long. They find it difficult to understand what they read. The Bible is like a door which leads into the presence of God. Behind that door are great spiritual treasures. But you must have the key to unlock the door or you will never be able to enter in and explore these treasures.
Bible Study Tools Lesson Five
Bible scholars have written special books that are helpful in studying the Bible. This lesson explains how to use these Bible study tools. It is not necessary to have these special books in order to study the Bible. Do not be concerned if you cannot afford or do not have access to them. This course teaches you how to study the Bible yourself. All that is necessary for you to have is a Bible.
Principles of Interpretation Lesson Six
In Bible study it is important to rightly divide the Word of God. This means you must understand what is being said to whom. This is the goal of this lesson. To show us how to take Scripture in context so we may interpret and apply the meaning correctly
Bible Background Lesson Seven
Each part of the Bible occurred at a specific time in history and in a specific cultural context. Proper understanding of a passage often relates to these factors. This chapter gives a brief summary of the history of the Bible and explains details of everyday life in Bible days.
Outlining, Marking, Charting Lesson Eight
The development of three basic skills will improve any method of Bible study. These skills are marking, outlining, and charting. They are the subjects of this chapter.
Studying the Bible by the Bible Lesson Nine
One of the best ways to begin Bible study is to learn what the Bible says about itself. That is the subject of this chapter. In this lesson you will learn about the symbols of God's Word and specific facts about God's Word revealed in the Bible itself.
Devotional Bible Study Lesson Ten
The first method of Bible study which you will learn is called the devotional method. This lesson defines, explains, and presents an example of a devotional Bible study.
Book Study Lesson Eleven
In this lesson you will learn how to survey an entire book of the Bible. A book survey is an example of "synthetic" Bible study. This word means to study something as a whole to gain a general knowledge of its content. Later, when we divide a book into chapters, paragraphs, verses, and words.
Chapter Study Lesson Twelve
In the last chapter you learned how to survey an entire book of the Bible. You will now learn how to study an individual chapter within a book of the Bible. An example of chapter study is provided and you are given the opportunity to do such a study at the end of this lesson.
Paragraph Study Lesson Thirteen
You have learned how to survey a book of the Bible and study a chapter within that book. When you studied a chapter you divided it into paragraphs. Now you will learn how to study the paragraphs. An example of paragraph study is provided and you are given the opportunity to do such a study at the end of this lesson.
Verse Study Lesson Fourteen
You learned how to survey a Bible book and do a chapter study within that book. You also learned how to study the paragraphs within a chapter. In this lesson you will learn how to study a single verse in detail. An example is provided and you are given an opportunity to do a verse study at the end of this lesson.
Word Study Lesson Fifteen
You have learned how to study the Bible by books, chapters, paragraphs, and verses. In this lesson you will learn how to study the smallest unit of the Bible which is a single word.
Topical Bible Study Lesson Sixteen
This lesson introduces the topical method of Bible study. The method is defined and explained and an example of a topical study is provided. At the end of the lesson we provide an opportunity to apply what you have learned by actually doing a topical Bible study.
Biographical Study Lesson Seventeen
This chapter defines and explains the biographical method of Bible study, an example of the method is presented. A biography is the story of someone's life. The biographical method of Bible study focuses on the lives of Bible personalities. By studying the lives of Bible characters you can learn from their experiences.
The Theological Method Lesson Eighteen
This chapter defines and explains the theological method of Bible study. An example of this method is also provided. At the end of this lesson we provide an opportunity to apply what you have learned by actually using the theological method of Bible study.
Studying Bible Poetry Lesson Nineteen
The poetic form of presenting God's truths is quite different from the narrative (story) form used in most of the Bible. Biblical poetry is also different from most forms of poetry with which you may be acquainted. For these reasons, special guidelines are necessary to help you study these books. This lesson explains the form and types of Bible poetry.
Studying Bible Prophesy Lesson Twenty
The poetic form of presenting God's truths is quite different from the narrative (story) form used in most of the Bible. Biblical poetry is also different from most forms of poetry with which you may be acquainted. For these reasons, special guidelines are necessary to help you study these books. This lesson explains the form and types of Bible poetry.
The Typological Method Lesson Twenty One
This lesson explains how to study the Bible by the typological method. This method is also referred to as study by "types." The method is defined, explained, and an example is provided. At the end of this section you are given an opportunity to do a topological Bible study.