How to study the Bible on your own
Ever wondered how to study the Bible on your own? Our Bible Self Study resource center is designed to assist your learning about Scripture in deeper and richer ways!
Approaching scripture through these three distinct "worlds of the text" and our ongoing Sunday teaching series will grow your biblical literacy in amazing ways.
Read below to see all of the Bible Self Study resources we offer and recommend.
Christian Formation Series Self-Study Resources
Practical teaching
Practical Bible teaching plays a huge role in the development of our faith. When our acts of faith intersect with God's faithfulness, our faith grows.
Hearing and learning are not enough. The value is in the application.
Because in the end, it's living like Jesus that makes all the difference.
Three Worlds of Interpreting the Bible
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The World Behind the Text
A significant part of studying scripture is understanding the world behind the text you are reading. Who wrote this passage? Who was it written for? What was the reason for it being written in the first place? What cultural realities at the time are relevant for understanding its context?
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The World of the Text
When studying a passage of Scripture, it is also vital to consider how this passage connects with the passages around it (context). Additionally, the author’s use of specific language and imagery is worth exploring. How does the author utilize these same words or concepts in other passages? How do these words and concepts show up elsewhere in the Bible? What was the original meaning of key words?
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The World in Front of the Text
The world in front of the text is our world – what we bring to the text and how it speaks to our lives. When we read Scripture, we cannot help but view it through the lens of our own cultural perspectives, biases, and experiences. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing! It’s just important that we acknowledge it. How does our unique vantage point inform what this passage means to us today? How is God speaking through this ancient text into our modern lives? And how is the Spirit inviting us to live differently because of it?
Framework for Studying the Bible
Read the passage twice.
What did I learn about God in this passage?
What did I discover about people in this passage?
How will I live out this passage this week?
With whom will I share what I have learned from this passage?
Biblical Genres
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narratives, laws, and origin stories to help distinguish the Israelites from surrounding nations. (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)
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accounts of faithfulness to the Torah and cautionary tales of Israel’s leaders going astray to help each generation make sense of what past generations have learned. (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1&2 Samuel 1&2 Kings, 1&2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther)
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fiery and passionate calls for justice, Torah observance, and the end of idolatry in Israel to help the people of Israel to get back on track with God’s redemptive mission. (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi)
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songs and poetry designed to help the people make sense of life and God’s presence in a very broken world. (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon)
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eyewitness testimonies representing the teaching of Jesus’ apostles to help the early Church understand the earth-shattering reality of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
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the story of the Spirit’s power spreading the message of the gospel across the Roman empire to give early Christians confidence of their place in the world. (Acts)
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pastoral letters designed to keep the early Church free of false teaching and aligned with the message of Jesus. (Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, 1,2,3 John, Jude)