How to Study the Bible Like a Nerd
Do you ever wonder how super-bible-nerd-types like Dr. Herman Neutix are able to get so much more out of the Bible than the rest of us? Are they uber-intelligent? Do they really need to use all those big words to make their point, or are they just pretentious? Do you have to go to a fancy Bible school to do that?
Maybe reading the Bible for all it’s worth isn’t so complicated after all.
- What makes Rick Denton different?
- What are some of the things/people you’ve studied (other than the Bible) that have strongly impacted you?
- What’s the difference between reading the Bible and studying the Bible?
- Can you share about your experience with Bible study? Have you done well? Struggled? Up and Down?
- What were the common factors of times you’ve done well with Bible study?
- Why is it so difficult to study the Bible faithfully?
- Have you ever felt frustrated with the Bible being difficult to understand? How does that effect your mentality?
- Have you ever considered the idea that there is spiritual warfare connected to your personal Bible study?
- How can we help each other, in Life Group and throughout the week, to faithfully study the Bible?
- Pray for each other!
Take some time to discuss the message. You could get feedback about the “Columbus Discovers America” quote, the idea of “binding and loosing” or discuss some struggles people may have with regular Bible Study. But then spend the rest of time practicing!
This week and next, do a book study together. Philemon is just 25 verses long, but it’s packed with meaningful stuff, and you can cover it in two LifeGroups.
- Pray and ask God’s Spirit come and guide the process.
- Read all 25 verses together, just to get a sense of what happens.
- If you have a good study Bible, read through the introduction together. If others have study Bibles, you can compare and contrast. If you don’t have a good study Bible, there’s a good but brief intro to Philemon here. You may search and find others you like better.
- If there are any questions, put the group on a quest to find answers by next week.
- Pray for each other!
As another helpful resource, we covered Philemon at the Vineyard. Go to the sermons page and search, “Changed.”
Take some time to discuss the message. Recap the ideas of exegesis and eisegesis. Then, spend the rest of your time working through Philemon.
- Pray and ask God’s Spirit come and guide the process.
- Recap, if this is the case, the questions that were raised last week. Any answers?
- Read through the book, one paragraph at a time, and discuss. Ask as many of the questions of the text as you can.
- Pray for each other!
Websites:
Commentaries
Also, check out: How To Study the Bible for all it’s Worth, Gordon Fee. A good and readable overview.
*Are there any other resources that you’ve found very helpful? If so, leave a comment and share it!
one suggestion. recommend multiple sources for studying a book. some people will take the Study Bible’s “word” for it without realizing that there are other valid interpretations. It’s always good to use at least two sources from different publishers.
rick’s right!
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