The Three Rs of Bible Study

Would you like to start gaining more from your time in the Scriptures? Here are three habits to cultivate that will increase your productivity. Use them every time you open your Bible.

1. Read

This may seem obvious. Yet too many “readers” are nothing but browsers. They turn pages the way they flip through channels on a TV set, looking for something to catch their interest. The Word doesn’t lend itself to that sort of approach. It requires conscious, concentrated effort. So read portions of the Bible over and over. The more you read them, the more clear they will become. Be sure to see chapters 8–17, where I’ve listed ten strategies to first-rate reading.

2. Record

In other words, write some notes. Jot down what you see in the text. Keep a record of your insights and questions. I don’t know how many times someone has said to me, “Prof, what I have to write down is not very good.” Yet the fact is, you can’t build on something you don’t have. So start where you are, even with very elementary things. Everyone starts at that same place. But be sure to write it down. Use a legal pad or a notebook to record what you see. In your own words, summarize your observations and insights so that later they will come back to you. Doing so will help you remember what you’ve discovered and use it.

3. Reflect

That is, take some time to think about what you’ve seen. Ask yourself: What’s going on in this passage? What is it telling me about God? About myself? What do I need to do on the basis of what I’m reading here? As we’re going to see, reflection, or meditation, is vital to understanding and applying God’s Word.