We've all heard that thing about the fish:
"Give someone a fish and they'll eat for a day; teach them to fish and they'll eat for a lifetime."
I grew up in north Louisiana where fishing is a BIG deal! Eating fried catfish others caught is fun and delicious, but eating the one you caught is far better! There's a satisfaction that comes with knowing that you fed yourself and knowing you have the ability to do it again.
And while that idea may be important for catfish, it's an immeasurably more important concept for how people encounter God's Word. I depended on others to catch and serve me for many years. Learning to feed myself has been the greatest game changer of my life.
As a church leader, the simple, critical question is are you only giving your people Biblical truth or are you teaching them how to pursue it themselves? Are you fork-feeding them the occasional catfish or are you helping them learn the Bible on their own, every day, in the pursuit of life in abundance?
Yes, it takes a little longer to give your people the tools to truly study for themselves, but what an exciting gift it is to pass on the skills of Bible study that help a Christian grow for a lifetime. To that end, here’s a reminder of five skills your people need and one tool you can use to help them learn how to study the Bible.
1. Genre Identification
The Bible is a book that people wrote as inspired by the Holy Spirit, and they wrote within certain styles and genres. Understanding the different genres of the books of the Bible (story, poetry, proverb, prophecy, letter, apocalypse) helps us understand the Bible accurately).
Do your people know the distinctions between each Biblical genre?
2. Contextual Analysis
The Bible is a text, the very Word of God, written through human authors, and to understand the Bible correctly, we must understand the context of the Bible and the many parts of the Bible. This happens through studying the context of the words and books themselves, by understanding the cultural background of the Bible or the “cultural context,” and through “interpretive context,” learning from those who have studied and taught the Bible before us.
Are your people equipped to analyze the context of what they read in the Bible?
3. Word Study
Because the Bible wasn’t written in English, word study is important to help us understand the Bible by understanding the specific ways the Bible uses a specific word.
Do your people know how to find the meanings of the words they read in the Bible?
4. Theological Theme Tracing
When we read and study the Bible, we study both the details and the big picture. And in every part of the Bible, we can and should look for the big theological themes (the Persons of the Trinity, Redemption, etc.).
Are your people able to identify the major theological themes they encounter in the Bible?
5. Application
Application in Bible study helps us connect the truth of the text to the needs of our hearts and lives. Just like there are right and wrong ways to take medications, we can apply the Bible in right and wrong ways as well.
Do your people know how to rightly apply God’s Word?
The Bible is the most beautiful book ever written.
It's in the pages of the Bible that we meet Jesus, and through them, He speaks to us. If the answer to any of the questions above is “no,” let’s help your people learn to fish for themselves!
How to Study the Bible
I’ve partnered with Rooted Network to put together a resource called How to Study the Bible to help others develop the skills needed to know God’s Word.
It is designed to be used in a group. It teaches and practices the skills I’ve mentioned, and more. You can download a free sample here. And I’m praying it will help you help your people learn, personally, how to enjoy the Bible and hear from God.
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Kaye Geiger has had the best jobs ever—mom to daughters, teaching elementary school, and counseling kids. Saved as a child, Jesus held her close through His Word in her teenage years. She began learning skills to study the Bible as a young adult and has continued to learn for the past 20 years.
Kaye has been married to Eric, the greatest decision of her life after Jesus, for 28 years. They met and married in college and have two daughters, Eden (17) and Evie (15). They love living in and enjoying Southern California!