3 Ways to Study the Bible

Do you struggle with how to study the Bible? Sometimes we have a hard time knowing where to start. We know we should, but where do we start? The Bible is a big book, and some books are easier to read than others. Sometimes we feel like we’ve read a lot of the same passages, so we want to move to something different. It is hard to know how to develop a HABIT of Bible study, but it is still even harder to know where to start reading.

I’ve created three different Bible study plans.

1. Read / Journal / Pray
2. Read / Answer Questions / Pray
3. Read / In-Depth Study / Pray

The first plan is to read simply read and journal. Sometimes I just read a passage, journal a prayer or my thoughts. It is a great way to connect with God’s heart. You can spend as long as you would like, but I’ve found 5-10 minutes is sufficient for this first type of Bible reading.

The second plan is to read and answer questions. Sometimes I find it helpful to dig a little deeper into Bible study, so I will journal more than just my thoughts. I will use a series of questions to help my mind be more engaged into the scripture. If want to find out what the passage is saying, I use these simple steps.

1. What is God doing in this passage?
2. What characteristic of God is evident in this passage?
3. How does this knowledge change me?

Finally, a third way is a more in-depth approach. A great book to check out is Jen Wilkin’s book, Women of the Word. Her book inspired me to write my own Bible study, which is a more in-depth Bible study focusing on living in the daily. In this nine-week study, you will discover peace and joy can be found today. Each day takes about 15-20 minutes to complete. Click here to read more about The Glorious Ordinary: An invitation to study God’s Word in your everyday life. 

My special Bible reading plan includes reading one chapter in the Old Testament, a chapter in Psalms or Proverbs, and a chapter in the New Testament. If you are fairly consistent, you can read through your entire Bible in about 3 years. It is a slower approach, but it is so easy! Keep track on a piece of paper – or a post-it note in the back of your Bible. Just write down the chapter number each day you read it!