Warriors In Progress

In our Bible Study Support group, we study the Bible ourselves using different methods and websites. We started with the easiest and fastest method, then moved to more involved study methods. We then kind of developed our own hybrid, taking the parts we got the most from.

I started teaching this way when I was a youth group leader and I noticed that the high school girls in my group were struggling with finishing a plan. We would find one, start it, get through a week and then, fizzle out. I prayed about it and felt the Holy Spirit pointing toward boredom. We were bored with the questions leading us to a lesson the other person had learned and shared. There’s nothing wrong with this format, it’s what I am doing here, but I will also be pushing you to find what the Holy Spirit is telling you, like I did with the high school girls and now, the women.

I’ll start with the first one we reviewed. That’s the S.O.A.P. method, found easily if you search for it. S for Scripture, O for Observations, A for Applications, P for Prayer. Four neat, boxes to write in each section and there are prompts for each part if needed. This study method is for beginners or for a quick bible study time, but I feel one has to be careful using this one, as you can take a verse out of context. There are also some of the prompts that center around what you found, what you thought it said to you, you, you, you, and not focused on God or Jesus.

The second study method we learned was Verse Mapping. This method can also be found on the internet. Verse Mapping is much more involved and once you get used to it, you can find yourself in some rabbit holes. 

The third and fourth study method we would go over was something I learned when I went to BSF or Bible Study Fellowship. When I was a children’s leader in their children’s program, they had a version of Homiletics for younger students. The more involved version of Homiletics was for the adults. But I went over both. The student version really helps and has good questions that involve applying the scripture to their lives. The adult version of Homiletics is for helping to write lessons, sermons, devotions. 

Those are the ones I have used and I have taught. The current Bible Study I facilitate is where we combined them to help us study and talk about. If you would like me to elaborate more, I can, but I’ll try to keep these posts on the shorter side. I will go over each coming up, using my own notes.