Bible Study

Dear Friends,
Several years ago, Alex Bryan and I had a few hours free in Sydney before returning to the USA and embarked upon visiting the museum.  Art either is a conversation starter or it is not. The strength and appreciation of course arrives with time and experience. The longer your pause, the more interest you give the greater you understand what that art means. The more practice you try, the more freedom you allow, the quicker your own art will develop. In that one visit we discover through art several stories of value that would shape messages and our lives.

When you approach the Bible, it is the most inspired piece of art in the universe. It is a collection of stories of humanity sharing their growing understanding of who God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit are in the great narrative of life past, present and future.  Every artists as their own preferred method, tools, approach, and process. It is the same with the Bible, even though it is inspired, there is true freedom within the text, there are authentic raw expressions and the grace of God that holds it all together.

Below are several metaphors, models and ideas that we hope you will either try or adapt. As you discover new methods, please send them our way and we will add them to the this area. We are confident that with the Spirit of God (2 Corinthians) is the One who leads everyone to truth. Who is the way, the truth and the life?

Jesus

The more you study, the more you will find out about Jesus. Jesus will point you to the Father and the Father will point to the Spirit who inspires you to connect with Jesus. That continual movement is the art within the entire Bible and the full character of God as one, expressed for us so aptly in these words Jesus. All.

For the One
Japhet De Oliveira

This is a really great, if you want to go through the whole Bible in a year. Ideally, find a partner who is willing to do this with you. Start in Genesis, read four chapters, and text each other one single idea that stood out. It could be a question, an insight, a problem, a praise—just one thought. There will be days when it will be really hard to narrow it down to one single thought, and other days when you will find it hard to generate a thought of any kind. Don’t feel like you need to resolve everything; the purpose of this year is to build a great foundation. You can be a novice or a seasoned follower of Jesus—this exercise is great to repeat with fresh eyes. Highlight in your Bible the texts that speak to you or intrigue you. When there is a puzzle or question, place a question mark by the text (or an exclamation mark if you were surprised). Using a pen/pencil with the text brings another level of engagement that increases your concentration.

This requires concentrated time. Choose one book in the Bible. Select a reliable commentary that helps you understand that book and study it verse by verse. The key is finding the best commentary. Feel free to contact us or your local pastor directly with the book you are interested in and we can recommend a range of commentaries for every book. This link is just the start of some that could help you.

This is very provocative. For this type of Bible study, you will approach a subject, an area that you have been thinking about for a long time. How do you find out if the Bible speaks to it, and how do you discover the most complete picture of this subject? This approach can become contentious because it requires you to enter into the large world of application and interpretation rather rapidly. To make sure you are at the best starting point, establish what your hermeneutic principles are. We would recommend you start with the Biblical Research Institute as a great resource. You will then want to find Biblical scholars who teach in your subject area. Please contact us and we can recommend some reading which will help you back into the Bible to discover what it teaches.

Try this every year.  This is a great method of devotional study that allows you to reset yourself in Jesus and remind you of all that you were called to be. Take the book Steps to Christ by Ellen White, and as you read it, every time you come across a scriptural reference, pause, open your Bible and read the passage and its entire context. It will allow you to begin connecting the dots, and help you to see the Bible at the Technic (and beyond) level.

This is for the creatives amongst us. Did you know that often the Bible was read out loud in the past? Find a really great audio version of the Bible—preferably one with various voices and in the same translation as your Bible. As you listen, follow in your text. Pause to make notes on your impressions.  
To listen to the One project's audio version of the Book of John, CLICK HERE.

This is by far the most popular method that several churches offer and the list of options is vast. From weekly Sabbath School lessons to small group study guides to online Discover Bible School lessons, there are many, many options and topics for study. You can study alone or as part of a group. As a tween, I took every single Voice of Prophecy Bible Study course that my church offered by mail. They were brilliant.

Need a coach? There are some who find starting Bible study (or getting back into it!) alone really difficult. If you want to join a Bible Study class, a Connect Group, a Community Collective  or would prefer a one-on-one Bible Study with a facilitator, similar to a personal trainer, you need to reach out. Your local pastor is your best start.  Finally, make sure you have a great Bible. This should be an actual physical text, rather than an electronic version. I know,  I sound terribly old fashioned, but that is because I am really old. You need a Bible with wide margins so that you can mark up the text and you need a set of pens that do not bleed through the pages.  We reccommend you buy this Bible for a great study option.