Ways to Read & Study the Bible

Here are some different ways you can read and study God’s Word. Consider trying one or all of these!

Reflect on these questions
1. What does this Scripture say about God?
2. What truth from this Scripture do I need to cling to today?
3. How will I live differently today because of reading this Scripture?

Journal
Grab a journal and respond to what you’ve read by writing down your thoughts, feelings and questions.  Consider writing down a key verse(s) that stood out to you.

Memorize Scripture
Pick a verse(s) that you want to memorize from what you’re reading in God’s Word.  Write it down and commit it to memory as a way of keeping God’s Word with you.  Consider writing memory verses on notecards and putting them up at home in places where you’re likely to see them.  You can also check out a resource for memorizing Bible verses by clicking here.

Pray the Scriptures
Use what you’re reading in God’s Word as a way of praying for yourself, our church and the world.  Take different verses and pray them aloud to God.  To learn more about how to pray the Scriptures, you can watch this 13-minute video about praying the Scriptures.

Use the SOAP method
SOAP is a helpful tool for studying God’s Word and it’s an acronym that stands for Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer.  To learn more about the SOAP method, click here.

Lectio Divina
Lectio Divina means divine reading.  It’s a practice where you read a passage from God’s Word several times in a row, slowly, trying to pay attention to what God might want to say to you through His word.  The focus is on listening to God and what He might be inviting you to.  You can practice Lectio Divina with one verse or a few verses from God’s Word.  Click here for a guide that walks you through the steps of Lectio Divina.