God has really been putting it on my heart to start creating resources to help others connect with God and to interact with His word. My friend and I were just talking last week about how easy it is to just read through the Bible (or listen) and feel great about how much we read, only to realize that we never paused to dive in. God’s Word is deep! It’s alive and it’s active; it’s sharper than a double edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). As long as we continue to invest in God’s Word, it will continue to speak to us, no matter what stage of life we’re in or what joys, sorrows or frustrations we’re experiencing.
What's the Best Way to Study the Bible?
One of the best ways I’ve learned to dive into God’s Word is through a process called Discovery Bible Study or “DBS.” This method was taught to me in college while in a discipleship program, and it is an amazing way to dig into God’s Word on your own or with others. It is an excellent tool for those seeking God, new believers and old believers, because God’s Word is timeless! I’ve been amazed at the insight and revelation God has brought to people, especially new believers, by using this process. God loves to speak to us, and He is faithful to do so when we give Him the chance - when we pause, take a breath, and really soak in what it is He is trying to speak to us.
The Method of the Discovery Bible Study
The process of DBS is:
Pick a passage of scripture and read it. PLEASE make sure you read it in context - read the paragraph before and after as a minimum. Sometimes it takes reading the whole chapter to get the main themes of the passage, or sometimes even the whole book. I highly recommend reading through an entire epistle (Romans through Jude) before picking a passage to do DBS with, as these were originally written as letters and meant to be read in their entirety.
Write out the scripture word for word.
Summarize the passage in your own words.
Next, ask yourself these three questions:
What does it say about God? Look for what the passage says about His heart, His character, His will, His ways, etc.
What does it say about man? Similar to the first question, but this time about what it says about us as humans.
Is there a sin to avoid or a command to follow?
Ask God how he wants to speak to you personally through this passage. “God, what do you want to teach me through this passage? How does it relate to my life right now?” Ask God to bring clarity to anything that you don’t fully understand. Ask for Him to give you other passages of scripture to confirm what He is teaching or sharing with you. He will!
Praise and thank Him. I recommend taking some time to use the verse as a means of praise and worship. Thank Him for the passage and thank Him for the truths that are in it. If there is something specific in the verse that it says He has done for you or is to you (i.e. our Healer or our Provider), praise Him for it!
Ask God. Lastly, this is my addition, ask God if there is anyone in your life who needs to hear this verse today, and if so, share it with them.
I was praying for an example to do this with - one that contained all of the categories involved in DBS (sometimes a passage doesn’t address one of the questions and that is totally ok! No need to make anything up : ) ). God clearly spoke to me about using Matthew 6:25-34 for my example, and, as usual, it was exactly what my heart needed. I’m attaching pictures of how I set up my page for DBS, though this is just an example. Feel free to set it up however you like, and in whatever way feels right for you!
How to Study the Bible With Children
What I love about this method is that it’s easy to adjust as needed, and it’s a great way to read the Bible with your kids. For example, if writing a whole passage of scripture is a lot for your kiddos, or isn’t possible yet, that’s ok! Just read it with them and see if they can tell it back to you, or ask them to draw a picture of what you read. Drawing is a great way to not only commit the passage to memory, but also to help share the scripture with others. Plus, if they're easily distracted, drawing a picture of the scripture is a nice way to keep their focus ;)
Continue to ask them the three questions about the scripture though, as this is super important. We always want to be talking about God’s character, so asking what the passage says about God is the first question. Next, what does it say about man (humans). And third, is there a sin to avoid or a command to follow? If there is, make a commitment to obey God’s word. Doing this together, holding each other accountable, and being a family that obeys the word of God together is beautiful! And it’s going to be a powerful tool God uses to shape not only their hearts, but yours as well. Pray together about how you can apply this scripture to your life, whether it's applicable to a certain relationship, issue at school or between siblings, etc., and apply the verse to real life. What I love so much about the God is that He is just as practical as He is spiritual, and His word helps us through any situation. Teaching your children to apply God's word to their life and their relationships is an amazing skill to have!
Free Discovery Bible Study Tool
I love having a cheat sheet, so I created one for you! You can download the free PDF with all of the steps on how to do a DBS by clicking the link below!
Comments