6 Simple Steps to Get Started Studying God's Word

Nothing revealed my severe lack of knowledge in the Bible more than getting married and having children. The biblical conviction of knowing that I am commanded to teach God’s word to my children and not having a single bit of scripture memorized to use in my time of need was daunting.

Not to mention, I had no idea how the stories wove together to create a larger story. How did it all fit together? What was I to make of the story of David and Bathsheba while reconciling the words “David was a man after God’s heart”? How can he be a murderer and an adulterer, but God still say these precious words about him? What was the significance of the rainbow in the sky after God sent to flood to Noah? It has to be more than an opportunity to teach colors to a toddler, right?

I think many of us would say that we want to know our Bibles. We may even be doing daily devotionals or going to church or participating in Bible studies. But we may also be wondering why we feel so ill-equipped, so lacking, so … confused perhaps? Why is God’s word not transforming me?

I believe this is where systematic study of God’s word comes in. Too often we think knowing our Bible comes through osmosis.

Here are some simple steps to get you started studying God’s word. This method of study has transformed my time in God’s word as well as allowed the Holy Spirit access to my heart in foundational and transformational ways.

6 Simple Steps to Get Started Studying God’s Word

1. Make a plan.

I have found that having a specific plan helps me to be more consistent with my time in God’s word. The ways you can go about deciding on or developing a plan to read varies.

Ideas to get you thinking:

Pick a book of the bible to camp out in
Choose a topic or particular word to study
Study what your pastor is teaching on
Consider a burning question you have regarding the Bible
Use a read through the Bible in a year plan

I’m not necessarily saying you need to go out and pick up a new Bible study workbook. You can, but you don’t have to.

Sometimes I use topical bible reading plans other times I need a study guide to take me through a book of the Bible and still other times I simply choose a book of the Bible to read through slowly. Last year I spent almost the entire year in 1 Corinthians!

Just make a plan that you’re excited about.

2. Gather your tools.

You don’t need much to study God’s word. All you need is your Bible (one with a concordance is helpful), a journal, a pen, and a regular ol’ dictionary. That’s it!

There are plenty of additional Bible study tools that can be helpful (we love Logos for example), but discover additional Bible study tools as you go. Right now we’re focused on getting started with Bible study!

3. Read with purpose.

Once you have your plan and your tools, you’re ready to start studying.

The first thing to keep in mind is that the Bible is one big story that has several sub-stories written into it. But the key is to remember the book is about God. Not you.

Yes, the Bible is our instruction in righteous and godly living, but it’s not ultimately about us. Approaching the Bible with the purpose of knowing how you should be living shouldn’t be your primary concern at this time.

To read with purpose is to ask how this reveals God and His story!

As you read, keep in mind the meta-narrative of the Bible. All scripture falls into one of these four parts of the meta-narrative: creation, fall, redemption, and restoration.

Just knowing where in this meta-narrative your particular study falls can change the way you read scripture. Search for these themes as your read.

4. Read with perspective.

One of the things we hear often from others is this: How can I interpret the times the Bible was written in, into application for modern living?

This is when reading with perspective becomes increasingly important. Getting a basic understanding of the context of our study will help us more accurately interpret what we’re reading.

When deciding what book to sit on our nightstand, we rarely just blindly choose a book, right? We usually get the basic information about the book before we start.

We like to know who wrote the book, whether the book was written in the early 1900’s or more recently, whether it’s an adult or children’s book, whether it’s non-fiction or fiction, poetry or inspirational, etc.

We may not always go through a written question and answer before reading a book, but we more or less know the answers to these questions before we begin reading!

Whenever we sit down to study a section of the Bible, it is a good idea to answer these five questions:

Who wrote it?
When was it written?
To whom was it written?
In what style was it written?
Why was it written?

Getting the answers to these questions can be as simple as looking in your study Bible.

Now, when I’m looking up a scripture on anger, I’m not necessarily going through every single one of these questions. However, it’s good to keep in mind the context of the passage. These questions just help us do that.

5. Pursue Bible study with patience.

It’s really easy to look at the Bible and say, “I’ll never know it all.” But can we all just agree to go to our graves with dirt beneath our fingernails as we dig into scripture one day at a time?

As you engage the process, be patient with yourself and your circumstances. Not every season of life will lend itself to the depth of study you desire, just as not every area of study will come as easily to you as others will.

Be patient and be willing to pick up the Word of God day after day after day, and just wrestle with it deep in your soul for the glory of God.

6. Study with a process in mind.

Finally, as you study you want to do so systematically, keeping a simple process in mind.

It’s the ol’ comprehension, interpretation, application approach to study.

You want to be able to answer the following three questions each time you sit down to study:

What does it say?
What does it mean?
How should it change me?

Once you’ve answered questions 1-2, it is at this point when you can begin to ask what does this scripture have to do with my life?

Ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate the scriptures to you, and ask Him to convict and change your heart for the glory of God!

Studying God’s word is one way we end this terrible cycle of Bible illiteracy in our society. If you live where Bibles and freedom of religion reign, then getting into His word and knowing what it says is non-negotiable. There is no excuse.

I recently did a survey of Intentional By Grace readers, and it was through this process that I realized what a privilege we have here in the states to be able to walk into just about any bookstore and have amazing resources at our fingertips. Not to mention a church building on every corner!

But I also realize that even though we have these resources available, information overload can be paralyzing and knowing where to start can be daunting. That’s why I wanted to write this post.

Studying God’s word isn’t for the Bible elite. It’s for every Christian. We become what we behold, and may what we are beholding be Christ Jesus our Lord! It’s through faithful study of His Word that we can behold the Lamb of God and be transformed for His glory!