Learn More Than You Thought You Could

I am wondering how many people are out there like me, who endure Bible studies rather than anxiously look forward to them each week.  At least in the Bible studies I have attended over the years it seems that the leader, whether pastor or lay person, does and says pretty much the same thing week after week.  A Bible passage is selected, the leader tells the story, explains it and asks for comments.  A few people, usually men, may respond but very seldom does any real dialogue happen.  Then everyone leaves telling themselves they have learned something, even though they have repeated that same Bible passage in the same way many times.

I have found a Bible study that I am truly excited about.  It can be used alone or for some really energetic dialogue with a small group.  Titled “Bible Word Search” and written by Charles Christopher Martin it presents a very new way to approach Bible study.

Instead of focusing on a Bible passage and studying that passage in depth, Mr. Martin chooses a topic and researches that topic.  Let’s choose one of the topics, “Characteristics of a Believer”.  The reader is given a list of Bible passages to look at and find a word or words in each passage that identifies the characteristics of a believer.  I must insert here that I found characteristics I didn’t know existed.  These new ideas invite discussion, because some will agree, some will be amazed they never saw that before, and some will question the new idea.

After this list is compiled the reader can then take it to a word search grid and do a normal word search, just for fun.  There is a small Bible dictionary included, just in case someone encounters a word they do not recognize and of course, the usual answer key.

I found this to be a much more exciting way of approaching Bible study.  Too often we get into a rut and do things the same way time and time again.  In using this approach one notices ideas and concepts that are looked over when doing Bible study in the traditional way.