Posted in Bible for LifeBiblical Studies Center
Just this morning I stumbled upon a great website on inductive Bible study by seedbed. This approach to the reading and studying of the Bible lies at the heart of YWAM’s Bible schools.
One of the things the website provides is some of the foundationals, or convictions, of inductive Bible study. We share these convictions in our seminars and schools at Heidebeek, including Bible For Life.
Here they are (I quote from the website):
1. Focus on the Bible
“…we should give priority to the study of the Bible itself. This means that we should typically begin with the examination of the biblical text before consulting books about the Bible; and it means that we should give more time and energy to the study of the Bible than to works dealing with the Bible. After all, the Bible is itself the object of Bible Study.”
2. Focus on the Biblical Books
“The basic unit of the Bible is the biblical book. The Bible was originally written as individual documents, or books, which were later brought together to form our Bible. We should therefore consider how books are put together, that is their structure; we should try to grasp the messages of the various biblical books and we should attempt to discover the meaning of biblical passages by considering their role within the biblical book of which they are a part.”
3. The Bible is a Library of Books, Not Random Books
“The Bible is a library of books and not just a random collection of separate documents. The Bible describes a continuous history from the beginning of creation in Genesis 1 to the end of history in Revelation 22. And the Bible presents a consistent message throughout. … To use a musical image, the Bible is not so much a simple melody as it is a harmony, with each part making its contribution to the song.”
4. IBS Needs to be Comprehensive
“All legitimate means and methods for interpreting the Bible find a place in inductive Bible Study.”
5. Everyone Needs Bible Study Skills
“It is essential that all readers of the Bible develop their own skills in Bible study. … Although there is an indispensable place in inductive Bible study for consulting the experts, this consultation is meant to enhance, and not replace, students’ own insights which emerge from their encounter with the text.”
6. IBS is for Everyone
“Inductive Bible Study can be employed by laypersons, pastors and other Christian leaders, and by biblical scholars.”
For the full text, go here.