Bible Study for Growth in Me and Others

Starting tomorrow, I am teaching one of the new Fall Adult Christian Education (ACE) classes at Trinity Baptist.  It is "Bible Study for Growth in Me and Others."

The Bible is the most important book at Trinity and for life!  We believe it is of supreme and final authority.  

Because this is true, we want to offer classes like this that help people learn how to study the Bible. While classes that cover specific books of the Bible are important, God's people must know how to study the Bible to verify that what is being taught is true, like the Bereans.  Trinity offers four types of ACE classes:  Engaging God's WORD, Engaging God's FOUNDATIONS, Engaging God's WORLD, and Engaging God's WORK.  This Bible study class is listed as Engaging God's FOUNDATIONS because it is designed to grow the foundational skill of Bible study.  

This class will be looking at how to study with God's glory, the original context, proper interpretation, and the growth of one another in mind.  

Studying with God's glory in mind helps us remember this life and this book is not about us.  The Bible tells us who God is and how we should live in relationship to who He is. 

Studying with the original context in mind means there is an intended meaning in the text.  While there may be different applications, the meaning of the text is not subject to our current day and age. 

Studying with the growth of one another in mind is why the title of this class has "for growth in me and others."  The goal of this class and Bible study, in general, is to know God more and see our lives changed as we grow in this understanding.  In genuine Bible study, the Holy Spirit works in our hearts and minds to help us know and change.

This is meant to help people improve in their study of the Bible whether they are new believers or senior saints.

While there are several different resources recommended/suggested resources, the one REQUIRED book for the class is the Bible.  "The Bible is unique, which means it is set apart from every other book written and every other voice spoken."

During this first week of class, the big question we are going to ask is What is and isn't the Bible?

Some online resources:

• A good, short, helpful book on Bible study is How Can I Get More Out of My Bible Reading? by Jeremy Kimble. If you go to the link, it is the full audiobook at Crossway.  
• The Bible Project 
• One to One Bible Reading - pdf resources
• Praying the Bible five day online devotional