3 Tips for How to Study the Bible

Do you want to study the Bible but you find it overwhelming? It’s a huge book. Maybe you’ve read different devotion books and are ready for something deeper, but you aren’t sure what’s next. Read on for 3 tips for how to study the Bible so you can grow in faith, both for yourself and with your family.

Studying the Bible doesn’t have to be overwhelming, but it is important to make it a priority because like anything else that’s important in life, it will require a commitment.

Here are 3 helpful tips that have helped me grow in my time of studying God’s word and ways we have committed to regular time in God’s word together with our 5 children.

How to Start if You are New to Bible Study

If you are brand new to studying the Bible, I recommend you start with studying one of the Gospels. These are the first 4 books of the New Testament and tell of the life and teaching of Jesus. Many people recommend starting with John, but any Gospel will work: Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. Mark is the shortest.

Commit to reading one chapter per day. Keep a notebook with what you’ve learned, questions you have, and prayer requests you have.

I highly recommend joining a Bible study group if at all possible. Just like weight loss, exercise, and anything else in life, there is something about accountability that’s so helpful when it comes to keeping up with a new task. Plus, God tells us we are to join together with other believers. We learn from and encourage each other when we are together.

3 Tips for How to Study the Bible

Use these 3 tips for how to study the Bible on your own, with a group, or with your family.

Set aside a regular time. Choose one time per day that you will study God’s word every day. For our family devotion time, we read a portion of God’s word and have a devotion at the dinner table. Here is a list of helpful books for family devotions. For my personal devotion time, I read every morning before I do anything else. I know once the day gets going, I’ll get too busy and distracted.
Do something visual. Especially for kids, but for all of us, creating something visual helps get concepts into our brain. This can be as simple as writing a Bible verse into a notebook or jotting down prayer requests, or more complex like Bible Journaling by creating beautiful pictures in the margins of your Bible. (Click here for a series about how to get started with Bible journaling.)
The Family Bible Study Toolkit includes Bible Journaling Templates.
Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you. The most important thing about Bible study is to just dig in and do it! God’s word is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) and the Holy Spirit will guide your understanding. You will reap amazing benefits from any time you spend studying the Bible. Each time you read a portion of God’s word, choose one verse to reflect on until you read again. Pray about how you can apply it to your daily life.

My friend Sarah Ann from Faith Along the Way has created an amazing new resource called the Family Bible Study Toolkit. This kit is actually 3 printable packs put together: The Kids Bible Study Toolkit, the Women’s Bible Study Toolkit (which includes Bible Journaling templates, too), and the Men’s Bible Study Toolkit.

Are you looking for a resource for how to study the Bible on your own or as a family? Check out the new Family Bible Study Toolkit. (Disclosure: I am an affiliate for this product, use it myself and highly recommend it.)