How to Choose a Personal Bible Study

Let’s face it: Bible study is just better in community. Attending Bible study with new friends? Bring ‘em on. And digging into the Word alongside old friends—well, it just doesn’t get much better than that.

This is one of those times of the year when I’m evaluating my Bible study plans for the coming year. If circumstances allow, I greatly prefer to attend one of the studies offered by my local church. But on occasion, schedule or life situation or you name it can prevent that and keep me from being able to participate in community. I’ve come to recognize this spot as a tricky one, and one where I want to be extra vigilant to stay in God’s Word.

When it happens that it’s best for me to do a study on my own, I prefer a plan and a considered approach to my time with the Lord. Many were the years when I thought I could thumb through the Bible and land on just what He had for me that day . . . nah thanks anymore. God can work that way, sure, but can we take Him a bit more seriously than that?

If I find myself needing to choose a Bible study by myself, for myself, there are 3 criteria I’ve come to depend on when selecting one: focus, preeminence, and head/heart connectivity.

Focus

Simply put, who is this study about? Because if the answer is me and solely my thoughts or emotions or feelings about God or my circumstances then the sirens and lights need to be blaring. (Come to think of it, there aren’t many situations where the sirens and lights shouldn’t go off if the answer is me . . .) God alone, His son Jesus Christ, and the glorious Holy Spirit are the only worthy subjects of our devotional hours.

Preeminence

Next, what’s at the heart of the content? Some of the most popular devotional books I’ve seen have put the thoughts and reflections of the author as the focus of the work. Double nah thanks. Yes, I’d love to read your thoughtful reflections, personal stories, or amusing anecdotes, but everything in its place. Please drive me to the Word—the Bible must be preeminent. Doing so will spur me on and help me trust that the Bible study author is likewise driven to the Word.

Head/Heart Connectivity

After the first two are clearly determined, now we can talk about me. Because I do matter to the God of the universe! How amazing to say that—I think we should all say that out loud right now. After I’m sure that God is the focus of a study and that His Word is distinguished above the thoughts of the author, now I’d love to be invited to respond to the Word and the reflections in a way that integrates my head and my heart into whole-person worship and devotion to the Father. I love to learn about the Bible with my intellect; I love to be invited to engage with the Trinity with my heart—but put both together and you’ve got a powerhouse invitation into intimacy with the God of the universe.

And that sounds like a pretty good place to begin 2020 to me.

xo, Holly
from @hollymacklebooks