Estimated Publication Date: End of January 2023
Current Level of Completion: 70%
NOTE: This book is the second in the Treasuring God, Experiencing Life study series. While it's still in development, our target publication timeframe for this book is the end of January, 2023. If you'd like to be notified when this book is completed, please sign up for our newsletter updates.
This Book’s Place… in This Series
The primary focus of this website is to effectively teach that Treasuring God is the sole path for experiencing true life.
Now… how to “effectively teach” this concept… has occupied my thoughts for over three years. What I’ve come to realize is that this concept can most effectively be taught as a “orderly progression” of four basic steps for “Treasuring the One, True God”—with each successive step being enabled by the prior steps. And, that effectively addressing those four steps naturally leads to the result of “Experiencing the one True Life.”
This book explains the second “step” in the overall progression for Treasuring God and experiencing true life: skillfully studying God’s Word. But, the Bible simply cannot be “read” like an ordinary book… without taking into account how our perspective influences what we understand.
Therefore, it’s critical that we approach God’s Word with the proper perspective so that we’re able to skillfully study His Word to know God Himself… so that we might intently behold His glory when we study His Word, that we might preeminently esteem His worth, and that we might experience true life in Him.
Questions Addressed By This Book
Here is an overview of some of the many questions this book addresses:
- What is the single most important reason for trying to read and understand the Bible?
- What is the difference between reading and studying the Bible?
- What is the main difference between Inductive and Deductive Bible study?
- What are the steps of the 3-Step Inductive Bible Study Method?
- What are the unique techniques that are promoted for the 10-Step Inductive Bible Study Method… and why are those unique techniques important?
- Why is utilizing good technique not enough for accurately understanding the Bible?
- What are some common errors in trying to understand the Bible?
- What does someone’s ability to faithfully embrace God’s perspective… have to do with their ability to skillfully study and understand God’s Word
Preliminary Outline
What follows is the content outline for the book, Skillfully Studying God’s Word. (While this outline may change slightly, it provides a thorough description for the content covered in this book.)
Outline - Skillfully Studying God's Word
Section 1 - Preface
Preface 1 – About The Author
Why This Preface Is Important
How I Became A Christian
My Ordinary Christian Experience
My Doctrinal Perspective
My Core Beliefs
My Teaching Methodology
Preface 2 – Acknowledgements
Caveats
Contributors
Credits For The Ideas In This Book
Personal Disclaimers
Section 2 - Introduction
Chapter 1 – About This Study Series
Two Definitions
The Nature of This Study Series
The Background For This Study Series
The Main Goal of This Study Series
A Secondary Goal of This Study Series
Who This Series Was Written For
Clarification and Encouragement
Chapter 2 – Crucial Definitions
Definition of Progressions
Scriptural Examples of Biblical Progesssions
Recognizing and Understanding Biblical Progesssions
Chapter 3 – The Progression That Leads to True Life
Define True Life
Four Steps to Treasuring God
Five Results from Treasuring God
The Progression: Treasuring God, Experiencing Life
Chapter 4 – About This Book
Definition of Perspective
Questions This Book Addresses
Section 3 - Basic Inductive Bible Study Techniques
Chapter 05 – Basic Inductive Bible Study Overview
The Purpose of Bible Study
General Techniques for Bible Study
Two Strategies for Bible Study
The Benefits of Bible Study
Chapter 06 – Inductive Bible Study Overview
The Differences Between Inductive and Deductive
3-Step Inductive Bible Study Process
Technique Alone is Not Enough
Section 4 - Advanced Inductive Bible Study Techniques
Chapter 07 – Advanced Inductive Bible Study Overview
Chapter 08 – The Process of Observation
The Role of Observation
Step 1 – Pray
Step 2 – Read
Step 3 – Observe
Chapter 09 – The Process of Interpretation
The Role of Interpretation
The Limits of Interpretation
Step 4 – Interpret
Step 5 – Validate
Chapter 10 – The Process of Application
The Role of Application
Mental and Spiritual Preparation
Step 6 – Apply
Step 7 – Worship
Chapter 11 – Common Errors in Bible Study
Dealing with Difficult Passages
Not Honoring the Actual Words Used
Using the Confusing to Distort the Clear
Problems with Consistency
Problems with Context
Problems with Narrative Stories
Problems with Promises
Problems with Verbs
Problems with Pronouns
Problems with Prepositions
Problems with Bible Translation
The Remedy for Preventing Errors
Chapter 12 – Inductive Bible Study Example
Observation Step 1 – Praying for Understanding
Observation Step 2 – Reading the Text
Observation Step 3 – Contextualizing the Passage
Observation Step 4 – Identifying the Main Details
Observation Step 5 – Formulating the Questions
Observation Step 6 – Clarifying the Details
Interpretation Step 7 – Understanding the Meaning
Interpretation Step 8 – Validating the Meaning
Application Step 9 – Receiving the Applications
Application Step 10 – Worshiping the Lord
Section 5 - Workbook: Skillfully Studying God's Word
Chapter 13 – Practice Exercise
What is the Context?
What are the Details?
What Questions can you think of?
What is the primary Meaning?
What scripture can you use for Validation of the meaning?
What Application can you receive from the passage?
What have you understood that leads you to Worship?
Chapter 14 – Practice Identifying Errors
Identifying Errors in Context
Identifying Errors in Questions
Identifying Errors in Details
Identifying Errors in Meaning
Identifying Errors in Validation
Identifying Errors in Application
Identifying Errors in Worship
Chapter 15 – Final Test
Quiz on 20 Sample Passages
Chapter 16 – My Answers for the Final Test
Author answers for the 20 Sample Passages
Section 6 - Appendices
Appendices
Appendix A – Why and How to Become a Christian
Appendix B – Inductive Process Outline
Appendix C – Types of Bibles & Bible Studies
Appendix D – Helpful Resources for Learning God’s Word
Appendix E – Notes for Pastors and Disciple Makers