How-To Teach "The Inductive Bible-Study Method"???

Greetings,

It's still in the works, but I'm getting ready to teach some at my church on the inductive method of studying the Scriptures. I plan to try to keep it informal and simple, but, so as to give the saints something they can really use at home on their own. And instead of laying down complicated hermeneutical rules such as we learned in Bible college and seminary, I plan on giving them some general and broad principles.

I also plan on teaching by example more than anything. That is, opening the Bible to various portions of Scriptures, and going through them, and asking aloud questions such as "What's happening here? to whom? why?" etc. I plan on also using "classical" sorts of passages from the Scriptures to demonstrate these principles in the various types of genre represented in the Scriptures.

I'm attempting to put together a list of passages that might be good for this sort of thing. For those of you who are more seasoned in this, please feel free to make any recommendations, as this will be my first attempt to do this sort of thing.

Here are a list of Scriptures I want to cover, and use the inductive method together as a congregation/class to work through whatever can be gleaned at, that touch on the various forms of literature used in the Scriptures.

Genesis 1 - Narrative
Psalm 1 - Poetry
Jeremiah 23 - Prophetical texts
Matthew 13 - Parables
Acts 5 - History
Philippians 2 - Epistles
Revelation 1 - Apocalyptic

Any suggestions/recommendations/corrections welcomed!!!

Jimmy,

I just found your post....I have been taught using this method and have used it in my personal Bible Study since then. I love it! Since I love it and am enthused about it I also taught it to my junior class on Wednesday evenings, modifying it to fit that age group.

BUT I am fixing to leave for a while and will not be able to get back until later tonight and then I hope to give you a few suggestions. But let me say I think it is an absolutely wonderful idea what you want to do! God Bless!

ginnyrose

He wrote a book on Galatians..that teaches you how to study the Bible it's pretty sweet! I have really learned a lot from coming to the Bible with a method that enables you to hear the beckoning of the Holy Spirit in the style He laid it out. Pretty cool stuff
In Him
Thom

Ginny,

I look forward to your post.

Jimmy

Mark 2: Healing of the paralytic is a fun one to hone the skills of observation and ask some loaded questions such as:

Whose faith did Jesus see?
Which is really harder to say? Your sins are forgiven you or rise take up your bed and walk?

Getting people to discuss ,answer,interpret and draw reasonable applications from observations in the text.

Fun and everybody gets blessed.

I was able to take the Inductive Bible Study Class as a 3 1/2 day retreat with about 25 guys, years ago.

We were able to get immediate feedback on our answers from the teacher and in discussion groups.

That commentary from Tenney on Galatians is good.He uses a different method for interpreting each chapter of Galatians.

I think differently when reading my Bible because of taking that class.

Jimmy,

What I am about to describe is how this method was taught at Bible School 40 years ago. The lessons learned in this class has stayed with me longer then anything else I learned there. No, let me say it this way: it underscored everything else I learned, if that makes sense.

Our instructor used the book of James as to teach us this method.

To begin you will need a tablet and pen to record your observations. Having a Bible dictionary and a concordance close by may be helpful as well. Then pray, asking for Holy Spirit illumination. Now I will briefly tell you what we had to do:
1. Read the entire book through two times, one time out loud.
2. Notice: Who is speaking? To whom? What? Why?
3. Divide the book into sections by topics.
4. Give each section a title that reflects the subject.
5. Notice the word pictures, if any. Write them down.
6. Notice the frequently used words. Write them down.
7. Note the key verse. The section will be summed up in the key verse.
8. How does this all fit together?
9. What does this say about God? His person? his nature? His will for us?

We made an outline of the book, then drew a picture that illustrated the book. In my personal study I can easiy outline most chapters. I have an NASB Bible with wide margins where I will record the outlines.

Anyhow, the first principle is Observation, the second Interpretation, then Application. In this order. Basically you are allowing the text to teach you. And you listen, absorb and meditate on what is there.

Our instructor told us if we learned this method well, we will have no use for any commentary! And he is right! At the end of the course he told us to check out the commentary to see if we learn anything reading it. And we did not learn anything new! We got it all ourselves by simple utilizing some basic comprehension skills which was empowered by the Holy Spirit.

I taught James and Revelation to my Wednesday evening class of 12 year old children. I modified it a lot but they learned and it was fascinating. If young children can learn it surely adults can. I would guess you may make some false starts before you will settle into a comfortable routine where you can feel the class is learning.

If you google Inductive Method of Bible Study you may find more information that will assist you.

I don't know if this helps any...at the least I hope it will encourage you to pursue it. If you do, come back and let us know how it is going for you.

Blessings,
ginnyrose

Jimmy,

I am actually teaching I.B.S. at my church. We are teaching/equipping the Body to study the Bible with only their bible, a notebook and a pencil. Actually rediscovering what the author intended to say in the first place.

I have too much to share with you, brother. It is labor intensive, but the fruit will be awesome.

Feel free to email me. Here's a link to the site of the church that did the weeklong training for those who would take it back to their churches and teach it...

Again, please contact me. I'd love to talk about it more. God bless you, Jimmy.

[url=http://www.inductivebiblestudies.com/ibs/index.html]Inductive Bible Study site[/url]

Jimmy,

I am actually teaching I.B.S. at my church. We are teaching/equipping the Body to study the Bible with only their bible, a notebook and a pencil. Actually rediscovering what the author intended to say in the first place.

I have too much to share with you, brother. It is labor intensive, but the fruit will be awesome.

Feel free to email me. Here's a link to the site of the church that did the weeklong training for those who would take it back to their churches and teach it...

Again, please contact me. I'd love to talk about it more. God bless you, Jimmy.

[url=http://www.inductivebiblestudies.com/ibs/index.html]Inductive Bible Study site[/url]

Hey Ginny,

Thanks for your post. It is helping me refine my own approach to this.

Jimmy

I am actually teaching I.B.S.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome? hehehe. I'm not sure I'll use that acronym when teaching on this subject :-) Indeed, when I teach on the inductive study, I'll tell them to only bring their own bible a pencil and notebook. I'll inform them of Bible dictionaries and commentaries they can use, but, really, such things should be consulted after one has exhausted their own independent study.