Click here to prepare for the study of God's word.

Galatians 5:16-23 teaches that at any moment we are either walking by the Holy Spirit or according to the sin nature. Walking by the Spirit, enjoying fellowship with God, walking in the light are virtually synonymous. During these times, the Holy Spirit is working in us to illuminate our minds to the truth of Scripture and to challenge us to apply what we learn. But when we sin, we begin to live based on the sin nature. Our works do not count for eternity. The only way to recover is to confess (admit, acknowledge) our sin to God the Father and we are instantly forgiven, cleansed, and recover our spiritual walk (1 John 1:9). Please make sure you are walking by the Spirit before you begin your Bible study, so it will be spiritually profitable.

Bible Study Methods (2013)

Bible Study Methods (2013)

September 2013 - February 2014

This Bible Study Methods course is designed to provide a practical guide and exercises to enable the student of the Bible to be able to read the Bible more intelligently, to research basic questions about the Bible, to understand the basic principles of interpretation of Scripture with a view toward applying the Bible more consistently in their life.

That the student can learn how to read the Bible intelligently for themselves, how to use basic study tools to investigate and research basic issues in the Bible, how to properly interpret the Bible. I want to develop students who are well on their way to biblical literacy and who are cultivating good habits of Bible reading and personal Bible study.

This course is available for class credit from Chafer Theological Seminary. Please visit the Chafer website at www.chafer.edu for additional information.

Instructor: Dr. Robert Dean, Jr., Th.M., M.A., D.Min.

Video DVDs of these lessons can be ordered here and here.

Course materials/handouts are available in the File Downloads section of the Dean Bible Ministries website.

To view all video Bible studies in the Bible Study Methods series, click here (Vimeo) or here (YouTube).

Our good friend Gene Brown (1939-2017) pictured here, encouraged untold numbers to read and study their Bibles. This series is dedicated to his testimony.

To listen to this series as a podcast, copy and paste the following URL into your podcast software.
www.deanbibleministries.org/podcasts/2013bsmc.xml		  
1, Part 1 - Introduction to Bible Study Methods/Overview. Hendricks chapters 1-4
Sun, Sep 29, 2013
by Robert Dean
Series: Bible Study Methods (2013)
Duration: 39 mins 42 secs
An overview of the course. Why study the Bible? The importance of the Bible. Hendricks, Living By the Book, chapters 1-4
Video:watch Audio:listendownload Text:slideshow
1, Part 2 - Introduction to Bible Study Methods
Sun, Sep 29, 2013
by Robert Dean
Series: Bible Study Methods (2013)
Duration: 49 mins 12 secs

Discussion on why the Bible is important and selected Bible study tools available.

Assignment:

Read Hendricks, Living by the Book, chapters 5-6.

Read the entire book of James every day.

Audio:listendownload Text:slideshow
2, Part 1 - Beginning to Observe, Hendricks chapters 5-6
Sun, Oct 06, 2013
by Robert Dean
Series: Bible Study Methods (2013)
Duration: 46 mins 18 secs
Beginning to Observe.

Hendricks, Living By the Book, Chapters 5 and 6

Understanding inductive Bible study methods vs. deductive Bible study methods.

Handout #1 - The Student, The Fish, and Agassiz

Handout #2 - The Cruciality of Structure

Video:watch Audio:listendownload Text:slideshow
2, Part 2 - Beginning to Observe
Sun, Oct 06, 2013
by Robert Dean
Series: Bible Study Methods (2013)
Duration: 45 mins 43 secs

Hendricks, Living By the Book, Chapters 5 and 6. Beginning to observe. Observation exercises

Assignment:

Read Hendricks, Living by the Book, chapters 7-8.

Read the entire book of James every day.

Around Saturday (after you've read the book of James every day), write 15-25 observations on James 1:19.

Audio:listendownload Text:slideshow
3, Part 1 - Observation Exercises on John 20:31, Hendricks chapters 7-8
Sun, Oct 13, 2013
by Robert Dean
Series: Bible Study Methods (2013)
Duration: 44 mins 10 secs
Hendricks, Living By the Book, chapters 7-8

Observation exercises on John 20:31

Handout mentioned during the class - The Cruciality of Structure

Video:watch Audio:listendownload Text:slideshow
3, Part 2 - Observation Exercises on John 20:31
Sun, Oct 13, 2013
by Robert Dean
Series: Bible Study Methods (2013)
Duration: 51 mins 44 secs
Observation exercises on John 20:31. Learning to observe the text.

Hendricks, Living By the Book, chapters 7-8

Assignment:
Read Hendricks, Living by the Book, chapters 9-11.
Read the entire book of James every day.
Write an additional 25 observations on James 1:19.
Do Exercises #5 and #6 in the Living By the Book Workbook.

Audio:listendownload Text:slideshow
4, Part 1 - Elements of Observations, Hendricks Chapters 9-11
Sun, Oct 27, 2013
by Robert Dean
Passage: James 1:19
Series: Bible Study Methods (2013)
Duration: 46 mins 51 secs
Hendricks, Living By the Book, chapters 9-11

Elements of Observations: Words, Terms, Phrases, Clauses. James 1:19

Handouts mentioned during the class:
The Cruciality of Structure
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Methodical Bible Study
Overall Scheme of Study

Video:watch Audio:listendownload Text:slideshow
4, Part 2 - Elements of Observations, Hendricks Chapters 9-11
Sun, Oct 27, 2013
by Robert Dean
Passage: Romans 10:9-10 & James 1:2-8
Series: Bible Study Methods (2013)
Duration: 47 mins 58 secs
Hendricks, Living By the Book, chapters 9-11

Elements of Observations: Relation and Interrelation of Terms, Structure. Romans 10:9-10. James 1:2-4, 5-8

Handouts mentioned during the class:
The Cruciality of Structure
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Methodical Bible Study
Overall Scheme of Study

Assignment:
Read Hendricks, Living By the Book, chapters 12-14.
Make a list of all of the paragraphs in the Book of James. Write a few key words or summary statement for each paragraph.

Audio:listendownload
5, Part 1 - Structure Exercises, Hendricks Chapters 12-14
Sun, Nov 03, 2013
by Robert Dean
Passage: James 1 & James 5
Series: Bible Study Methods (2013)
Duration: 53 mins 12 secs
Hendricks, Living By the Book, chapters 12-14

Observations with Relation to Structure
James 1 and 5

Video:watch Audio:listendownload Text:slideshow
5, Part 2 - Structure Exercises, Hendricks Chapters 12-14
Sun, Nov 03, 2013
by Robert Dean
Passage: Romans 1:18 & Mark 9:1-4
Series: Bible Study Methods (2013)
Duration: 50 mins 51 secs
Hendricks, Living By the Book, chapters 12-14

Observations with Relation to Structure
Romans 1:18, Mark 9:1-4

Assignment:
Review the paragraphs you identified in James (in the Lesson 4 assignment) and look for the transitions between the paragraphs
Read Nehemiah 1:4-11 and write observations. Try to chart out this passage. Examine the structure, paying attention to verbs, nouns, pronouns, etc. Identify the main verbs and subject.
Read Hendricks, Living By the Book, chapters 15-18

Audio:listendownload
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