Studying Deeply in 2021

The New Year is a good time to pause and take stock of what the Lord has taught you and to prepare for the coming year. How have you used your free time in 2020? How can you use it better in 2021? One of the best ways you can use your time is by studying God's Word. Here are a few options for you to consider:

I. Study a Theme

Pro: Looking at the whole teaching of the Bible on one great topic,

Cons: It may be harder to find material. You need to guard against bending passages out of their context.

Examples:

  1. Who is God?

  2. The Quest for the Real Jesus

  3. Prayer

  4. Evangelism

  5. Holiness

Use good books. Draw from all of Scripture. Start with the big picture, then explore books, sermons, etc. on that topic. Follow this with an intensive study (memorization) on key passages on the topic.

Try to move from general to specific and from an academic toward a devotional approach.

2. Study one Christian author

Choose a Christian author and determine to read through all they’ve written. Start with a biography, then move to their works.

Pro: This author may prove to be a Christian “friend” for the rest of your life.

Con: No mere human author is our authority. Only follow them where they follow Christ.

Suggestions:

  1. John Newton

  2. John Flavel

  3. George Whitefield

3. Study a period of Christian history

Start with a big picture account, then move into books only on that time, then into biographies.

Suggestions:

  1. Histories (UK or US?)

  2. Biographies

  3. Dallimore

4. Study a book of the bible

It’s easy to find the material and know where to start. But it does require hard work. Try to memorize key passages or the whole book (if small enough).

Start with an overview of the book in a commentary or NT/OT survey book. Understand when and why it was written. How does it fit into the overarching theme of redemption? Always work from general to specific.

A few good commentaries:

  1. W. Hendriksen New Testament Commentaries (more of a nuts-and-bolts approach)

  2. New International Commentary on the Old Testament or New International Commentary on the New Testament

  3. Geneva Series of Commentaries

  4. The Message of the Old Testament / The Message of the New Testament

  5. MacArthur's Commentaries

  6. Welwyn Commentary Set

  7. Devotional (or Sermonic) Commentaries: Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Romans.

  8. John Eadie’s Commentary on the Greek Text

5. Use a Reading Plan

Some of our favorite plans and resources:

Don’t be afraid you aren’t doing it right, just get to work.

Live on what you read! Unapplied truth will not make room for more truth.

 

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Behold Your God PodcastCourtney Brewer