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Share one or two Bible-study techniques you find most helpful.
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The one I currently use is the H.E.A.R. method of journaling. You read a passage of Scripture and then Highlight was stood out to you, Explain the context of what the author is stating, Apply the passage to your life, and Respond on how the application is going to practically play out in your life.
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I find it helpful to read the Bible through in its entirety each year as well as picking books to study in detail. It’s important to repeat the yearly reading in its entirety to know the scope of the Bible, but also to get into detailed lessons that concentrate on the history, context, and word study of different sections.
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I love music, so I like to make up songs to help me remember what I’m studying. I also take notes while doing my devotions or listening to a sermon. That way if I don’t totally understand something I can go back later and dive deeper into what I want to learn.
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One method I use is simple, but helps in teaching/framing the whole of a text. It’s applying the ‘Kipling Method’ (Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How) to a portion of scripture. In doing so, you are able to carefully keep a portion of scripture within the bounds of scriptural context. I am also use scripture to define scripture, and therefore will often cross-reference words, themes, and concepts beigh taught in a portion of scripture.
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I find “close reading” strategies, such as those taught in Precepts Bible study to be helpful. I also enjoy copying and meditating on French and German translations of the Bible. I started doing this to improve my language skills, but I also find it useful to think through nuances of scripture in different translations.