Who Loves Bible Study? I DO!

Professor Rob Plummer has declared the month of May  “Read a Historical Theology text month.” What is historical theology? Plummer describes it as, “the academic discipline that looks at the development and articulation of Christian doctrine throughout church history.” He has decided to read about 30 pages a day from Gregg Allison’s “Historical Theology.” This book has been on my radar for a few months now, so I’ve decided to read along with Prof. Plummer. I ordered the book from CBD, which has it on sale for $28.99. I should get it next Thursday, and I’ll probably start it right away to give myself a little extra time as I am also using other textbooks right now to help in my Bible study.

Today I will finish the last assignment in Chapter 3 of “Grasping God’s Word,” a textbook that helps you learn how to really dig into the Biblical text, drawing out the meaning that was actually intended instead of reading meaning into the text. I also plan to read through Chapter 4 and do at least one assignment from that chapter. I’m using the second edition (which I also purchased from CBD), mostly because I got impatient and couldn’t wait for the third edition that is being released in May. There is also a workbook that goes along with it, which I highly suggest to you get if you use the textbook. So far, the material has been about practice, practice, practice… but I’m loving it, and I can’t wait to get to the deeper stuff.

I’ve also started over with Greek. I’m actually pleasantly surprised that I have retained even a little bit of what I had learned before. I am using Bill Mounce’s Greek Grammar and workbook (second edition… there is also a third edition available now) which I purchased a couple of years ago. I really want to learn this, but it’s very hard doing it alone. One of my goals for this year was to pick this up again, and I have… and I’m determined to stick with it.

I’m all-in right now. I purchased a few other resources as well, but I may not get to those for a while as I’m still doing other reading as well. Busy, busy, busy. But loving it!

The Jesus Lens: A Free Online Event

The Calvin Theological Seminary and Zondervan Publishers are hosting a free online event. I’ve already registered for the event and ordered the book from CBD (just got it today!) so I can start reading it after the discussion. I’m really looking forward to this, and I wanted to share it for others who may be interested.

Here’s what Zondervan has to say:

How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens

A Conversation with Michael Williams

March 6 | 8:00 pm EST

RSVP to get a reminder!

www.LiveStream.com/Zondervan

Or visit the FB event page.

Program will include a Q&A with Michael and our online audience.

Tim Challies recommends How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens.

“Michael Williams’ How to Read the Bible Through the Jesus Lens is a helpful guide to a Christ-focused reading of the Bible… This is an ideal resource to refer to if you are involved in a Bible-reading plan or if you would just like to gain a deeper understanding of the Scriptures. As you begin reading a new book of the Bible, you will find it helpful to turn to How to Read the Bible Through the Jesus Lens to get an overview of that book and to train yourself to read it through the Jesus lens. It will sharpen your understanding of what you have read (or are about to read) and help ensure that you do not miss Jesus amidst the stories and genealogies and all the other things that sometimes threaten to cloud our view.”

My Plans for 2012

So, here we are. It’s a new year and everyone is making New Year’s Resolutions. I don’t do resolutions. They don’t stick. But I do like to set goals for myself, so here are some of the things I plan on doing this year that you may see on this blog.

1) More Bible Study: I purchased a Bible Study software that has so many great features! Including an integrated notes system. Biblesoft PC Study Bible 5.0: Discovery Reference Library on CD-ROM. I got the most inexpensive version because I wasn’t sure if I would like it or if it would really be worth using, but so far I love it.

2) More Bible reading: I have been following Professor Horner’s Bible-Reading System, and I’m really loving how it works, but I still don’t read my Bible as often as I should. So I plan to read more. You can find a great explanation of the system at Tim Challies’ website.

3) Read what’s on my shelf: I’m one of those people who buys several books at once and ends up leaving one or more unread for a long period of time because other books get purchased before I get to the ones I already have. So, one of my goals this year will be to read books that have been on my shelf for a while.

4) Complete at least one of my Reading Goals: My reading goals are posted here. I would like to work on the Middle-earth goal, which would mean starting with the hardest one. But it’s Tolkien’s imagery that made me want to start these lofty reading goals, so I think it’s fitting for that one to be my first. It may end up taking me all year. *gasp*

5) Review copies: The book reviews continue. Free books in exchange for an honest review… it doesn’t get much better than that. So, I intend to keep reviewing books for publishers whenever they come up as long as I have the opportunity.

6) Study Greek: I started studying Greek a few years ago, but I fell away from it as it got harder. I want to start over from the beginning and follow through this time. I really feel that having knowledge of this language will help dive deeper into God’s Word, drawing me closer to Him.

7) Write more: I signed up for NaNoWriMo! It’s a long way to November, but I want to do a lot more writing this year. Until November I’ll be planning, researching (if necessary), developing characters, etc. Everything but writing the actual story… as are the rules of NaNoWriMo.

This is why I’m not doing the challenges this year. I think I’ve challenged myself enough with my own plans and goals. I will definitely be keeping myself busy in 2012.

I found one challenge that I’ve decided to participate in because it’s not for the year – it’s a 5-year challenge. No added stress involved. I can take my time. I won’t be joining officially (posting my info to the challenge blog), but I thought it would be a nice challenge. It’s called The Fill in the Gaps: 100 Project. The idea is to make a list of 100 books you’ve been planning to read but never got around to, then read them over the next 5 years. This already goes hand-in-hand with one of my plans above (#3), but it’s even better because I don’t have to be finished by the end of this year. I’ll be able to leisurely cross off all those classics I’ve always wanted to read, but never took the time to. I’ll be creating a page for my list soon under the Reading Challenges area.

2011 Year-End Reading Plan: Update

So, I’ve already strayed off my plan path. I am still 3 books behind with a total of 13 books to go on my 52 Book in 52 Weeks challenge, and 6 behind with 9 to go on my Classics challenge! Here was my original YERP list:

Attracted by Fire by Diann Mills
The Scroll by Grant R. Jeffrey & Alton L. Gansky
Forbidden by Ted Dekker & Tosca Lee
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Kingdom’s Dawn by Chuck Black
The Priest’s Graveyard by Ted Dekker
The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
The Church Invisible by Nick Page
Touching Godliness through Submission by K. P. Yohannan
Practicing Exile by Marc H. Ellis
No Longer a Slumdog by K. P. Yohannan
When God Prayed by Don Wilton
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

And now here is my new YERP list:

Attracted by Fire by Diann Mills
The Scroll by Grant R. Jeffrey & Alton L. Gansky
Forbidden by Ted Dekker & Tosca Lee
P.S., I Love You by Cecelia Ahern
No Wonder They Call Him the Savior by Max Lucado
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Kingdom’s Dawn by Chuck Black
The Priest’s Graveyard by Ted Dekker
The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
The Church Invisible by Nick Page
Touching Godliness through Submission by K. P. Yohannan
Practicing Exile by Marc H. Ellis
No Longer a Slumdog by K. P. Yohannan
When God Prayed by Don Wilton
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

The books in green are the ones I will definitely read to make sure I meet both challenges. If I have time remaining before the year is up I will read the others on the list.

A preview of 2012:
Next year I will be hosting a challenge of my own: The Library Challenge. The idea of this challenge is to form (or re-form) a relationship with your local library by checking out books that meet the monthly challenges. You can read a bit more about it on the challenge blog.

Other than this challenge, I will not be participating in reading challenges. The two challenges I participated in this year were fun and got me motivated, but sometimes I felt overwhelmed. I’ve decided to take it a bit slower in 2012 and read deeper. I want to accomplish at least one of my reading goals and do a lot more Bible study. And I will continue to review books for publishers when one is presented that seems interesting to me.

Here’s hoping my YERP doesn’t change again.

Faithful Blogging Prompt #18

What is your favorite way to study the Bible?

     I used to do my regular Bible reading with my Bible and the Believer’s Bible Commentary. I would read a chapter in the Bible, then read the same chapter in the commentary. Recently I started following Professor Horner’s Bible-Reading System, in which you read ten chapters per day, each from a different book. You can find a great explanation of the system at Tim Challies’ website. I have to admit, it makes reading the Bible flow a bit easier and I’m reading more each day than ever before.

     When I do a more in-depth reading I like to sit at the kitchen table where I can spread out. I have my “Comfortable” KJV Evidence Bible, the NIV Archaeological Study Bible, the Believer’s Bible Commentary, the Wycliffe Bible dictionary, the Expository Dictionary of Bible Words, and the Strongest Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance (see the end of the post for book covers and links). Now, I may not use all of these in the study session, but I like to have them handy in case. And of course, I have a notebook. I’ll read a chapter in the KJV taking notes on things I want to study further, or things I just feel led to write out to focus on. I’ll read the same chapter in the NIV, noting any differences in the translations which can lead to great word studies. I then read the chapter again in the commentary taking notes on questions I may have or things I want to study further.

     When doing a fully in-depth word study or topical study I use all the same materials above, but I rely more on the Strong’s and my dictionaries, referring periodically to the commentary.

                        

Be our guest, be our guest, be our guest…….

I still find myself amazed at the way the Holy Spirit sometimes reveals things to me, using the simplest things in such small, gentle ways. As I was doing some things around the house the song “Be Our Guest” from “Beauty and the Beast” popped into my head, so of course… I started singing it! Well, when I reached the lines, “Life is so unnerving for a servant who’s not serving. He’s not whole without a soul to wait upon,” I felt such a strong impression and thought, “Of course! Christ calls us to be servants!” This simple little line from this song about enchanted domestic servants brought my focus to the word of God. I did a topical study and want to share some of the verses that I found.

Ephesisans 6:5-8
Colossians 3:17
1 Peter 2:13-15, 17-21
Psalm 116:16
Galatians 5:13
Luke 22:26
John 13:5, 13-15

Of course our greatest example is Christ himself. Everywhere He traveled people asked Him for “favors” for lack of a better word. He often stopped during His journey to heal the sick and perform other miracles. He performed the task of  servant/slave when he washed the feet of His disciples, including Judas whom Jesus knew would betray Him. And scripture reminds us that we are not to serve man for worldly praise, but every task we perform should be done as if we are doing it for God himself, and God alone. If we look at serving in this way then we will be willing to serve, even those who ridicule or abuse us, because we are not serving man… we are serving God. And that is what we are called to do. When we serve in this way we find comfort and peace, and we are indeed whole.