Bible Study Methods

Topical Chain Reference Project

Posted by on Feb 13, 2011 in Bible Marking, Bible Study Methods, Chain Reference, Devotional

One of my favorite Bibles is the Thompson Chain Reference. I like chain reference studies because they are topical, and they allow Scripture to interpret Scripture. I like the Thompson, but I wanted to add some chains, combine some topics, add my own topics, etc. Basically, I wanted to make my own version of the Thompson. This is one of the reasons I wanted a wide-margin Bible

I’ve been working on my topical chain list to add to my Bible. The list is mostly doctrinal based, since that is what I study the most, and where I differ the most from other study Bibles, including the Thompson. As one example, try finding a chain on the Rapture or the Millennium. Some Bibles have them, such as the Prophecy Study Bible by Tim LaHaye and the Life in the Spirit Study Bible, but they are missing other reference chains that I want, so I am continuing my topical chain reference project.

I felt that the chains themselves would make a nice Bible study, so I’ve decided to publish my chain reference system here on Studies in Scripture. The chains will not be exhaustive and they can be modified. Also, the chains can be added to any Bible with enough writing space, so it is something that I can still use when I move from one Bible to another.

The next several week’s worth of posts will include my chains (and chains I’ve borrowed). I am starting with a study on the end times because it is so relevant to us today. These posts will be Scripture only- no commentary from me. Feel free to use them in any way you like, such as devotionals, personal studies, group studies, preaching, teaching, etc. If you see something that you think should be included or changed, please let me know.

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Bible Marking Symbols

Posted by on Dec 18, 2010 in Bible Marking, Bible Study Guide, Bible Study Methods

Another valuable active-reading tool is marking your Bible with symbols. Marking with symbols allows you to interact with the text. Like highlighting, symbols require you to look closely at a text in order to identify the main points. Symbols can work much like a color-code in that they can allow you to mark according to topic, or bring out the main points according to key-words.

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Active Reading through Note-taking

Posted by on Nov 28, 2010 in Bible Study Guide, Bible Study Methods

Another valuable form of active reading is taking notes. At first it might sound strange that writing be can part of reading, but writing lets us interact with the text. Interacting with the text helps you pull out the main points, which helps you to get a deeper understanding of the text. It also helps in memorizing Scripture.

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Active Reading with Bible Highlighting

Posted by on Nov 25, 2010 in Bible Marking, Bible Study Guide, Bible Study Methods

One of the most valuable active reading methods is highlighting. Highlighting is a good way to identify the main points of a text. Some of the most useful things to highlight include words, phrases, and sentences. This helps to understand the thought of the writer. It also helps in determining meaning, and is a great help in memorization. For me, highlighting is one of the best memorization tools.

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Reading the Bible Actively

Posted by on Nov 21, 2010 in Bible Marking, Bible Study Guide, Bible Study Methods

Many of us work hard to read the Bible through in a year. That’s a great goal- one that is to be commended. The more we read the Bible through, the better. This is a type of reading known as ‘passive reading’. We have another Bible reading tool that every Bible reader should have in their toolbox- a type of reading known as ‘active reading’.

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