Every day for the past week I’ve been teaching a course on Bible Study Methods at the Institute for Christian Ministries seminary. It is a bachelor’s degree level course that is packed into an 8 day module, so we are cramming a lot of material into a short time. The 19 students (who are nearly all pastors) are very much enjoying it, though, and I’m loving connecting with them and guiding them in their love for studying and understanding and applying God’s Word.

By way of overview, we are focusing primarily on the inductive method of Bible study. In other words, we are working on observing what the Bible text says (not what we think it should say or we want it to say) using many observational tools. Then once we know what the text is saying, we dig into what the original author meant by what he said. In this way, we are using hermeneutical tools to interpret the meaning of the passage. Finally, we bring our observations and interpretations to our own time and culture and apply it to our lives leading to sustained change. I am loving helping the students grow in their LOVE for God’s Word, and in their ABILITY to study it and handle it well (2 Tim.2:15). (By the way, this method works very well for all people, including you… for your personal Bible study!)

Several of the pastors have told me that this is the first time they’ve ever been exposed to these concepts, and the excitement in their hearts is clearly visible in their eyes, voices and actions. In addition, I’ve had several requests to come to their home churches (everywhere from Malawi to the other side of Tanzania, etc.) in order to train clusters of churches near their homes. God is certainly working in all of us, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be equipping these leaders who will in turn equip many others.

Pressing on by God’s grace, Eric