Customer Reviews

Bible Study That Works

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Dr. David L. Thompson's book was a welcome volume for non-professional students of the Bible when it was first published in 1994. A former student of Dr. Robert Traina, the current dean of the Inductive Bible Study movement, Dr. Thompson's revision of his previous work provides laypersons with a non-technical guide to studying Biblical texts with minimal help from secondary sources (commentaries, books, etc.). Dr. Thompson encourages the Bible student to trust himself to do firsthand studies of the Biblical text in order to discover its truth for himself. The approach is to study whole books rather than studying isolated texts out of context. While Dr. Thompson is to be commended for taking what can be a very technical method and bringing it down to a layman's level, this book will be of minimal help to the student unless he is guided by a skilled instructor. For this reason it is an excellent introductory text for college students.

There are several strengths to be noted in this volume. First, Dr. Thompson points to additional reading in the more technical volume, Dr. Robert Traina's Methodical Bible Study. And he points to many other helpful Bible study sources along the way. Second, Dr. Thompson gives significant attention to the application of Scripture, a glaring weakness in many other volumes on this topic.

Perhaps one addition to the book would have been most helpful and that is a model study of a unit of a Biblical book. This would be especially helpful to those students who do not have someone skilled in inductive methodology to guide them in the process. Finally, I would like to see a greater emphasis on encouraging students to "stick with it" in doing inductive studies. Most who begin the process drop out even when they use a non-technical guide like this. Learning the inductive method involves more than going through specific steps. It involves developing a new mindset that requires a significant amount of time. Unless the student is made aware of this requirement, he is likely to quit and return to Sunday School quarterlies and commentaries to find Biblical knowledge.

This book is very like the method learned at the missionary school I attended with the Agape Force, so kept remembering bits of the teaching sessions. Never read a single verse of the Bible if you want to understand it. Instead read the whole paragraph the verse is in, or chapter, or if need be, whole book to get the context. Check the style written in: prose, poetry, parable etc. Ask nosy questions: Who? What? How? When? Where? Why? And So what does that do with me? Find major points first, then minors. What was the author's intent to the original readers? Jesus is the answer. So how does it connect to Him? Local vs. Universal. Personal vs., mechanical. Liberty vs. legalism. Faith (trust in God) vs. works. Holy love vs. everything. Go with what you understand, not with what you don't. How to use study guides and resources. Study all the verses on a subject, not just proof texts.

I had the privilege of taking a seminary Bible class at Asbury Seminary with the author of this excellent book. When I teach the Bible to students preparing for Christian ministry I always require this of all my students and will as long as it remains in print. But it's excellent for lay people--anyone who wants to learn to practice Inductive Bible Study (a method of study that you have to put your heart as well as your head into). It won't take you long to read this short paperback book, but it opens the door to an unending study of the world's greatest book, The Holy Bible.

I received my order in a couple of days after placing my order. The book was used but in good condition. I was pleased with my order.

I was assigned this book for a college course. It was quite helpful for understanding in depth study of the Bible.