What I Would Do Differently
Class 1: Why Read One-on-One?
I. Housekeeping
A. Welcome to the Course B. One-on-One Pre-Survey
C. Commitment throughout the Course II. What is One-on-One Bible Reading?
A. Opening Illustration
B. David Helm’s Definition of One-on-One Bible Reading III. Why One-on-One Bible Reading?
A. It is Timely.
1. We live in a world in which very few people read the Bible regularly.
2. Few today engage in discipling relationships.
3. Most churchgoers today struggle to share the gospel.
4. Few today can articulate the basic doctrines of the Christian faith.
5. America’s upcoming generations already embody a post-Christian worldview.
B. It is Biblical.
1. Discuss Deuteronomy 6:6-8, 20-25.
2. Discuss Luke 2:41-52.
3. Discuss Acts 2:42.
4. Discuss Acts 8:26-40.
5. Discuss Colossians 3:16.
C. It is Easy.
1. One-on-one Bible reading requires little preparation.
2. One-on-one Bible reading is less “pressure-filled” than other forms of evangelism and discipleship.
3. One-on-one Bible reading is adaptable.
III. How to Do It.
A. Pray.
B. Read.
C. Discuss.
D. Pray Again.
IV. Homework
A. Explain how the one-on-one Bible studies will work throughout the course.
B. Briefly explain the letters of the CAN*T Method.
VI. Conclusion
A. Concluding Illustration
Class 2: The CAN*T Method & Context: Part One I. Introduction
A. Thoughts on the Study 1 B. Test Your Knowledge II. The CAN*T Method
A. Context
1. What genre is this?
2. What passages surround this passage?
3. What was the culture like when this was written?
4. What covenant is the passage operating under?
B. Author’s Intent
1. The author determines the meaning of a text!
2. Discuss the example of Jeremiah 29:11.
C. Need for Christ 1. Our Need
a. How does this passage reveal our sin or fallenness?
b. How does this passage show us we need the Lord?
2. Christ’s Work
a. How does this passage point us to Christ?
D. Takeaway
1. How does this passage apply to my life?
2. What concrete takeaways can I make from this passage?
E. Any Questions So Far?
III. Context: Part One A. Genre
1. Illustration of Four Statements in Various Genres.
2. A Basic Definition of Genre B. Biblical Genres
1. Historical Narrative
a. Explanation of Historical Narrative b. Tips for Reading Historical Narrative
i. Ask, “Why is this here?”
ii. Remember description versus prescription.
iii. Look for repeated words.
iv. Pay attention to the arrangement of accounts v. Historical Narrative Books
2. Law
a. Explanation of Law
b. Types of Laws in the Bible c. Tips for Reading Law
i. Read them in their historical context.
ii. Think about how Jesus’ work impacts the passage.
d. Law Books 3. Poetry
a. Explanation of Poetry b. Tips for Reading Law
i. Look out for Parallelism.
ii. Look out for Metaphor and Simile.
4. Wisdom Literature
a. Wisdom Literature Books
b. Explanation of Wisdom Literature
i. The primary purpose of wisdom literature is to help you navigate God’s world.
5. Prophetic Literature
a. Explanation of Prophetic Literature b. Tips for Reading Prophecy
i. Remember not all prophetic literature is predictive.
ii. Remember some prophecies have more than one fulfillment.
6. Gospel
a. Explanation of Gospel b. Tips for Reading Gospel
i. Pay attention to repeated words.
ii. Pay attention to geographic markers.
iii. Pay attention to what comes before and after your passage.
iv. Pay attention to Jesus’ explanation of parables.
7. Epistle
a. Explanation of Epistle.
b. Tips for Reading Epistles.
i. Pay attention to the author, audience, and why the letter was written.
ii. Remember letters have a beginning, middle, and end.
iii. Remember NT letters present arguments.
8. Apocalyptic
a. Explanation of Apocalyptic.
b. Tips for Reading Apocalyptic.
IV. Quiz
Class 3: Context: Part Two & Author’s Intent I. Introduction
A. Thoughts on the Study 2 B. Test Your Knowledge II. The Three C’s of Context
A. Cul-de-sac Context
1. The cul-de-sac context (A.K.A. the literary context) reminds us to look at the passages that precede and surround the passage.
2. What surrounds my passage? In which section of the book does this passage appear? Where does my passage appear in the entire book?
B. Cultural Context
1. Explanation of Cultural Context
2. While very important, there is a temptation to put too much stock in the cultural context of a passage.
C. Covenantal Context
1. Explanation of the word “covenant”
2. The six biblical covenants (based on Gentry and Wellum)1 a. Creation
b. Noahic c. Abrahamic d. Mosaic e. Davidic
1 Peter J. Gentry and Stephen J. Wellum, Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Scriptures, First edition (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012), 620.
f. New III. Author’s Intent
A. Illustration of the various “readings” some subscribe to today.
B. Historical-Grammatical Method
1. This is how you and I wish to be read.
2. The author determines the meaning.
C. Four Hats to Determine Author’s Intent 1. Journalist’s Hat
a. Ask Who, What, When, Where, and Why questions.
b. Observe lists.
c. Note interesting details.
d. Note important pieces of dialogue.
e. Write down striking statements.
f. Note commands.
g. Circle words or ideas that you would like to explore more.
2. Poet’s Hat
a. Useful for the Psalms and Apocalyptic literature.
b. Note any poetic language in the text.
c. Note any comparisons.
d. Write down any repeated phrases.
e. Write down any figures of speech.
3. Director’s Hat
a. Useful for historical narratives.
b. Determine:
i. The setting and any characters ii. The setup
iii. The rising tension iv. The climax v. The resolution
vi. Any following explanation c. Put yourself in the character’s shoes.
4. Lawyer’s Hat
a. Useful for epistles.
b. Imagine the biblical author as a lawyer laying out his case.
c. Note any “connecting” words.
5. An Optional Hat: Scholar’s Hat
a. When stumped, you can also consult scholars.
b. Places to consult:
i. Study Bibles.
ii. Devotional, Pastoral, or Technical Commentaries.
D. Bringing It All Together
1. After this work, ask the question: “Why did the author write this passage to his original audience?”
2. Try to boil your answer down to one main point or a few bullet points.
IV. Quiz
Class 4: Need for Christ