of what I actually do everyday

straight up.

For those of you who would like to receive the more "technical updates" as opposed to listening to the ramblings of my heart, let me know your email and I can add you to that list.  In the meantime, here's a sample of something technical: the way we learn to study the Bible here at SBS.  I did not include this in my update letter because...well...not everybody would want to read this.  If you've read this, I commend you.  and I will bring you home some m&m's.  If you let me know who you are that read this.... anyways....


How do I actually study the Bible?  You may ask.  Well, let me tell you, and prove to you that I've not just sitting around in Montana making friends and eating too much meat and actually becoming a lumberjack. 

We use what it is called inductive study, or "The Method."  

1. We first have to read through the book - whatever book we are on.  Right now we into Luke - out loud in one sitting (which we can do with a few others if we want).  This past Sunday it was beautiful so I took my Bible and say by a creek that's here on base with my tea and thoroughly enjoyed those 2 hours of just leafing through Luke.  The only book we don't need to this for is Psalms, cause hey, Psalms is huge, and they are broken up throughout the 3 semesters.  
2. We read through again and make 4 word titles for each paragraph in the book.  Yes.  Every paragraph.  and the titles need to be words words that are close to each other and in order...and of course have to do with the paragraph.  We also break up the book into manageable sections which we'll need for late on.  At this point we also pick out a key verse, reason written and main idea of the book. 
3. Next we "Colour Code" by marking up nearly every sentence with pencil crayons (or coloured pencils as the fine Americans say), defining things like who is present, where they are, whether the speech is figurative, if the OT is quoted etc... There are about 30 different things we need to look for in this step.  By the time we're done colour coding, we've read through the book 3 times.  
4. Next we complete any background research needed, like finding out the authorship and dating, as well as the recipient of the book and the original hearers of the text.  I received my very own Bible Dictionary and Study Bible in the mail today - two things I am thoroughly excited about like the a real Bible nerd.  ha!
5. Finally is the "real work".  We have by now sectioned off all of our paragraphs into manageable sections, and we have to observe the text for what it is saying.  We ask questions that the text answers for us like, "who is saying....?" and "where are they when they say.....?"  And reference our answer with text.  Next we interpret the text, meaning we ask questions of the text that we are curious about, that we can likely figure out the answer to because of our background information.  For example, "Why does Paul call the Galatians foolish?" or something like that.  Questions that the text maybe indirectly answers.  Kind of like meandering through it, wondering why the author said what they did or consider how the original reader may have reacted to something.  Finally we do application, which is where we can look at the text and see the truth that is timeless and can be applied forever.  We take these truths and write about situations where they are/can be/have been applied and write about those.  This process takes HOURS AND HOURS as you are doing this for about every chapter of the book (usually more though).  
6. After all that is done, we do a final application and pray about a timeless truth where God was speaking to us specifically, and then pray about to do with that truth (eg. serving others, so I am going to clear everyone's plates for them after a meal.  That's simple and cheesy, but that's the gist of it.
   
   This process has been extremely challenging because we are raised to take Scripture at surface level and apply it, as if it was written directly to us.  So it's hard to get out of that mindset and get into the original readers and author's and see it through their eyes, and then see what is left for us.  Scripture was of course written for us all, but not written to us.  It's hard to wrap my head around that.  But anyways, it's a lot of work.  I never imagined it would be this difficult.  But it's really good.  Scripture is coming alive and it's making sense.  It's good.  God is good.

So that's the little update.  I would say more things because trust me there is a lot going on in my heart.  It's actually been a little odd...I mean being in the Word so much can sometimes feel like you're just studying...it's so important while here to be intentional about remembering what this Book is that I am studying.  That said it's also super important for me to remember to take Jesus time, aside from the studying time.  Today I took a good chunk of time and just say by the creek (it's most definitely my favourite spot here) and just journaled and thought and pondered and listened.  It was glorious.  And God was speaking.  He is pretty cool.

Well.  back to the grind.  thanks for reading about what I'm doing.  You're so gracious.  and don't forget to let me know if I owe you some m&m's.

erika