Many Bible Study methods find a lack in either the depth or the width of study. You may find in whatever method you are doing that you can be a mile wide, but only an inch deep. That meaning, you have a broad understanding of Scripture, but do not have a lot of depth. Alternatively, you may find that you are a mile deep but only an inch wide. So to say, you have a lot of depth in a certain area of Scripture, but you haven't strayed too far from that one area and are limited in understanding other sections of Scripture. The Mile Method seeks to reconcile this by emphasizing being a mile wide and a mile deep in our understanding of the Word of God.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- Well-Rounded understanding of Scripture
- Very Contextual
- Dives Straight into the Word without complicating things
- Easy to Do
- Good at getting into the Word throughout the day
Weaknesses
- Very time consuming
- Can be exhausting
- Can be discouraging when going through difficult to understand sections of Scripture
How To Do the Mile Method
1. Schedule
It is highly recommended that you schedule time for reading and studying. Set aside a time in the morning for reading, and a time in the afternoon/evening for studying.
2. Read for Length
Whatever book you may be going through, take this time to just read through the text. Do not worry about noting many things down or diving into deep study. Just read through the content. I try to take a larger portion of Scripture for this step. What I recommend is to not set a chapter goal, but set a time limit. Read for 30 minutes to an hour and get through whatever you can in this time.
3. Ask Questions
As you are reading through the section, write down any questions you may have. Do not worry about answering these yet. This is going to be your guide for study later in the day.
4. Take a Break
Most of us do not have all the time in the day to do all the reading and studying back to back. Not to mention, it can get exhausting and overwhelming at times. Take a break and step away. Think about the things that you read and meditate on the Word of God. Consider the questions you wrote, but do not overdo it. You will come back to those questions later.
5. Study for Depth
Coming back to study, let us now focus on depth. If you wrote down questions, start by seeking to answer those. If you have not written down any questions, slowly read through your section again and pause on things that are catching your attention. Utilize tools such as word studies, concordances, or cross references to help give you deeper understanding in this text. It is recommended that you take the same amount of time that you had for reading and devote it to study. That being said, take whatever time you can and dive deep into it.
6. Pray
Prayer is an essential part of any Bible study method. You should start and finish with this. Without prayer throughout Bible study, it just becomes a glorified book club.
Take this time of prayer to reflect on what it is that you have read and what that means for your life. Ask the Lord for more insight and what He would have you to do in response of the Word. Also take the time to enjoy being in the presence of the Lord. Learn to grow in the discipline of prayer just as you are in the discipline of study.
Take this time of prayer to reflect on what it is that you have read and what that means for your life. Ask the Lord for more insight and what He would have you to do in response of the Word. Also take the time to enjoy being in the presence of the Lord. Learn to grow in the discipline of prayer just as you are in the discipline of study.