Topical Bible Study is one of the most common forms of Bible Study in the modern day. The idea is that you choose a topic that you are curious about or want to have more information on and then you study relevant passages to give you clarity on it. This is one of the most volatile study methods as depending on how you do it, it can be either very beneficial or detrimental to your faith. This is a method that we have to approach with a certain diligence to be sure that we are reading Scripture well.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- Has the potential to give a lot of depth
- Easy to start
- Can give a well rounded view of Scripture
Weaknesses
- Easy to read into the text (Eisegesis)
- Easy to misunderstand Scripture
- Easy to take things out of context
How To Do Topical Bible Study
1. Pick a Topic
When approaching Topical Bible Study, the first thing you need to do is select a topic you are interested in studying. This could be a characteristic of God, a pattern you've seen in Scripture, or maybe even how Scripture deals with a particular sin.
2. Find Relevant Texts
In whatever your Bible Study tool is, search the topic to find relevant texts. If you're old school, a good concordance can do wonders for this. Start to work through each of passages that pertain to your topic.
3. Read Context!
This is the stage where most people go wrong and start to go astray when it comes to Topical Bible Study. Read the context around the verses that are pertaining to your topic. Make sure that they are actually saying what you think they are saying. There are many times with many topics that it can be easy to miss things or misinterpret things because we do not understand the context. This part can take a lot of time, but the thorough work pays off and helps to build confidence in what has been studied.
4. Summarize
Through all of the study, what have you concluded about the topic? Take this time to also jot down particular sections of Scripture that stood out to you in this study.
5. 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.