Have you ever sat down with your bible, closed your eyes and randomly pointed to a page for where to start reading? Yeah, I’ve done that too.
Studying the bible can be a bit overwhelming if you’re not sure where to start or how to apply it to real life. If this has been you, the S.O.A.P. Bible Study Method is a great place to learn how to study your bible and is simple to follow.
Why Study the Bible?
I think I was in high school when I first learned about SOAP and it has never failed me. Especially through the college age years when I was dealing with some pretty heavy stuff. I wouldn’t say I walked away from God, because I was still talking to him… ok, maybe it was more TALKING AT him, but he was very patient with me… letting me be angry and ask the hard questions.
There was a definite shift though in my late 20s when I was ready to move forward in my faith and trust that if I allowed him, God would make good of what Satan wanted to use for destruction. I began making a concerted effort to wake up early for coffee with Jesus, to read and pray.
It wasn’t that I didn’t read my Bible and pray before, because I did. But there was something different once I started making that commitment of getting up early everyday whether I “felt like it” or not, and the Lord has always been faithful to meet me there…. and has become a very special time.
This is what the bible does. It opens a path of communication and understanding of who God is. His character, His heart, and His purpose in our lives. And getting in his word constantly and purposefully rooted biblical principles and truths in my life that I needed to learn. And it has helped me process some of the REALLY HARD things that life throws at us.
An Invitation
Our God is not a god of forcefulness. He doesn’t demand us to pray to him or even require us to read our bibles. But he does invite us into a relationship with him. He wants to spend time with us and guide us through understanding who we are in him. So that little feeling you get of “oh maybe I’ll read my bible or pray”… that’s him quietly inviting you into his presence. And when those moments come, we can either act on the invitation or ignore it.
The thing about ignoring it is that it becomes easier to avoid him when we feel the nudge. Just like any relationship, if we keep turning down that coffee date with a friend, it becomes easier to ignore their phone call and they become less frequent… don’t misunderstand me though, this God of ours does not give up easily, he will always pursue that relationship with us… it is our hearts that stop hearing the invitation over time.
This is something I’ve continued to learn as I study the bible… there is always a promise to the invitation of taking action…
- Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
- Philippians 4:6 – 7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
- Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Notice, there is always a promise if we choose to act in what he asks us to do…. these are just some of the verses that many of us have heard, but time and time again, you will begin to see these kinds of patterns, these invitations to experience who God says he is.
What is the SOAP Bible Study Method?
The SOAP Bible Study method is a simple, organized technique to understanding scripture both intellectually and emotionally, for a deeper understanding of how it applies to our lives.
S.O.A.P is an acronym for Scripture, Observations, Application, Prayer. I like to use a journal to write out each one of these points as I study through a particular piece of scripture. It helps me organize my thoughts, ask questions and see those patterns. It also gives me a record of what the Lord has been teaching me over the years.
What You Will Need
You will just need a few basic things to get started
- Bible – a physical bible is generally more helpful than using an app. But if that’s all you have, you can certainly use that
- Journal or Notebook – A good’ole spiral notebook can easily become a journal, but the point is to have one location for writing down your SOAP guided thoughts, notes, and prayers
- Pen or Pencil
If you are an “artsy” type person, you might enjoy colorful pens or a pretty journal. But they are really not necessary. I do keep a dictionary nearby to look up word definitions or maybe some sort of concordance, but they are not necessary either. Keep it simple and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you.
Where in the Bible Should You Start Reading
There are lots of reading plans out there for the SOAP Bible Study Method, but you can really start anywhere. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, are great if you’re not sure what to start with.
How to use the S.O.A.P Bible Study Method
- S – Scripture: Once you’ve decided on what you want to read… Read it. Write down anything that stands out to you. Specific verses, words you found meaningful, or phrases that stood out
- O – Observation: Ask questions and make observations on any patterns, themes, key words.
- What was the main point that came across in those verses
- What details stand out
- Did he say that to a specific person or for specific situation
- Have I felt that way or been in a similar situation
- Is that a warning, a promise, a command, or an invitation to something more
- What does that word actually mean
- If there is a word you don’t know or are wondering if you have the correct definition, look it up in the dictionary or the footnotes if your bible has them.
- A – Application: This is where it all comes to life… this is where we start connecting what we read and applying it in our lives. Ask yourself:
- How does this apply to me or my relationships
- What truths or promises do I need to claim
- What lies to I need to deny in my life
- Are there any actions, attitudes or thoughts I need to deal with
- P – Prayer: Now that you’ve identified some action items that need to be addressed, spend some time in prayer over them.
- Ask God to speak to you about these things that you’re reading
- Ask to see his truth and give you wisdom
THATS IT!
Sometimes it’s easier when you can see it, so here is an example for reference.
Tips for the Beginner
If you are new to studying the bible, here are a few tips that can help when first starting out:
- Start slow, aiming for about 10-15 minutes study time. As it becomes more of a routine, you will find yourself naturally going longer
- Start with small scripture portions to read from, rather than a whole chapter of the bible
- If possible, have a set time each day of when you will do your “quiet time”. It doesn’t have to be in the morning, but being constant will help establish a habit of studying your bible.
- Having a routine, is especially helpful as you go through different seasons of life and of your Christian Walk. There are times when it will be very natural, and you will look forward to your quite time. There will be other times when it’s more difficult to make that time happen, whether due to demanding schedules or just lack of motivation. Sometimes that established habit is what gets us through those hard times when we don’t understand what God is doing.
- I find it helpful to put on some soft worship or instrumental music in the background, but that might be distracting for others
There are so many ways to study the bible, and the SOAP method certainly isn’t the only way. In fact, I would encourage everyone grow their knowledge of the Word, with other in-depth studies on specific books of the Bible, topical studies, studies of specific men and women in the bible, historical & cultural contexts of the bible, the list goes on and on.
The main goal of any bible study, is to get into to the Word each day, learning more about who God is, who we are in HIM, and how that relates to every other area in our lives. And the SOAP method of study is an easy way to get started.
I’d love to hear if you’ve used this method of studying the bible before and found it helpful. OR are there other studies you’ve done and enjoyed? Tell us about them. Let’s share some of our favorites that might bless someone else.
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