Learning to Study the Bible (Leader Guide)

Learning to Study the Bible guides your tween students through eight weeks of Bible discovery. They'll explore the wonders of biblical geography and archaeology. They'll compare and contrast biblical genres. They'll learn the history of biblical interpretation, and discover that they are Bible interpreters too! Students will become familiar with Bible dictionaries, commentaries, concordances, maps, and more. Best of all, they'll practice sharing their Bible knowledge with others each week. Session Outline and Learning Goals: Who? Author and Audience Spark curiosity about the authors and original audiences of the BibleIntroduce and use Bible dictionaries and commentariesSharpen deductive reasoning skills in biblical interpretation What? Genre Introduce and explore biblical genresLearn to use Bible commentaries and apps to identify possible genres of textsExplore the significance of genre for biblical interpretation When? Context Investigate the connection between context and meaningSpark curiosity about biblical and modern cultural contextsUse Bible dictionaries, commentaries, and handbooks to research biblical context Where? Geography Spark curiosity about the biblical landscapePrompt reflection on the relationship between land and daily lifeUse biblical maps and archaeological research to explore biblical geography Why? Interpretation Create awareness of interpretive lenses and layersSpark curiosity about our own and others' interpretive lensesUse a concordance and various translations to compare meanings How? Read Closely Cultivate appreciation for the way our ancestors preserved the biblical textPractice reading carefully and paying attentionDiscover the four meanings of Scripture and practice interpreting them How? Reread Create awareness of our own role in making meaningPrompt reflection on the nature of Scripture as the "living word of God"Practice the ancient tradition of divine reading How? Read Together Create awareness of the diversity of voices within the canonInspire students to enter into the centuries-long biblical conversationPractice reading the Bible inter-canonicallyRead less