I recently had the opportunity to bring my 6-year-old son (Nixon) to his first Premier League soccer game.
Important context: I have never played soccer and have only watched it via recaps on SportsCenter.
To say that Nixon was excited to attend this game is the understatement of the century. He talked about it for months. He even made me buy him a soccer ball so he could practice playing in our living room before we went to the game.
[[ For what it’s worth, I realized later that he thought he would have the opportunity to play if one of their players got hurt—I had to burst that bubble intra-game. ]]
Not too long into the game, everyone in the stands begins to freak out because, they claim, the opposing team was offsides. Cue Nixon's question, “What does offsides in soccer mean?”
I have no idea. Like none. At all.
The entire game plays out with all kinds of offside penalties, and I still cannot explain to him precisely what it is. I even watched a YouTube video when I got home, and I still don’t get it.
Interestingly enough, the more I asked people around me to explain offsides, they either couldn’t tell me or thought they understood it until they went to explain it.
This is my point: there are things in life that seem like everyone else around you understands, and yet you don’t.
I have found that, often, that list includes the Bible. Don’t shy away from it. It will literally change your life.
A Healthy Attitude
As silly as it may seem, the best place to start with your Bible is with the right attitude. What is the right attitude? It simply is just a place of humility and surrender.
Some people feel scared when they approach the Bible. Some people feel unintelligent when they approach the Bible. Some people feel lost when they approach the Bible. Some people feel they already know everything when they approach the Bible.
Some people approach the Bible and ask, "What can this do for me today?" Some people approach the Bible and ask, "How can I rebuke my friend with some scripture today?" I'm just kidding. Maybe.
The right attitude involves none of this. It’s about encountering Jesus, understanding his heart, and letting his words shape your life. This requires more than just a casual read—it calls for a humble, expectant, and reverent attitude.
James 1:21 (ESV) says, "Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”
[[ For what it’s worth, “word” in James 1:21 refers to the gospel, which can be experienced at greater depths in study. I just thought that should be made clear! ]]
The key word here is "meekness." Approaching the Bible with a teachable and humble spirit opens the door to profound and Spirit-led insight. This isn’t about having all the answers or being a Bible expert—it’s about being open to learning, growing, and being transformed by what you read.
Practical Tips
We are going to cover quite a bit in this series of posts, including how to use commentaries, how to recognize different literary styles of writing in the Bible, and even more “advanced methods” if you’re feeling crazy. For now, I want to provide a simple list of practical tips to remember as you approach the Bible at any depth.
It’s hard (and that’s okay).
It is okay to admit that the Bible can be hard to understand, but with the right tools, some patience, and reliance on the Holy Spirit, some beautiful things can happen.
Go slow.
Jumping into a "Read the Bible in 90 Days" plan is a bit much. Instead, start with manageable portions of Scripture. I’ll go a little more into this below.
Work hard to get clear definitions.
I have found that we often need freedom from bad definitions. Don’t assume that you know what every word means. One of the best ways to study scripture is to break it down into its parts, understand those, and then grasp the overall meaning.
Context, context, context.
We will discuss this at length in the next post, but for this one, remember that everything in the Bible has context, and it is essential that you know it. More on that soon.
Don’t make stuff up.
Studying the Bible should start with understanding what it means in context and then applying that to our world. Studying the Bible should not mean finding ways to make it say what I wish it did.
[[ For what it’s worth, the concepts of exegesis (finding the true meaning) and eisegesis (assigning a perceived meaning) will be covered in detail in the posts to come! ]]
Learn in Community (and ask for help).
You can learn a lot in study—you can learn even more when you do it with others. It is a beautiful thing!
Lean into the Holy Spirit.
Before you dive into your Bible reading, take a moment to ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand and apply what you’re about to read. Psalm 119:18 (ESV) is a great verse to pray: "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." This simple step sets the tone for your time in the word and invites the Holy Spirit to guide you.
Where Do I Start?
It goes without saying—the Gospels are a great place to start. The stories of Jesus are accessible, relatable, and profoundly transformative. Another great option is the Psalms, which express every emotion under the sun and offer a direct line to God’s heart.
Here is what I would recommend: let’s say you start with the book of John. Start reading until you come across something that piques your interest. It could be a word you’ve never come across, a story you’re unfamiliar with, a word or a story you are familiar with but have questions, etc. In prayer and study, explore what prompted you to stop and dive in.
Some days, you may read a chapter, others a few verses, and sometimes you may only make it three words. That is okay! I have found that strict timelines become a bit of a chore—let the word breathe! You might be surprised at how much insight you gain by slowing down and digging into the text.
Charles Spurgeon once said, "A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t." This doesn’t mean you’ll have all the answers or that life will suddenly become easy, but it does mean you’ll have a foundation to stand on and a hope to look toward.
Hopefully, That Made Sense
I am purposely keeping these posts a bit shorter as the goal is to provide helpful tips for studying the Bible. So, here’s my challenge: give it a shot! Take into consideration the content above and get started. I will continue to add layers to study tactics as we go.
Fair warning: it’s going to get pretty nerdy. Just trust me. We are in it together!
Approaching the Bible isn’t about getting everything perfect or understanding every verse on the first try. It’s about showing up, day after day, with a heart that’s open and ready to learn. The Bible is the word of God, and when we approach it with the right attitude, it can change everything.
Until next time,
Petey
Bring on the nerdy.
This deserves something more than a ❤️. Looking forward to the rest!