3 Step Tool

In encouraging you to study scripture on your own, I want to give you a tool that has helped me gain greater understanding and has given me more personal application than my past study. I picked up this tool at an Anne Graham Lotz crusade, but it is also used by Bible Study Fellowship. It’s very simple and contains just three questions. Divide your paper into three columns with the following headings:

(Click here to download a blank page, an explanation page, and a sample study page)

What does it say?
What does it mean?
How do I apply this?

Begin by praying and asking God to show you where to start and what verses He’d like for you to study. Pick a short passage so you can slow down, spend some time, and really work on understanding. You will complete one question/column at a time for the whole passage.
Depending on the passage, I sometimes answer the questions for each verse individually, but sometimes I group verses together. Organize your study in a way that makes sense to you.

Use the tips below as guidelines for answering the questions. The rule of thumb is to begin by looking at exactly what God says in the passage without our own interpretation. Act like a reporter in this section, and just write the facts and major details.

The next step is to find the lesson in the passage. The Bible is meant to be interpreted as a whole, so sometimes single verses are confusing or seem contradictory. If that happens, look at the verse in the context of the whole chapter or entire book.

The final step is applying God’s Word to your own life. This is where something very exciting happens. If you are studying with a group, the group’s first column would be very close to identical. The second column might vary a little, but many would come to the same conclusions. On the application column, though, every member of the group might have a different application. That’s God speaking directly and personally to you! Completely amazing! Use the following tips to guide you as you study.

What does it say?
Put the number of the verse beside each fact.
Write down facts. This includes answers to the “w”s (who, what, when, where).
Write each fact in a brief summary sentence. Remember, this is your short-hand, so use abbreviations, symbols or anything that you’ll remember later.
Do not paraphrase. Use significant words straight from scripture. ( i.e. holiness, redeemed)

What does it mean?
What are the spiritual truths or principles in this verse?
Look for keys like these:
S—Is there a sin to confess?
P—Is there a promise to keep?
A—Is there an action to take?
C—Is there a command I need to heed?
E—Is there an example to follow or to avoid?

How do I apply this?
How will I act on this lesson?
Write open ended questions — ones that can’t be answered with “yes” or “no”
Take time to pray and listen. Write a response to each question.