Course objectives
To prepare leaders of new discipleship groups and church plants to “correctly handle the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15) through simple and practical tools of Biblical interpretation (hermeneutics).
Course description
This course explores several approaches to Bible study, including analysis of the text, book study, study of a topic, and character study in a simple overview of hermeneutics (Biblical interpretation). The course introduces to students the principles of observation, interpretation and application by means of a study of 1 Peter. Students are then expected to apply those principles in a study of Philemon.
Learning Outcomes
Contents: By the end of the course, the student will be able:
- To present the five general principles of dynamic Bible study.
- To explain the four Bible study methods used to study 1 Peter in this course.
- To explain general principles for interpreting a specific passage of Scripture.
Character: By the end of the course, the student will demonstrate:
- Sensitivity to the dangers of misinterpreting scripture, or using it in ways that justify one’s own position in contradiction to the original context and meaning of a passage.
- An appreciation for applying the scripture in practical ways, rather than merely studying for the sake of “head knowledge.”
- A thirst for knowledge of God’s Word “as the deer pants for streams of water.” (Psalm 42:1)
Competencies: By the end of the course, the student will be able:
- To take into consideration the biblical, historical, cultural, and linguistic context of a passage when facilitating a Bible study.
- To use the following Bible study tools: concordance, Bible dictionary, cross references, commentaries, and Bible atlas.
- To model how to identify an author’s purpose in writing by explaining the purpose of 1 Peter.
- To apply the message of a passage of Scripture to his/her own context and time period.
- To find the main idea of a given biblical text.
- To apply thematic study of scripture to a specific concept.