5L Bible Study Method

My 5L Bible Study Method

It can be easy to skim over our Bible reading and tick it off our to-do list without taking in anything of what we have read. But there is so much richness in every passage of the Bible that we would be missing out on. That’s why I came up with the 5L Bible Study Method. It is based on the inductive Bible Study Method, easy to remember, and can take as long as you want. Read on to find out what the 5L stages are and download your free printable. You can also sign up for my free email Bible Study which uses the 5L Bible Study Method. 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that for each purchase made I receive a small contribution at no extra cost to you. For more information please see my policies page.

What is inductive Bible Study?

 There are many different methods of Bible Study, and no proper way to study the Bible. You can use a variety of methods and tools depending on what part of Scripture you are studying and what you are wanting to learn.

One method is the Inductive Bible Study Method. An inductive Bible Study involves using three steps to understand and apply what you have learned from Scripture to your life. The three steps are:

•  Observation (what does it say?)
• Interpretation (what does it mean?)
• Application (how does it apply to my life?)

 I’ve added an introduction and conclusion to these steps which, as you will see below, are quite similar and help to round off the study and ground it in Biblical truth.

 This approach can be used as a Bible Study method for beginners or those with more experience in Bible Study. It’s easy to use and you can make the study as long or short as you want.

 So, here are my five stages of the 5L Bible Study Method!

Letter

I’ve named the first stage of the 5L Bible Study Method ‘Letter’ so that I am reminded before I start reading that the Bible is God’s word to me. This will impact how I read his Word.

Start by thanking God for his word and pray that he will speak to you as you read. (Click here to read my post on 7 Bible Verses to pray before reading the Bible.)

Then I like to think about where the passage fits in the context of the whole letter of the Bible. This helps to see the passage within the whole picture of Scripture.

If you are new to the Bible and not that familiar with the timeline of events that’s OK. Even if you just know that it is in the Old Testament (before Jesus) or the New Testament (during Jesus earthly life and after his resurrection) that is a start.

Here are a few other milestones you can use to identify where your passage fits:

• Before the covenant to Abraham
• Abraham’s family – before the nation of Israel, before Scripture was recorded
• Time of Moses
• The nation of Israel before the Kings
• The time of the Kings, before and after the division of the kingdom
• The exile
• Earthly life of Christ
• After the resurrection, the early church
• Future prophecy

If you are reading through a book, or section, of the Bible each day then you will become familiar with where it fits in the whole Bible story.

Look

Now it is time to read the passage and make observations about the text.

This lays the foundation for your understanding. Take time at this stage to look at the words and concepts that are in the text before adding your own thoughts or the thoughts of others about the passage.

 Some things to look for are:

• repeated words and phrases,
• words or themes that stand out to you
• whose point of view is the story told through
• ask yourself who, what, where, when, why and how…

Learn

After you have taken time to read the passage it is time to interpret what you have read. Study the text, and additional resources, to determine what it actually means.

This stage doesn’t have to take long. It is up to you how much digging you want to do!

If the reading is part of a study or devotion you are doing, then you may have notes to read and possibly questions to answer.

You can also use a Study Bible, concordance, Bible dictionary or online Bible to find out more about the passage. Look up cross references, other translations, the meanings of words and find out about the historical or cultural context of the passage.

Some resources from Amazon that you may find helpful

You may decide that you want to do a word study of verse mapping of part of the passage.

Live

After studying the text ask yourself how to apply what you have learned.

How has it changed your thinking about yourself or God? Did the passage contain words of encouragement, a promise or maybe a challenge or words of warning? Have you gained a greater understanding of who God is or what Christ has done for you?

What changes are you going to make to your life in light of what you have read?

Love

After completing my Bible study I like to round things off by return to the understanding that I have read part of a letter from God.

I like to think about how this passage fits in the context of the Biblical message summarised in John 3:16:

‘For God so loved the word that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.’

 No Bible passage is an independent letter or story. They are all part of God’s big story: God’s plan for salvation through Jesus Christ. Ask yourself how the passage you have just studied fits into this story.

Then give God thanks and praise for his word. Confess anything that has come to light and ask for his guidance and help.

 You can download my 5L Bible Study Method pdf using the form below. This includes a blank template to use with your Bible Study and a sheet summarising the different stages.

New Beginnings Bible Study

Would you like to walk through the 5L Bible Study Method with me? I’ve got just the thing for you!

 I’ve written a 9-Day email Bible Study on New Beginnings which begins on Easter Monday.  Sign up below for free to join in.

Each day you will receive an email from me with a story about someone’s new beginning. I then go through the passage using the 5L Bible Study Method.

 With the email study you also get a workbook which includes a 5L Bible Study Method worksheet for each day with my thoughts and instructions included.

 This is a great way to get started with a new approach to Bible study – and could be a new beginning for you!

What do you think of my new Bible Study Method? Do you think it would help you to go deeper in your Bible reading? Let me know in the comments. What methods have you found helpful with understanding God’s word?