By Rick Warren
So it’s been quite some time since I’ve written a review for this blog. The question must be asked, “Danny, since you became a youth pastor, have you stopped reading books?” No, my friends. But I have slowed down in the reading department since moving to Idaho and running the youth and worship departments here at Family Life Church. I have continued to read but I’ve felt pretty disappointed with the books I’ve tackled since moving over here. I read Bill Hybels Walk Across the Room but was pretty bored by its simplicity and couldn’t finish it. I then read Doug Fields First Two Years in Youth Ministry – which Jamie reviewed. I didn’t like that one either and didn’t make it to the end. Another book I was disappointed in was The Power of an Hour by Dave Lakhani. I did read the entire book for this one but was so disengaged while reading it that I had nothing constructive to say at all.
Then came along Rick Warren’s Bible Study Methods. I reviewed this book because our church is considering using it for curriculum in our School of Excellence that starts this fall. After being so frustrated with the books I’ve chosen lately, this book was a delight. I read the book in a week – which is pretty fast for my current schedule.
This book is a “how to” book on studying your bible. The thing that Rick Warren brings to all of his writings is incredible clarity. He's got an amazing gift in this area and this book’s strength is it's clarity. Warren takes bible study out of the realm of the scholar and the pastor and into the realm of the every day Christian who wants to know the Lord better. He puts major emphasis on practical application of study, contending that the purpose of bible study is not spiritual knowledge, but life change. I was really happy to see this emphasis in the book.
Warren takes the reader through 12 simple ways to study the Bible and lays out a pattern to work through for each method. He walks you step by step through each method and makes even the most in depth methods seem very doable for the average Christian. I really appreciated how this book made studying your Bible totally within reach. You get that “I can do this” feeling while reading the book and following Warren’s examples. He finishes the book by laying out an extensive four year Bible study plan that uses all of the methods throughout the years. If you were to follow his plan over four years you would really make some ground in study. I think one of the things that holds people back from bible study is a lack of practice. Warren presents a plan that would allow a student of the Word to practice 12 methods and become proficient at them all.
I would highly recommend this book to any Christian that wants help in bible study. If you’re already proficient in bible study, it’s still worth reading and would be a great book to use in mentoring a younger believer. I’m going to recommend that our church go with this book in training our young people to study the Bible. It’s simple, clear, and heavy on the practical, life-change application. Way to go Rick Warren. Thanks for drawing people to the truth of God’s Word.
