In the all-new Explore the Bible: Young Adults, you’ll find a simple 3-part strategy for each Bible study session. Once you read the session introduction and weekly Scripture passage, this 3-part strategy will help navigate your group through the background of the text, the commentary of each verse, and the modern-day application of the text. In essence, your group will study the text in its context in order to obey the text in your context. The ultimate goal of understanding the Bible should be directed toward applying biblical truth in your own life context and being transformed into the likeness of Christ. Especially for young adults, this is greatly important to conquering the growing problem of biblical illiteracy.
Whether you’ve already started using the Fall 2014 Hebrews study, or if you’re curious about diving into the Winter 2014-15 study on Esther, Ezra, and Nehemiah, this 3-part strategy is sure to help as you let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
Understand the Context
Context is key. If you don’t know the original audience, setting, time frame, and people involved within a specific Scripture book or passage, it can affect how you ultimately apply and obey Scripture in your own life’s context. Explore the Bible: Young Adults is strategically designed to guide readers and learners to dive into the background of each passage immediately after reading the text itself. “Understand the Context” sets the course for then diving into each individual verse.
Explore the Text
Once you have a good grasp on the background and context of each book or passage, it helps you more carefully examine, dissect, and understand each verse within a specific passage. This portion of Explore the Bible: Young Adults is what we call “Explore the Text,” which offers commentary behind the verses within each session’s Scripture passage. After you explore the text, you’ll be ready to apply it in your own life’s context.
Obey the Text
After you’ve read the text, understood its context, and explored each verse, you’ll then be positioned to obey the text in your own life. In Explore the Bible: Young Adult‘s “Obey the Text” section, you’ll be challenged to answer the question “So what?” at the end of the session. From obedience-driven challenges to a weekly Scripture memory verse, “Obey the Text” points you to take action toward obedience and living out the Bible’s instruction for your own life.
As we continue to embrace that “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness” (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17), we’ll become a generation who models God’s Word as the hope our world is desperately seeking. Remember, what dwells in us also controls us. Let the Word dwell in you.
Adam York is the content editor for Explore the Bible: Young Adults. He’s passionate about ministry to Millennials and Gen X’ers and hopes to see churches thrive in reaching and engaging them. Keep up with Adam via Twitter.