Bible Study Strategies for Different Learning Styles
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
As Christians, we are encouraged to spend regular time in the Bible—whether that’s alone time in personal devotions or in a group Bible study setting. Knowing and understanding God’s Word teaches us to better know God, trains us to better serve God, equips us to be effective witnesses, and helps us grow in our relationship with Him.
But—and I don’t know if it’s just me—does studying the Bible seem intimidating sometimes? I often find myself overwhelmed and unsure how to go deeper than reading a passage through and praying about it. While those are both important aspects of Bible study, I’m often looking for more ways to help me retain what I’ve read and apply it to my life. As a writing tutor, I learned how to help students use writing and study strategies that fit the way they processed information best. Why not do the same with Bible study? Studying the Bible doesn’t have to be a one-size-fits-all affair. God created people with different personalities, talents, and preferences, including different ways to learn.
Research has identified many learning ‘types,’ often based around the different senses or ‘modes’ of processing information (such as visual, auditory, etc.). Knowing how you like to learn can help you tailor your Bible study practices to be the most engaging and effective for you. By using strategies that fit your learning style, you will also be more likely to retain and remember what you have learned. Here are some ideas for Bible study techniques based on different modes of learning:
Visual Strategies
Graphical representations of information tend to work well for people who learn visually.
- Use charts to organize information
- Create drawings or other visual representations based on what you read
- Get colorful highlighters or pens involved for color-coding
- Use shapes or symbols to represent the ideas that occur in a passage
- Use a whiteboard or other surface to create diagrams of intersecting ideas
Auditory Strategies
Auditory or sound-based strategies often involve conversation, hearing things spoken, or saying things aloud as a way to help you process and remember better.
- Listen to an audiobook reading of the Bible passage you’re studying
- Read passages aloud to yourself
- Find a friend and summarize the passage to them and/or tell them what you have learned
- Discuss the passage with others in a conversation
- Choose and listen to music that fits with what you are studying
Text-Based Strategies
If you learn best by reading and/or writing, you may gravitate toward text-based strategies involving information presented in words.
- Annotate passages by writing notes in the margins
- Copy down passages or summarize them in your own words
- Keep a Bible study journal and write down what you learn
- Look up definitions of words
- Pair your reading with commentaries, side-by-side translation versions, or other research
Hands-On Strategies
Some people learn by doing, often called kinesthetic learning. Hands-on strategies ground concepts in the real world and use movement/physical actions to aid learning.
- Think about how to put what you are learning into practice
- Focus on application
- Create an activity that will help you relate the passage to reality
- Pair your study with a physical activity such as taking a walk or completing a coloring page
- Use manipulatives like paper, clay, models, etc.
Whether you are studying the Bible in personal devotions or in a group Bible study, think about the different tactics that can engage multiple senses. And remember, you don’t have to stick with one type of strategy—if you find your attention wandering, try a different technique that you don’t typically use. You can also combine strategies. For example, I prefer to mix visual and text-based strategies by copying down a Bible passage in a lineless journal along with a colorful drawing that expresses its meaning. Similarly, you could combine auditory and hands-on strategies by listening to an audio passage through headphones while taking a walk. Whatever your learning style, use tactics that work best for you and make studying the Bible enjoyable and effective.