Page 78 - Bible Study Methods-Textbook_Neat

Study Section 16: Character Study

16.1 Connect.

Another form of Bible study, which is like a topic study, is a character study about a person in
the Bible. They may be a significant person, or a minor character barely mentioned. They
may have done some amazing things for the Lord or have been a total rebel again Him. You
are going to use the life of that character to illustrate in your student traits that should be
followed or avoided. I think you will enjoy this kind of study. Let’s get started.

16.2 Objectives.

1. The student should be able to list the steps in creating a character study of a person in the
Bible.

2. The student should be able to review the example of a character in the Bible who was not to
be admired and discover that God has consequences to disobedience.

16.3 Character Studies

A character study is very similar to the topical study, with some differences. In a character
study, you will select a person from the pages of the Old or New Testament and study their life
from their introduction in the Bible until they complete their ministry. We can learn a lot from
their lives. In fact, the Scriptures declare that they were written for us to guide and instruct:

I Corinthians 10:11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our
instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through
perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

The writer of Hebrews makes a point of reviewing the lives of many of the Old Testament saints in
chapter 11. We are encouraged by the fact that so many believed God and exercised great faith in their
obedience to Him. So, character studies can be a tremendous tool in encouraging those in your class or
church to regard these characters as people they could emulate.

How to do a character study

1. Select a person you want to study. For some, there will be a lot of material; others will have a
small amount, but that small amount may be significant. Of course, the character you select, for
example Joseph, may have a huge amount of material, so your results of the study will be vast.
You will have to decide how much time you want to take in presenting all the information you
glean.

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