Page 27 - Principles for Discipling Others-Student textbook

3. Through the “question and answer” system, the S.T.S. (Study the Scriptures) plan, and various other
methods, we actually STUDY it, “comparing Scripture with Scripture.”

4. Through MEMORIZATION we are enabled to “write it upon the table of the heart.”

5. Through MEDITATION we grasp that which we have HEARD, READ, STUDIED and MEMORIZED. Only
then are we in the best position to DO and TEACH it.

If all a person does is to HEAR the Word, it is like trying to hold the Bible in one’s hand with only the little
finger. It takes a delicate balance to keep the Bible from falling off the finger.

If a person HEARS and READS the Word, it is like trying to hold the Bible by balancing it on the fourth
and fifth fingers. Again, it takes a delicate balance to keep the Bible from falling.

If a person HEARS and READS and STUDIES the Word, it is like trying to hold the Bible by balancing it on
the last three fingers of the hand. This affords a better balance to hold the Bible.

If a person HEARS and READS and STUDIES and MEMORIZES the Word it is like holding the Bible on the
four fingers of the hand. This is fairly stable.

If a person HEARS and READS and STUDIES and MEMORIZES and MEDITATES upon the Word it is like
holding the Bible with all four fingers and gripping it with your thumb. This provides for a very strong
grasp of the Bible. Thus, it is very difficult for one to lose touch with the Word.

1. PREACHING…This is HEARING THE WORD. This is probably the most common of all the methods of
receiving the Word of God. But it is also probably the least efficient. This is due to the fact that in most
churches the preaching is sometimes hard to hear because of poor sound equipment, poor acoustics,
surrounding distraction, etc. Also, statistics say that we only remember about 15% of what we hear
within a few hours of the hearing.

2. READING THE WORD – This is a great way to learn the Bible and is a more efficient way in that we
remember a better part of what we read than what we hear.

3. STUDYING THE WORD -This method is more time-consuming, but is also more efficient than either
preaching or reading. With this method it helps to have a pen or pencil, notebook, and, if available,
some Bible study tools such as Bible handbooks, dictionaries, atlases, commentaries, etc.

4. MEMORIZING THE WORD – This form of learning God’s Word is
rich! Usually the young Christian will come across a verse that
speaks strongly to his/her soul or someone will have used it in
preaching. In any case the person will desire to memorize the
verse. They might then copy it on one side of a 2”x3” card that can
be easily carried in their pocket. On the other side they would
write the verse reference along with some type of the subject of
the verse. This could then be taken out and reviewed at odd
moments of the day such as in a car, on a bus, at lunchtime, etc.
Reviewing it frequently for a week should be enough time to learn

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