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A few weeks ago, I taught a series on how to read the Bible. Not “how to study Scripture,” but how to read the Story of God. How to actually engage with the Bible and it’s vision for life.

So a few thoughts before I set out 4 simple steps of a process…

First is that we often read the Bible in self-serving ways. Our pitfalls are generated around our need to make the Bible conform to our hopes & dreams, rather than learning the hopes and dreams of the Bible and conforming ourselves to those hopes & dreams. 
Second, the intention of the Bible is to (re)form us into the image of Jesus, who is the perfect image of God. This means taking on Jesus’ right standing with God, as well as taking on his values and vision for life.
Third, our primary posture when approaching should be that of “listener.” We don’t simply engage with ink and paper, but we engage with words that convey truth to engage with God.Finally, and summarily, we read the Bible to listen to the story of God.

Here’s a simple process that could lead you to read the Bible in a way that honors the whole story and intent of the Bible. It’s not perfect and not necessarily always linear, but it’s a start.

Step One | INFORMED
We read the Bible to become familiar with the story of God. To listen to it, because listening is loving. We read to become familiar with God, to engage with God himself, and not simply paper and ink.  

Step Two | REBUKED
We let the story of God punch us in the stomach, roll around in our minds and hearts, and call our life into question. We should be left asking the question: “What are the inconsistencies in my story when compared to God’s story?”

Step Three | RESTORED
The story not only calls our story into question but it gives us a better story. We should learn to pray the story—to submit to it, to honor it as the best possible story. We pray it to align ourselves and restore our brokenness to the truth of God.
 
Step Four | TRAINED in Right Living
Once the story of God pushes our story out and gives us a better story, we now have a more clear vision of what life should be about. We now live fully into that reality. We read the Bible to live the story of God in our world.
 
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The above is a collaboration of Eugene Peterson’s thoughts on Lectio Divina in Eat this Book, Scot McKnight’s work in The Blue Parakeet, and 2 Timothy 3:16-18. I’ve made up note card sized handouts to fit in Bibles. If you’d like one, contact me.