Inductive Bible Study Method

I hope you all enjoyed our first attempt at using the Inductive Method. I think it's a good way to keep us focused and looking deeper at the Word of God. For reference, here again is the structure:

Observation -- What does the passage say?
Interpretation -- What does the passage mean?
Application -- How does that meaning apply to me?

General Rule: Come to the Word with curiosity and humility. You are hearing/reading the very voice of God. Forget what you think you know about the passage and read it as if you've never read it before.

Observation

• Read the passage carefully.
• Discuss the context: Who, What, Where, When.
• Look for repeated words or phrases, changes in tone, tense, person (e.g. 3rd person to second person), synonyms, comparisons, contrasts .
• Use a Bible Dictionary or Concordance to help with historical background and language translations/word meanings.
• Note unusual details or wording.
• Look up cross references in other parts of the Bible (not commentaries).
• Do not interpret yet. Just observe.
• Write down questions and ask them aloud.

Interpretation

• Try to answer the questions asked using only the passage and its cross references.
• Search other passages that may answer the questions at hand.
• Discuss relationships, themes, an overall message.
• Use your mind-- logic, reasoning.
• Do not introduce outside sources for answering questions (facilitator may share from a commentary if the group is stuck on a difficult passage).
• Do not preach. The only teacher in the group is the Word.
• Listen to one another. Share the discovery with one another.
• Agree on one or more principals, meanings, messages.
  

Application

• How does the meaning apply to us? What do we learn?
• Where do we fall short? and why?
• What can we do about it?
• How do we make these applications habitual in our lives?
• How can we pray for each other specifically in this area?