Why I Love The SOAP Method of Bible Study
Today I want to share with you why I love the SOAP Method of Bible Study and how you can use it. This is a very simple method that anyone can use to study the Bible.
The S stands for Scripture
The O stands for Observation
The A stands for Application
The P stands for Prayer.
Now I am sure most of you reading this will use soap daily to keep your bodies skin. Soap is a very useful thing to have when you are bathing.
Well in the same way how soap is useful for keeping your body clean, SOAP, as we would be discussing today, is a very good way for you to keep your soul clean and pure as you meditate on God’s Word.
Why Should You Study The Bible Using The SOAP Method?
Firstly we should probably be asking ourselves why should we be studying the Bible in the first place? Can’t I just read the Bible?
My Sunday School teacher taught me that if I just read the Bible every day it will help me to grow.
Reading the Bible is helpful but I am sure that many of you are just like me. You spend time reading the Bible and while that is good, many times you forgot what you just read.
Reading the Bible can become a routine that you do religiously without getting anything much in return.
Studying the Bible is a way where you actually slow down and begin to process what you are reading.
This is why the SOAP method of Bible Study is a very handy tool to have in your toolbox.
I love this tool because it is
Simple
This method of Bible Study is very simple. It is so simple anyone can do it. I don’t care how old you are; it is something useful for a 10-year-old child or a 100-year-old Granny to use. Who doesn’t like Simple?
Quick
Another good reason for using the SOAP method of Bible Study is that it is quick to use if you have a little bit of time.
Sometimes we may not have a lot of time during certain days of the week and this is a method where you can read a little portion of scripture and get something out of it.
This can be done in as little as 5-10 minutes if needed.
Teachable
It’s a tool that is very easy to teach to someone else who may not know how to Study their Bible.
In 1 session you can show someone how they can use this method to study their bible more efficiently and effectively.
How To Study The Bible Using The SOAP method of Bible Study?
Let me give you an example on how to use the SOAP method.
S for Scripture
First, we start with S which means we start with a Scripture in Mind. I highly recommend that you follow a Bible Reading Plan which is a plan that you can use to read a little of the Bible every day.
You can get a Reading Plan to follow at YouVersion. They have reading plans on almost any topic you can imagine.
Spend some time and now read a portion of Scripture e.g
Matthew 8:1-4
When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy[a] came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
O for Observation
Now that you have read the scripture what is it that you have observed in this scripture. What is it that stands out to you?
When I read this scripture one thing that stands out for me is that a leper asked Jesus if he won’t mind healing him.
To me, it looks like the Leper is so downcast that even though he knows Jesus is capable of healing, he has doubts whether he would do it for someone like him.
When we read further we see that Jesus was more than willing to heal him.
A for Application
Now we need to ask ourselves how can we apply what we just learnt in this scripture?
An application could be that when there is something that is bothering me, I should know that whatever is bothering me is also bothering Jesus and he is more than willing to help me solve my problem so I should go to him in prayer concerning it.
This is one simple way for me to apply the scripture in my life.
P for Prayer
Finally the last letter is P which stands for Prayer.
Now I need to come up with a Prayer to pray to God concerning what I just read and what I just learnt.
An example prayer for me could be:-
Heavenly Father, I thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ. I thank you that he is always willing to hear my cries and my troubles and willing to help me.
Help me to continually trust in him as I go through the different seasons in my life.
Amen.
Journal Your SOAP Daily
You should get a journal to write your SOAP every day so that after a year you will see how much you have learnt and how much you have grown.
You can get a digital journal such as Evernote or a Real hardcover journal from your nearest bookstore.
Remember that just how soap is essential to keeping your body clean, SOAP is essential to keeping your soul clean.
Let me know in the comments if you have tried this and how it has benefited you.
