Book Study with the Key Thought approach: the 10steps method

Step O Preview
Preview is a quick, overall survey of the background and content of a book to prepare for
the verse-by-verse and passage-by-passage study.

Step 1 Key Thought

Key thought is the central idea that the Bible writer intended to communicate in the verse or
verses. For example, the key thought of Phil 1: 1 is Letter from Paul and Timothy to
Philippians. The key thought helps you to identify the key message that God wants to tell
you in the verse.

Step 2 Logical Flow of thought

There is often a logical flow of ideas from one verse to another. Knowing only the key ideas
(i.e. the key thoughts) of individual verses is not enough. There is a need to find out the
logical relationship between the ideas. This will help you understand what God wants to tell
you through the verses.

Step 3 Summary of Key Thoughts

In this step, you group the key thoughts that cover the same subject together. After the
grouping, use a few words to summarize the content of each group. By doing so, you are
summarizing key messages that God reveals to you in each of the groups of verses. When this
is done for all verses in a passage, it helps to develop the Outline and identify Theme of the
passage under Step 9.

Basically, this step is to put the key thoughts into groups according to how the Bible writer
expressed his ideas, and then use a few words to summarize the content of each group.

Step 4 Meaning of Word

Find out the meaning of difficult words, terms and ideas. This can be a rather time-
consuming exercise. Give priority to problematic words and ideas which are import to the
Theme (Step 8) of the passage.

To find out the meaning, you may have to:

Study the context to appreciate the circumstances of the usage of the word
Compare with other translation and to find out what other words are used in
translating the term
Check the meaning with the help of Bible dictionaries
Study cross-references to obtain additional insights about how the word or idea is
presented in other parts of the Bible
Think and meditate on the word
Step 5 Observation
Observation is seeing, noting and discovering. Be mentally aware of what you see, to
identify the truth and teaching revealed by God in the passage. A good observation is:
Accurate based on correct understanding and interpretation of the Bible
Balanced not overly interpreting what the Bible says, neither over-state nor
understate the truth
Concrete clear and pragmatic, not for intellectual interest but relevant to your life

The following are some practical hints:

1. Know accurately what the verses mean (i.e. based on Steps 1 to 3)
2. Ask questions and find answers (i.e. as per Step 4)
3. Note special messages or issues in the passage
4. Study key words or topics in detail, especially those related to the Theme of the
passage or the Book e.g. rejoice in Philippians
5. Consolidate, classify and organize the ideas
6. Compare and deduce

Step 6 Meditation
Meditation is to digest the truth and relate it to your life. To bring the truth observed from
your head to your heart, use it as a yardstick, i.e. Gods standard, to evaluate your life, and
see its implications to your life.

Step 7 Application
Application is to respond to the truth/teaching and make it part of our life. This is the
ultimate goal of studying the Bible. Typically, Application follows Observation and
Meditation. You should look for application in respect to the Theme (Step 8) of the passage.
This is the key subject that God teaches you through the passage, and hence should not be
overlooked.

Your Application may cover one or more than one of the following areas:
1. A Conviction gained i.e. an affirmation of belief, principle, value or promise to claim,
based on what God has revealed in the Bible
2. Something to continue doing i.e. what you will not give up ding, or will even pay
more effort to do it better, in line with the biblical teaching
3. Something to change i.e. either sins to avoid or good work to pursue in submission to
Gods command.

Above all, application should does not happen by chance or luck. Instead, application is by
intent. You should:
Pray for Gods voice you respond to God, and not to a rule book; hence, seek the
Holy Spirits prompting and guidance
Be ready to obey the Bible is given to you not merely to increase knowledge but
also to change your life as you respond to Gods teaching
 Identify specific application do not take application lightly by simply
acknowledging what you should do in general terms; be serious in responding to
Gods call for change, and take concrete steps to put into practice. Write down as
clearly as possible what your application is.
Be ready to share your application plan with group members during the Bible study
group meeting and ask them to check your progress.

Step 8 Outline, Theme, Key Verse and Title

The Outline is drawn from all the Summaries of groups of verses in a passage from Step 3. It
might be necessary to review and change the Summaries made in Step 3. You might need to
do further grouping of the Summaries in order to simplify the Outline.

From the Outline, you should identify the Theme of the passage and express it concisely
using your own words. This gives a short and sharp summary of the main truth/teaching of
the passage.

Then, look out for one or two verses in the passage that can best summarize or present the
truth/teaching under the Theme. This is know as Key Verse.

You may also give the passage a Title comprising a few words. The Title is a label that
represents the passage.

Step 9 Putting It All Together

Put your findings from the step-by-step study of the passage together into a systematic and
traceable whole. Typically, you can list out the key thoughts of the verses (Step 1), and mark
the flow (Step 2), if any, among the verses. Then, record your grouping of the verses and the
Summaries (Step 3), and how they converge into the Outline and Theme (Step 8). Write
down what you have got in your Observation (Step 5), Meditation (Step 6) and Application
(Step 7). Keep clear records for easy reference.

Step 10 Charting
Charting is to present the truth or teaching in a diagram. It is a useful means to summarize
and visualize the truth. A good chart can highlight and illustrate the teaching in such a way
that it can be easily understood, remembered and transmitted.

Some common types of charts include:

Outline chart It may be presented as a table in which the key ideas are grouped,
listed, compared or contrasted.
Flow chart It is a graphical form of relationship among the key ideas of a teaching.
Illustrative chart The teaching is visualized diagrammatically through symbols,
objects, cartoons, etc in an illustrative chart.