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My approach

How I Study the Bible

I'm not a pastor or a Bible scholar. I'm just someone who loves asking questions about God, and sometimes those questions take me down some pretty deep rabbit holes haha.

During my undergrad years, I helped lead Bible studies through InterVarsity Christian Fellowship on my campus, where we used Observation, Interpretation, and Application (OIA). I really liked it because it made us slow down and actually read the passage before jumping to conclusions.

My articles are a little different, though. Instead of starting with a Bible passage, I start with a question or topic. So think of this as topical Bible study inspired by inductive Bible study principles.

Here's how a random question turns into an article!

  1. Step 1: Pray

    Before anything else, I pray and ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance. I want to discover what Scripture teaches, even if it challenges what I already believe.

  2. Step 2: Explore

    I brainstorm ideas, ask friends what they think, and sometimes have friendly debates. I also use research tools, including AI, to explore different perspectives and discover questions I might have missed.

  3. Step 3: Research

    I gather relevant Bible passages, commentaries, and other resources. I try to include passages that challenge my initial understanding too, not just ones that support it.

  4. Step 4: Observe

    I study each passage in context, paying attention to who's speaking, what's happening, and what the text actually says. Sometimes I compare translations or examine the original Greek or Hebrew.

    As I study, I write down observations, background information, and questions that come to mind.

  5. Step 5: Interpret

    I narrow everything down to three or four important questions and work through them using Scripture.

    I also look at commentaries and other Christian perspectives, checking their arguments and sources rather than automatically agreeing with them.

  6. Step 6: Conclude

    After studying the evidence, I share where I've landed and why. I try to distinguish between what Scripture clearly says, how I interpret it, and what remains uncertain.

    And yes, sometimes I change my mind along the way! 😂

  7. Step 7: Apply

    Knowing stuff is great, but I want it to actually change how I live. So I end each article with a reflection question, a practical next step, and a short prayer.

  8. Step 8: Review

    I aim to have trusted Christian friends or mentors review my articles before publishing. If I got something wrong, I'd rather hear it from them before anyone else reads it haha.

  9. Step 9: Pray & Share!

    I pray once more, asking God to use what I've learned to encourage others and draw them closer to Jesus. Then I hit publish!

Do I Use AI?

To be honest, yeah I use AI! 😂

Think of it as my research buddy. I use multiple AI tools to find relevant Bible passages, brainstorm ideas, challenge different interpretations, and improve my writing. Sometimes I even make them argue against each other haha. And trust me, I disagree with them A LOT of times!

But AI isn't always right, and neither am I. That's why I try to follow the example of the Bereans in Acts 17:11, who examined Scripture to see if what they heard was true.

AI sometimes helps me draft and edit, but I review and edit what gets published.

At the end of the day, God's Word is the ultimate authority, not AI.

And...

I'm still learning, and I definitely don't have everything figured out nor will ever figure out everything.

So please read with grace, check Scripture for yourself, and feel free to challenge my interpretations!

If you think I got something wrong, tell me! I'd honestly love to talk about it.

We're all still figuring this out together!!