Using Questions to Conduct an Inductive Bible Study via E-mail -- Joyful Heart Ministries

Using Questions to Conduct an
Inductive Bible Study via E-mail

Our inductive Bible studies work this way: The week's lesson consists of questions on Monday through Friday. We ask you to try to give an answer to each question, and post your answers to the list, which will in turn e-mail your comments to everyone in the group. You'll find this a very intense but rich experience, a kind of "non-stop Bible study." Anyone who can send and receive e-mail can be a participant, anywhere in the world.

Our focus is not on opinion, but on what the text itself says and means. Leave your Sunday school answers at the door, please. Parroting answers doesn't lead to understanding. But if you are willing to engage your heart and mind and spirit in serious Bible study, you will find this series richly rewarding. By God's grace, you'll be different when you finish than when you began.

Typically, the days will be divided as follows, with two to four questions each day:

Monday	Level 1: Observation Questions. What does the text say? We begin by surveying the ground so we are acquainted with the content of the passage.
Tuesday through Thursday	Level 2: Interpretation Questions. What does the text mean? Here is where we dig into the text to ferret out its meaning. We won't tolerate much "proof-texting" from other parts of the Bible. We'll be staying in the announced text for the week. This way we're all on common ground, from the newest Christian to the most mature. We encourage you to use Bible study tools, but not to quote commentaries or study Bible footnotes in the discussion. You may also want to purchase a commentary at a discount to help you with your study.
Friday	Level 3: Application Questions. What does the text mean to me? Until we apply the truths to our life, Bible study is merely an intellectual exercise. Here is the place for honesty and self-examination -- and growth!