Finally! A practical, step-by-step, instructional guide that will show you how to really dig deep into the Bible, instead of just casually reading it!
What would you do if you could turn casual Bible reading in to deep, soul-nourishing Bible STUDY?
Dear friend,
If you’ve been thinking it’s time to move beyond just reading your Bible. . .and time to start digging deeper and STUDYING it. . .
Then this might be the most important thing you read today.
My name is John.
And I have put together a practical, step-by-step, instructional guide that will show you how to dig DEEP into the Bible. . .and finally move beyond reading a chapter here or there in your spare time.
This comprehensive, practical guide is designed to “download” foundational Bible study skills into your brain so that you no longer have to be COMPLETELY DEPENDENT on pastors, preachers, teachers and Biblical scholars to tell you the meaning or the significance of Bible passages.
So. . .
If you’re finally ready to learn how to study the Bible for yourself. . .and not be at the mercy of these SPBEs (smarty-pants Bible experts). . .
Keep reading!
Throughout my years of studying the Bible, I’ve become well acquainted with. . .
Why people get excited to study the Bible on their own. . .and why they suddenly stop!
I’ve been studying the Bible and teaching others how to study the Bible for a long time.
I am VERY familiar with how this process works.
It starts off when you have some transformative experience that brings you to the Bible and hooks you. . .
Maybe you heard an amazing sermon and your life was not the same. . .
Maybe a caring, studious, and dedicated Sunday School teacher explained a Bible story SO well, SO vividly, that you never forgot about it well into adulthood. . .
Maybe you lost someone close to you and some portion of the Bible that you’d heard hundreds of times before suddenly took on a COMPLETELY new and more profound meaning. . .
Maybe that one Psalm was a life-jacket for you when your life was out of control and you felt like you were drowning. . .
These experiences are nearly IMPOSSIBLE to let go of.
And when you take time to meditate on the impact of these experiences, you start to think “I really should start studying the Bible more. Let me put together a plan and I’ll start next Monday morning.”
These experiences can get you all revved up and wanting to study the Bible more faithfully, more diligently. Because if the Bible can have THAT kind of an impact on your life, then you almost feel OBLIGATED to give it the respect and attention it deserves. . .
It’s that experience that gets most people into the Bible initially. . .
But then…
Almost like clock work. . .
Something happens.
You start on your Bible study journey and the road starts to get a little rocky. You start to encounter some strange passages and stories with unfamiliar rituals, unfamiliar laws, unfamiliar places and unfamiliar people.
You know exactly what the Bible has done in your life, but when you start trying to dig deeper and REALLY understand it. . .
Things, for some odd reason, don’t seem to add up.
You start to feel a disconnect and your high hopes for learning how to study the Bible start to slowly deflate. . .
You may be so overwhelmed from the very beginning that you don’t even get to the point where you start studying it!
Happens all the time.
But I believe I’ve discovered. . .
The REAL reason why most people don’t stick with studying the Bible
It’s taken me a while to really GET this, but I think the main problem you have, the main thing that keeps you from studying the Bible the way you’ve always wanted to is staring at you right in the face. . .hiding in plain sight.
To explain why most people don’t stick with–or don’t even START–studying the Bible, I want to ask you a question:
Which of these two books do you think has more words total?
Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy’s infamously long novel War and Peace?
OR. . .
The King James Version of the Bible?
What was that?
Which one did you say?
Welp. . .
War and Peace has 587,287 words.
And The King James Bible has. . .
783,137 words!
That’s right! Not only does The Bible have more words than War and Peace. . .it also has NEARLY 200,000 MORE WORDS at that!
783,137 words!
That is so. Many. WORDS!
That’s a lot of material to take in.
Even if it was 783,137 Dr. Seuss level-words it would be a lot. . .
But on top of the sheer volume of words you have to think about the translation of the ancient languages, ancient histories, ancient cultures, ancient rituals, and ancient customs and on and on and on. . .
When it comes right down to it. . .
That’s A LOT to have to think about!
On top of that. . .
Once you realize that the rabbit hole goes even DEEPER when you start thinking about what OTHER people have had to say about the Bible over the past 20+ CENTURIES. . .
It can be extraordinarily overwhelming!
No wonder so many people throw in the towel so quickly. . .
That’s a lot of pressure!
And all of that pressure can make you COMPLETELY forget about that transformative life experience that brought you to the Bible in the first place!
So. . .
The FIRST question you need to get squared away before you move forward with studying the Bible the way you’ve always wanted to is this:
"How can I take that pressure off?"
After two decades of studying the Bible. . .in church, in Bible studies at people’s homes, in Bible College, at truck stops, in prisons, in basketball gyms, at parks, in Divinity School and SO MANY OTHER places. . .
I offer this time-tested advice to you to help you take that pressure off:
Start small.
Instead of casting a wide net, start small and go DEEP.
Instead of thinking about the Bible as one LARGE CHUNK of 700,000+ strange, unfamiliar words. . .
Start small.
Choose 20 or 30 words and get to know them very, very well.
People who have been studying the Bible for a long time (people I affectionately call SPBEs or “smarty pants Bible experts”). . .will rarely admit this, but this is precisely how they learned how to study the Bible.
They focused on one SMALL section. . .got to know it really, really, REALLY well. . .then moved on to another section. . .
Why do they do this?
Because their Bible Study instructors and mentors made them do this so that they could build their Bible study SKILLS.
NOT necessarily increase their overall Bible content knowledge.
That comes with time. A lot of time.
This is what trips people up. They confuse learning and remembering FACTS about the Bible and developing the SKILLS to actually study and understand what it says.
Learning the content of the Bible takes time. . .
But fundamental Bible study SKILLS–such as how to break down a Bible verse–can be learned much more quickly. And having a solid foundation of Bible study SKILLS will prepare you for when you start to learn more Bible content. . .
Starting small not only takes the pressure off by giving you a much more manageable amount of material to work with. . .
It also helps you to develop your Bible study SKILLS so that you can be a much more confident, competent, and devoted student of the Bible!
And that is precisely why I put together this practical, step-by-step, instructional guide that will show you how to really dig deep into the Bible!
Introducing. . .
28 Days with ONE VERSE:
A Practical Beginner's Guide on How to Study the Bible
28 Days with ONE VERSE is a PRACTICAL beginners guide on how to study the Bible.
To take the pressure off of learning how to study ALL 700,000+ words of the Bible we will start small and begin to “download” foundational Bible study skills into your brain. . .
Over the course of those 28 days you will become EXTREMELY familiar with whatever verse you choose. (Also, if you need it, I have put together a resource guide that will help you choose a verse!)
Each day, you will log into the learning platform and read through the assigned task for that day. Once you read through it, you will complete the assigned task for that day. Once you complete the assigned task for that day, all you have to do is wait for the next day’s assignment.
You’ll do this for 28 Days.
As the title of this course states, this will be a PRACTICAL guide on how to study the Bible. Yes, I will be giving you the theory and principles behind some of your exercises . . .BUT. . .
You are not going to be sitting back and simply taking information in.
Nope.
That will not help you make the progress you need to make as an aspiring Bible student.
You will be DOING things.
You may have tried a few “How to Study the Bible” guides, books, and courses in the past, but just know. . .
28 Days with ONE Verse is
focused on ACTION!
Here is a small sampling of the things you will be learning and doing for those 28 Days. . .
In this Practical Beginners Guide I will show you:
- A sneaky way that most “How to Study the Bible” guides quietly KILL your motivation to study the Bible before you even start. I’ll give you a one-sentence, fill-in-the-blank formula that gives you the best shot to make sure you stay on track and stay motivated! (I show you this on Day 0, before you even begin your 28 Day Journey. . .)
- 21 (mostly) fun ideas for finding a Bible verse to study! One of the things I’ve noticed over the years is that people struggle with WHAT they should study. They don’t know what to start with, so they never get started. I will NOT let that happen to you! Because I REFUSE to let anything get in the way of your Bible Study journey. You WILL find a verse to study for 28 days. (Not only that, you will learn exactly what I mean when I say I approach studying the Bible in a FUN way.)
- On Day 20 you’ll discover the fastest way to break down not only your verse, but any Bible verse you encounter in the future. Once you master this skill, you will be able to glance at a Bible verse and capture its essence with very little effort!
- How to use a “boring” app on your smartphone to help you remember each and every part of your verse! (There are so many Bible study tools out there! So much great software. But good tools are pretty much useless without foundational skills and PRINCIPLES! But if you have an iPhone or an Android, there is a 99% chance that you ALREADY have this app on your phone. . .and no, it’s not the “Notes” app)
- On Day 9 I’ll show you a unique way to read your verse that opens it up in ways you’ve probably NEVER considered.
- On Day 13 I’ll show you one of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE online Bible study tools. This tool is WILDLY overlooked and highly underrated. Even the most advanced SPBEs (smarty pants Bible experts) rarely, if ever, mention this “secret” tool. But I’ll let you in on the action. And you’ll learn WHY it is so useful for people who want to take Bible study seriously.
- The Missing “F Word”: On Day 22 We’ll discuss how the most famous verse in the Bible often–unfortunately–gets cut short when it’s quoted. Not only that we’ll talk about WHY cutting it short is ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE. And why it is important to think about each and every word of your verse…even the so-called “boring” ones!
- More on Day 22: You’ll get a bit of the “inside scoop” on a VERY heated debate among New Testament scholars about a single, tiny, itty-bitty word. (I talk about this debate to demonstrate how even the slightest changes in wording can change the whole idea behind a Bible verse.) After this, you’ll never look at these “bacon bit” words the same.
- My Dog vs. My Stapler. One of them poops and the other one doesn’t. And believe it or not. . .even this obvious, off-the-wall observation can make you a much more attentive, well-rounded, and enthusiastic Bible student. Make it to Day 17 and you’ll discover exactly what I mean!
By the end of the 28 Days, I truly believe you will be a much more confident, competent, and devoted student of the Bible than you are right now. . .
But to be honest with you. . .
In order for you to REALLY benefit from this Practical Guide you will have to commit to the full 28 Days
So. . .
If you imagine that 28 Days might be too much of a commitment, I would respectfully ask you to reconsider and perhaps purchase another Bible Study guide.
You won’t hurt my feelings. I know what it’s like to have a tight schedule. . .
Having said that, if you’re concerned that the assignments might take a big bite out of your jam-packed schedule each day, let me put your mind at ease:
With the exception of Day 22. . .
And for Day 1, Day 2, Day 4, Day 5, Day 7, Day 8, Day 12, Day 15, Day 19, and Day 24 you can (AND SHOULD!) incorporate the assignment into the flow of your day.
I kept most of the assignments brief because, as I said before, I don’t want ANYTHING to get in the way of you developing confidence in your ability to study the Bible for yourself. . .
Once you have developed this skill, it will become clear to you why people love studying the Bible. . .
You’ll start to understand WHY you had that transformative experience that brought you to the Bible in the first place.
I’ve had those transformative experiences in my life. . .
And once I began to learn the ins and outs of how to study the Bible from mentors who took me under their wing. . .
Those transformative encounters with the Bible started to make more sense. And in some cases, using some of the methods you’ll learn in this Practical Guide, I was able RE-live them in new and more exciting ways!
My mission is to do what I can to help you become a more confident, competent, and devoted student of the Bible!
To show you how committed I am to this mission, I want to give you TWO GIFTS on top of this Practical Guide:
Gift #1:
Unlimited email support during your 28-day journey
I have tried my ABSOLUTE best to make sure I have explained assignments and the principles behind them as clearly as I possibly can.
But miscommunication happens.
So. . .(and I reiterate this in the lesson for EACH DAY)
If you have any question, concern, or non-violent disagreement with something in the lesson, EMAIL ME. I will personally respond. Not some AI bot. Not some virtual assistant. Not some automated message. But me, myself and I.
If you want me to look over an assignment to check it and make sure you did it correctly, EMAIL ME.
If you want to tell me how much you are loving the 28 Days, EMAIL ME.
If you want to cuss me out because you think I’m an evil, demanding taskmaster, EMAIL ME.
I am serious about this.
Why am I doing this?
Because I know how important it is to have a mentor to directly answer your SPECIFIC questions. I know how critical that can be for helping you develop your Bible Study confidence.
If you want to know more details about HOW I know this, read the section in the pink box below…
A bit about me:
I have been studying the Bible seriously for two decades. My father was essentially a lay preacher who led Bible studies for young men week in and week out for YEARS. He was my first Bible teacher, and he was a great model of what a devoted Bible student looked like. He was a devoted student of the Bible, and he surrounded himself with other devoted students of the Bible.
When he unexpectedly passed away just before I graduated from high school, these other devoted students became my mentors. They cultivated the love for studying the Bible that I inherited from my pops.
It wasn’t long before they “threw me in the pool” so to speak and had me leading the Bible studies he used to lead. They taught me A TON about different Bible study strategies and tools. The impact and influence they had on me was the main reason I ultimately decided to go to Divinity School, where I learned even more Bible study techniques (. . .and graduated summa cum laude)
Gift #2
???????????
If you order 28 Days with One Verse right now, I will also send you a SURPRISE gift in the mail.
Snail mail, that is.
In 28 Days with One Verse, I will show you how to get the most out of one of the most powerful (and underrated) online Bible study tools available to you.
But, even though I’m a millennial who grew up in the age of the internet, some of my favorite tools are…believe it or not…offline.
And there’s one particular “set” of tools I want to send you in the mail. This “tool set” is HIGHLY underrated. . .but it works!
Why am I sending you this FREE GIFT?
Well, first of all, because it’s powerful. But, second of all, and more importantly, you will need it for Day 10, Day 11, Day 18, Day 21 and Day 23.
So when you are filling out the order form, be sure to enter in your mailing address and I’ll send you GIFT #2. Then…you will be prepared for those 5 days!
Plus. . .
In addition to having have lifetime access to 28 Days with One Verse AND these two gifts. . .
Everything comes with my unparalleled “Redeem the Time” money back guarantee!
When I say I am committed to you becoming a more confident, competent, and devoted student of the Bible, I absolutely mean that.
So. . .
If by the end of the 28 Days you are thinking, “This was an epic waste of my time!” I will NOT ONLY give you every penny of your money back. . .
I will also send you a copy of TWO of my personal favorite “How to Study the Bible” books in the mail. Free of charge.
This means there is absolutely no risk for you whatsoever:
Either you walk away with a newfound sense of confidence in your ability to study the Bible or you walk away with TWO free books.
I’m taking on all the risk here. That’s how much I believe in and stand by every single word you’ve read so far.
“All of this sounds great John, but how much is this going to cost me?”
The price for 28 Days with ONE VERSE is $56.
For $56 you will have lifetime access to this practical, step-by-step, instructional guide that will make sure you start your Bible study journey off on the right foot.
During these 28 Days you will be forced to pay MUCH closer attention to a BIble verse than you probably ever have in your life. . .
All the while you will be DOWNLOADING essential Bible study skills and practices in your brain. . .
You will start to develop good Bible Study habits. . .
Habits that make you a much more confident and competent Bible student. . .
Habits that make you LESS reliant on the notes in your study Bible, Google AI answers, or Bible commentaries. . .
By laser-focusing on one verse you will have fewer balls to juggle and you can focus all of your mental energies on getting to know ONE SMALL PIECE of the Bible very well, while becoming more comfortable studying on your own. . .
By the end of these 28 days you’ll be prepared to take on the challenge of thinking about other pieces of the Bible. . .
And then it’s off to the races!
My job is to show you
how to get started
on your Bible study journey!
I’m ready. Are you?
If so, click the order button below, fill out the order form on the next page, and let’s get started!
Peace,
John
P.S. If you have any of these lingering questions, read my answers below:
A few questions and concerns you may have for me
“Hmmm. One verse? That’s it? Aren’t you supposed to study Bible verses in context?”
Absolutely.
Your instincts are spot on. It is ESSENTIAL to study a BIble verse in context. Whenever you study a Bible verse it is critical to consider the parts that come before it and the parts that come after it. And guess what?
You will be doing this very thing from DAY ONE. On the very first day I introduce you to one of my go-to Bible study techniques–if not THE go-to Bible study technique–to ensure that you are not thinking of your chosen verse all by itself.
Over the course of the 28 Days, you will be FOCUSING on one verse, but that doesn’t mean that’s the only Bible verse you’ll be reading or thinking about. Think of your verse as the SUN and the context of your verse as the other planets of the solar system that revolve around it.
Most of your energy will be dedicated to your verse. But you will also be working with the context of your verse for 12 days out of the 28 days. My goal is to make sure the context of your verse is DEEP in your bones.
“John, I really want to do this, but I am really concerned about not having enough time to commit to it.”
Completely understand. Time is one of the biggest obstacles that keeps people from studying the Bible and learning Bible study skills they need to be the kind of Bible student they want to be.
On top of that, let me say this. One of the advantages of FOCUSING on one verse is that your brain starts to “play around” with that verse even while you’re not completing the assignment! In other words, I have little doubt that by Day 10, you will have this verse “stuck” in your head like a bad pop song. You will be subconsciously “chewing” on your verse when you’re at work, when you’re playing with the kids, when you’re doing the dishes, even when you’re sleeping!
That’s one of the reasons why this is a 28 Day journey. I want your mind to be considering this verse from MULTIPLE angles. . .even when you’re doing the most mundane of tasks. You’ll be shocked at the connections your brain makes!
“I’m brand new to the Bible. And I mean BRAND SPANKING NEW. This all sounds wonderful, but 28 days sounds like a lot. And I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep up.”
While I think everyone could benefit from this course (even highly trained smarty-pants Bible experts), the people who will get the most out of it are ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS. So you are in the right place. With some humility, I would say I don’t think there is a better place for you to start.
The whole idea of “starting small” and focusing on ONE verse is geared toward beginners. I’ve noticed that other How to Study the Bible guides focus on the big picture of the Bible and then zoom in. There are definitely some advantages to that approach. But for people who are wanting to develop Bible study SKILLS, I think the “big picture” approach is misguided. There are simply too many moving parts to consider.
That’s why the philosophy behind this instructional guide is start small.
Also let me reiterate:
If you have any question, concern, or non-violent disagreement with something in the lesson, EMAIL ME. I will personally respond. Not some AI bot. Not some virtual assistant. Not some automated message. But me, myself and I.
If you want me to look over an assignment to check it and make sure you did it correctly, EMAIL ME.
If you want to tell me how much you are loving the 28 Days, EMAIL ME.
If you want to cuss me out because you think I’m an evil, demanding taskmaster, EMAIL ME
I am here to support you, and I take this responsibility very seriously.
“I really do want to learn how to study the Bible, but I’m nervous about learning from someone who doesn’t share my beliefs and convictions.”
I’ll shoot you straight. The chances that we have the exact same religious and denominational views and background are slim to none. And even if we did, there’s a really good chance that we disagree on some issue. If that’s something that would make it difficult for you to trust my guidance, I completely understand. I’m probably not the person you should be learning from.
But let me say this.
While in Div School, I had the opportunity to learn how to study the Bible alongside Methodists, Baptists, Orthodox Christians, Mennonites, Episcopalians, Catholics, Pentecostals, Presbyterians, and others who come from all sorts of social, class, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. That’s why I say my Divinity School experience was one of the BEST things that ever happened to me. Studying with people from all these different faith traditions challenged me to REALLY understand what I believed and why. More importantly, it helped me to see and understand Bible passages from multiple perspectives. It helped me to see things in certain passages that I had never seen before or even considered!
So, while I understand feeling a bit nervous about being “misled” by people who might not share your faith tradition or your theological convictions, I also know that studying with people who are coming from different places can actually help you understand your faith tradition better. Why? Because it helps you to really understand why you believe what you believe. It helps you to get clearer on what you believe.