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If your first question is “What is the S.O.A.P Method?” You have come to the right place. I would like to share with you not only what it is but how you can use it alongside your personal bible study time.
S.O.A.P can be used at any stage in your personal walk with Christ, whether you are just starting out or a little more seasoned in the Word. It can help you understand the meaning behind what is being said in scripture and how it can practically be applied to your life.
So what does S.O.A.P stand for?
Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer
I first learned about the S.O.A.P Method a few years ago in a women’s bible study group I was apart of. I had never heard of it before but thought it was a very interesting way to gain a deeper understanding in what I was reading during my time with God.
Fast forward a few years and I still use this method to this day. Over the years, it has helped me tremendously with retaining what I have read and understanding how to apply it to my daily life.
How To Use The S.O.A.P Method?
There is not a right or wrong way to use S.O.A.P. You will develop a way to use this method that best suits your style of bible study. This is just an outline of how I have use S.O.A.P over the years:
Start with prayer. Pray over your intimate time with the Lord, that He will open your heart and mind to the message He wants to send to you. Invite the Holy Spirit in to speak to your heart. Pray for understanding of His Word.
Scripture
Read through the chapter or scriptures of your choice. Afterwards, pick out 1-3 verses that specifically speak to you in this season of life. Which scripture(s) did you find most meaningful? Write them out. Take a moment to study these specifically.
Observation
Here you can take the time to read deeper into the message. What truths can you take away from what you just read? Who is the speaker? Who are they speaking to? What message are they trying to convey? How is the Holy Spirit trying to speak to your heart through this message?
Application
After writing down your scriptures and observations, ask yourself
“How can I apply this to my life?”
How will this change your outlook in a certain area of your life? Think about the relationships you have and if this can be applied to strengthen your bond with a particular person. What about your job or in your household? Can you use this message from God there? You may need to sit and meditate on this for a moment.
Prayer
Finish out your study in prayer. This is a very sacred time between you and God where you can openly talk to Him about what you have learned. Those specific scriptures you picked out can also be added into your prayer. Thank God for His guidance and love and ask Him to help you apply this message in your daily life.
If you are beginning your bible study journey, here are a few books of the bible I have found to be great places to start:
- Psalms: This book was written mostly by a man named David, who expresses his prayers, praises, sadness and joys to the Lord through poetry.
- Proverbs: This book was written mostly by a man named Solomon (David’s son). Scriptures in this book give godly wisdom that can be applied in many areas of our daily life.
- The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John): These 4 men wrote about Jesus’ life here on Earth and Him being the Messiah to come and give His life for our eternal salvation.
- Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, 1st and 2nd Timothy, Philemon: Most of these books were written by a man named Paul, who use to be a persecutor of the churches but came to know Christ and became a great follower of His Word. He also wrote letters of encouragement, guidance and love to the early churches.
Study Bible Suggestion:
I have used The Study Bible for Women for some time now and have found it to be very insightful when using S.O.A.P. While I take time to observe scripture, I often look back at the additional notes and doctrine given within each book of the bible. What I enjoy most about this study bible are the sections for biblical womanhood. In these sections the scriptures are tied in with different aspects of being a woman of Christ.
Take a closer look inside by clicking the link below.
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NKJV Study Bible for Women, Large Print Edition, Hardcover By Dorothy Patterson & Rhonda Kelley / Holman Bible Publishers |
Free Resources!
Here are a couple free resources you can add into your bible study time:
Download the FREE Holy Bible app (YouVersion) as another way to dive deeper into the word of God. I can’t say enough about this app. I have been using it for years now and highly recommend it. The app is for iOS and Android users. You can view it from your computer as well. YouVersion has a lot of resources within the app and online that are very helpful including daily devotionals, videos, note-taking, bookmarks and scripture highlights. You are able to read different versions of the bible so you are able to pick the version that you prefer. You can also op-in to receive daily scripture messages straight to you phone.
Click here to get the app for your phone or to view it on your computer!
Last but not least, I have created a FREE printable bible study packet just for you as a guide to using the S.O.A.P Method. The S.O.A.P Method Bible Study Packet includes a short refresher on the acronyms of S.O.A.P and how you can use them, a convenient step-by-step journaling sheet to use alongside your bible study and another sheet for additional note-taking.
SUBSCRIBE TODAY TO GET ACCESS TO THIS FREE PRINTABLE BIBLE STUDY PACKET ALONG WITH EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO OUR FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY!
I hope that the S.O.A.P method will be a helpful addition to your bible study and that you will be able to connect with God’s Word on an even deeper level.
Joyfully, Frances
This is great! It’s such a great way to approach Bible study. Studying God’s Word doesn’t have to be complicated. Methods like SOAP are great for simplifying and even making spending time in God’s Word fun. Thanks for sharing this!
I agree, it does not have to be complicated. I feel that the S.O.A.P Method has actually helped me simplify the scriptures I study. Another amazing thing is that it’s kind of like record keeping where you are able to look back at your journey and where you were in that season of life and look at the present and how you’ve grown! Thanks for your feedback!
Thank you so much for this. I need something to help me stay focused during my Bible study.
You welcome! Thought I’d share this because it’s been so helpful for me to use over the years. Really glad you found this helpful! Enjoy!
I’ve heard about the S.O.A.P method before but really didn’t understand much on how to use it especially in the Observation part, thank you for providing guide questions for each acronym, gave me clarity on what to look for in Scripture and the areas I need to reflect on.