My Favorite Bible Study Tools

As Christians, it’s more imperative than ever that we know God’s Word. To help you, here are my favorite Bible study tools.

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2020 was a shake-it-up kind of year, wasn’t it? So many things were turned on their head, and at one point, I felt as though the foundation had been ripped out from under me. I didn’t know which way was up or what to stand on anymore.

In all the chaos and confusion, I turned back to the one truth I knew I could count on. God.

I went back to the basics of what I knew was right, what I knew would hold fast, and what I knew I should pursue. And that was Jesus.

But just to say I wanted to follow Jesus wasn’t enough. In order to follow Him, I had to know His Word. And I had to know it for myself. Not rely on someone else to tell me what it says, not blindly follow someone else’s instruction, but do the work to familiarize myself with who God is and what He says.

In the abundance of Scriptures tossed around to prove points and support stances, more than ever before, I saw the importance of knowing and understanding God’s Word.

And not just for my own life, but for the little lives I’m shaping in my home. For the sake of guiding them as they build their own foundation of faith. As Lee Nienhuis says in Counter-Cultural Parenting,

“Countercultural parents must be saturated in the Word so they know how to direct their children.”

In my revived desire to know and internalize God’s Word, I searched for tools and resources that would support my quest. And now I want to pass those on to you!

As Christians, it’s imperative that we know God’s Word, so to help you, here are my favorite Bible study tools.

My Favorite Tools to Help You Study the Bible

The Bible Recap

I started listening to The Bible Recap podcast in the early months of last year, and I LOVE it. I’ve read through the Bible before (like, once, maybe?), but with seriously limited understanding, especially in those tricky Old Testament passages (I’m looking at you, Leviticus).

The Bible Recap has not only helped keep me accountable with my reading plan, it has also cleared up many questions and misunderstandings I’d had. I also love how the host, Tara-Leigh, encourages us as readers and listeners to look for God in every single day’s reading.

If you’ve shied away from reading or studying the Bible because you’re intimidated, overwhelmed, or downright confused, The Bible Recap is a must-listen!

And now there’s a Bible Recap book! I have it, and it is great for visual learners like me.
Give Me Jesus Journal

I could not be more in love with this journal for my personal Bible study. Not only is it BEAUTIFUL (what can I say? pretty things make me want to use them more), but the format helps me position myself to receive God’s message, focus on what the passage I’m studying says about God, and think about how I can apply that knowledge to my life.

The entire Well-Watered Women company is a treasure trove of Bible study resources. Not only do they sell Bible studies and journals (among other lovely products), but their blog is full of free (but oh-so-valuable)
content to help you walk in the Word and water your soul.
Women in the Word by Jen Wilkin

This book blew my mind. It was SO GOOD. It challenged my approach to Bible study, as well as my entire perspective on God’s Word. (For the better!) Nearly every chapter brought a paradigm shift for me, and I’m beyond excited for what it’s doing to the way I study God’s Word, understand God’s Word, and apply God’s Word.

This powerful Bible study handbook will infuse you with passion for Bible literacy, give you proper perspectives and approaches, and equip you with the tools you need to glean wisdom and understanding from the Bible.
Bible Dictionary

On the recommendation of Women of the Word, I bought a New Bible Dictionary to look up unfamiliar words, and even keywords I thought I knew, to gain a better grasp on their intended meaning. It has been an enlightening practice that has helped my comprehension and given greater depth to my understanding of Scripture.
Bible Handbook

Background knowledge and context are key factors in aiding comprehension. Knowing when passages were written, why they were written, and who they were originally written for is imperative to understanding their true meaning and applying them appropriately.

This is the kind of information a Bible handbook provides, and it has brought richer depth to my Bible study.
Blueletterbible.org

Blue Letter Bible is an INCREDIBLE free searchable online Bible program. It has the full-text Bible in several translations, devotionals, commentaries, and other Bible study resources such as indexes, encyclopedias and dictionaries, maps, timelines, and more. I’ve barely scratched the surface of its usefulness in my own personal Bible study, but I fully plan on making greater use of it.

Jen Wilkin showed me the importance of studying the Bible for myself, which the above Bible study tools are helping me do. But it’s also good and valuable to learn from other trusted Bible scholars.

Here are a few of my favorite Bible studies I’ve done.

A Few of My Favorite Bible Studies

Seamless: Understanding the Bible as One Complete Story — This is a great one for beginning Bible students or those who want a better picture of the message of the Bible as a whole
Priscilla Shirer bible studies — Priscilla is my favorite Bible teacher, and any of her studies are sure to be excellent. I’ve done several (this one is my favorite), and I’m about to dive into her latest study, Elijah.
Beth Moore — Again, anything Beth Moore puts out is bound to be good. Fair warning: they’re quite a bit of work, but it’s soooo worth it!

Studies I’m eager to go through include Jude from Jackie Hill Perry, any and all the studies from Jen Wilkin, and the studies from Well-Watered Women.

SHARE WITH US: Do you have any favorite Bible study resources to add to this list? What helps you study the Bible for yourself? Share in the comments below!