HIGHLIGHT:
After reading 1-2 Chapters of Scripture, Highlight the verses that speaks to you by writing out the following:
- Write down the name of the book.
- Write down the Chapter and verses.
- Write down a 1-3 word title (eg. Why does this passage speak to me?)
EXPLAIN:
Engage with the text and wrestle with it’s meaning. Some possible questions to consider include:
- Who was the passage written to?
- Why was it written?
- How does it fit-in with surrounding verses?
- What may God be communicating through this passage?
APPLY:
Consider how you may be apply the text in Real Life. Some possible questions to consider include:
- How can this passage help me?
- How can I apply this passage in my life today?
- What is God saying to me?
RESPOND:
Finally, respond to God. This can be done in any number of ways, but make it sincere.
- Write out a prayer (eg. Ask God to help you become more loving, or grace-filled, or content, etc.)
- Commit to a certain action.
- Who is God inviting me to be? (Or, How will I be different because of what I’ve learned?)
- What’s my next step in becoming that person?
south ridge blog 
Awesome job of summing up this Bible study method well. I wrote an article on my blog on the SOAP Bible study method https://sharinglifeandlove.com/blog/the-soap-bible-study-method-how-to-use-it-successfully/. I think it’s a bit easier to do, but the HEAR method lets you dive deeply into God’s Word! What do you think?!? I look forward to reading more of your posts in the future. All the Best, Michele
Yup, I’m very families with the SOAP method as well as others. As a pastor, my hope is just to get people to engage with the Scriptures. Anything that helps somebody to engage with the Scriptures in such a way that they allow the Scriptures to read them instead of them reading the Scriptures is good for me!