Investigative Bible Study

May, 2006

by: Dave Hintz

One Saturday evening, my wife and I went out witnessing with the college ministry in downtown Burbank. The streets were flooded with young people, including a high school couple willing to talk with us. As is our custom, we went through a brief survey with them, and came to the question, “Who is Jesus?” Bewildered, the guy said, “I don’t know, some man” and the girl admitted, “I have no idea.” Further probing revealed that they had no clue when He had lived, what He had done, or why He was significant. Where do you begin with a couple like that? Can you really explain the incarnation, divinity, atonement, and resurrection of Jesus in five minutes? We did our best, but it sure would have been nice to have more time.

As well-churched Christians, we often take for granted that the people around us are at least somewhat familiar with the Bible and its teachings about Christ. Yet in a day and age in which God means something completely different to Buddhists, Mormons, Hindus, and Shirley MacLaine, sharing our faith involves more than simply telling people that God has a wonderful plan for their lives. Namely, we need to exercise great discernment in order to make sure that people reject their false theology of their “god” and replace it with a biblical understanding. It has been my experience that this does not happen in one five-minute encounter, nor even in a fifteen-minute conversation. Often, it must be corrected over a prolonged relationship. Observing this over time has led me to develop a tool to help the non-Christian truly understand the Gospel over the course of more gradual study and conversation. It’s called an Investigative Bible Study. Essentially, it breaks the Gospel down into eight easy-to-understand Bible studies which lay the ground work for repentance. A Leader’s Guide provides the believer with all of the correct answers so that anyone can use this study to reach out to others. The eight lessons as listed below all build up to an invitation to receive Christ:

• Lesson 1: “Why Study the Bible?”
• Lesson 2: “God is Creator”
• Lesson 3: “The Holiness of God”
• Lesson 4: “The Righteousness of God”
• Lesson 5: “Sin”
• Lesson 6: “Jesus Christ”
• Lesson 7: “God’s Love”
• Lesson 8: “Faith and Repentance”

As with all evangelistic tools, there are a variety of ways to use this:

1. You can organize a study with your coworkers. Invite them to join you, find a sight off campus, have everyone brown bag a lunch, and then go through the study.
2. Conduct a neighborhood Bible study. Invite your friends and neighbors to your home for eight weeks. Have the participants sign up to bring refreshments (this helps secure commitments), and then have a couple (preferably a Christian couple) watch the kids.
3. If you have already shared with someone who wants to know more, meet with them one-on-one for eight weeks to go through the study.
4. Use it for family devotionals.

If this sounds like something you can use, pick up the Investigative Bible Study in the Calvary Bookstore. May it be a valuable addition to your tackle box, as you endeavor to become a fisher of men.