Sometimes I read my Bible. Other times, I study it.

When I study a passage of Scripture, I use the OIA Bible study method to organize my thoughts and questions.

Inductive Bible Study Explanation

Inductive Bible Study method consists of three steps which in shortened form is OIA.

OIA stands for Observation, Interpretation, Application.

These steps are not original to me. I first learned about them by reading Living by the Book by Professor Howard Hendricks. Kay Arthur, a popular Inductive Bible Study teacher, also uses this basic method.

I recommend that you have a notebook handy to write down your findings for each of these steps.  I just use a simple notebook that costs $.25 at back to school time. Or a yellow legal notepad.

Next, pick any Bible passage that you want to study and go through each of these steps. I find it easier to start with a paragraph length passage or maybe a half a chapter. A whole chapter of the Bible will work if there aren’t too many topics covered in that one chapter. 

Observation

Observation is listing out the facts of the passage. Although this step is very basic, do it anyway!

Ask questions like this when observing the passage:

• Who is writing or speaking?
• Who were the original recipients of this message?
• When was this passage written?
• What is happening in the passage?
• Are there any repeated words in the passage? What are they?
• How do the author or the recipients feel?
• Where are the events taking place?
• Are there any contrasts made in the passage?
• What literary style is this passage?

I also like to highlight or circle key words in my Bible or notice what words or concepts are repeated in the passage.

Interpretation

In this step, you find out what the passage means for the first original audience or recipients of the message.

Compare the passage to the surrounding passages in the Bible. Do they expand on a similar idea?

Cross-reference other Scripture passages to find what else God has to say about the ideas in the passage.

Consult trusted resources to find out what others say about the passage. Try GotQuestions.org or preceptaustin.org.

Consider the culture of the time period. Is there an action or a word spoken in the passage that doesn’t make sense to us today, but made sense in the Bible time culture?

Application

Howard Hendricks suggests these nine questions. You will not answer all of them in every passage.

• Is there an example for me to follow?
• Is there a sin to avoid?
• Is there a promise to claim?
• Is there a prayer to repeat?
• Is there a command to obey?
• Is there a condition to meet?
• Is there a verse to memorize?
• Is there an error to mark?
• Is there a challenge to face?

These three steps, Observation, Interpretation, and Application, guide me in my personal Bible study. Now I can confidently unfold a passage of Scripture so I can understand what it says, what it means, and what it means for me.

Inductive Bible Study Free Printable

I’ve created this free printable brochure with the steps and questions listed above so that you don’t need to carry all these questions around in your head! As you get more experience you may not need the printable, but it’s handy to have when you are just starting out with inductive Bible study. Print it out and tuck it in your Bible to keep it handy.  

Click on photo above for your free printable OIA brochure

Have you ever studied using the OIA method? Is there another thing you do to help you organize your personal Bible study thoughts and findings? Comment below and let us know!

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