Hi, I’m Dennis Stevenson.
I’ve been studying the Bible for over 30 years. For more than 20 of those years I’ve been teaching others what I know in Sunday School classes and small group Bible studies. These experiences, both of studying and teaching, have shown me what everyday Christians want to know, and how they like to learn it.
A couple years ago, I wrote Study the Bible – Six Easy Steps because I saw many believers struggling to understand the basics of studying the Bible. Instructive material was either geared toward seminary students or so light-weight that it didn’t really equip students for independent study.
As we move through this period of distancing and isolation, many people are taking advantage of life-simplification to focus on things that are important to them. I would like to help churches equip believers to focus on spiritual growth. As in-person opportunities for Christian education dwindle, I believe we should seek alternative opportunities to develop foundational Christian disciplines that form the bases of life-long spiritual growth.
I am deeply convicted that biblical literacy is a critical issue for the church today. Study the Bible – Six Easy Steps is a book that makes studying the Bible feel easy and approachable. Already thousands of people have used it to improve their confidence in handling God’s word. These were not spiritually sophisticated people. They were ordinary believers who were looking for a way to better understand God’s word and make meaningful application to their lives.
I firmly believe that now is the time to equip believers with the tools to engage and understand Scripture for themselves. The times in which we live are placing pressure upon churches around the world to coach up mature believers who understand what God’s word says and live lives in submission to God’s will.
I regularly receive feedback from readers telling me of the impact that this book has had in their lives.
You are such a blessing. Your book has been extremely helpful.
— Sheri
I’ve downloaded the templates and have invested in some study resources. Your book is just what I was looking for. There are lots of study guides out there, but I have been searching for something to help me find information on my own. This is helping accomplish that goal and I am thrilled to be on that path.
— Eric
Since it was released May 2018, I’ve sold almost 3,500 copies of Study the Bible – Six Easy Steps. It currently has an Amazon review score of 4.4 (out of 5.0) and 50 ratings. When it was in Kindle Unlimited, it was regularly the Best Seller in Christian Hermeneutics or in Religious Studies: Education.
Because I’m not committed to a corporate publisher, I have the freedom to offer you several evaluation copies of this book for free. I want you to see for yourself what the book has to offer and decide if it would benefit you congregation.
I’ve given you three download codes so you can share the book with key leaders to review and decide if it’s a valuable resource for your congregation. I’m offering the books at a significant discount to churches to help foster spiritual growth at a time when meeting together isn’t possible.
$0.99 per copy (93% off the Amazon paperback price) if you want ten or more copies. I’ll set up a custom download page you can share with your church and it will allow anyone to download a free copy, up to the number that you set.
— OR —
$1.49 per copy (90% off the Amazon paperback price) if you want fewer than ten copies. If you want to offer your conregation the chance to purchase single books at this steep discount, I will have a storefront set up where they can purchase individual copies instead of paying full retail on Amazon or similar online stores.
Click here to download a free copy of Study the Bible – Six Easy Steps. You’ll need the 9 digit code I sent you, then you’ll be ready to download your copy.
This book presents the Bible book study method. It focuses on a literal understanding of the text and drawing appropriate application to the student’s life. Rather than running to commentaries and other interpretive books, it gives readers the skills to read, understand and apply scripture to their own lives.
The book is presented in two sections. The first focuses on the skills and techniques necessary to understand and apply God’s word. Throughout this section, the six step method is explained and comprehension tools are explained.
- Read the text: Establish Author, Audience and context
- Read the text (again): Identify what the author is trying to say
- Identify questions that you want to answer: use study resources to answer the questions
- Read the text (again): Clarify the author’s message
- Map the audience and message: Apply the message to your life
- Compare your findings with other sources: Such as commentaries and study Bibles
The second section leads the reader through a step-by-step study of the book of Titus in the New Testament. Using the six step process, the reader is prompted to answer each of the questions in a workbook format and develop their own interpretation and application of the book.
Along the way I share my own study notes to help them see the possibilities for how the study could be performed. My goal here is to continue to teach and also to encourage and build confidence in the new skills.
Dennis, I can not thank you enough for your book. I have already grown in ways I had only dreamed of in the past. You make so much sense. You make what seems like and impossible task of understanding the scripture so interesting and actually fun. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you,
— Jenny
Click here to download a free copy of Study the Bible – Six Easy Steps.
What you will find in the book
CHAPTER 1 – WHAT IS THE BIBLE?
This section explores the claims of the Bible and establishes that since the Bible is the word of God, it is the inerrant authority for our lives. This chapter lays a strong foundation in Bibliology upon which the rest of the study is built.
CHAPTER 2 – CHOOSING THE RIGHT STUDY
Not all studies require piles of books and copious notes. This chapter looks at different types of study from reading the Bible, memorizing it, meditating on it, textual study, topical study and systematic study. It introduces the concept of spiritual milk and spiritual meat (Hebrews 5:12-14) and shows how different study types offer different kinds of spiritual nutrition.
CHAPTER 3 – UNDERSTANDING THE BIG PICTURE
How to look at a segment of scripture and begin to understand what is going on. This chapter focuses on the Author, Audience (of the original manuscript), type of literature and the central role of context.
CHAPTER 4 – TOOLS FOR UNDERSTANDING
This chapter looks at the building blocks of written communication: Paragraphs, Sentences and key words. Through an easy grammar review, the reader is able to leverage concepts they already know to organize their knowledge of what a passage is saying.
CHAPTER 5 – APPLYING WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED
This chapter explains the basic process of applying scripture in an easy to follow set of steps. What was the author trying to say? How much is the audience like me? What parts of the author’s message apply to me? How to handle application when the original audience isn’t like me? What actions do I need to take in response?
CHAPTER 6 – USING RESOURCES WISELY
This chapter discusses the proper role of various resources: study bibles, bible dictionaries and other resources that can be used to enhance Bible study. This chapter discusses the correct way to use these tools without short-cutting the study process.
LIVING WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED
Each chapter ends with an application that encourages the reader to apply what they’ve learned to their life. It might be a shift of attitude or an change of practice in some area of their life. The goal is that studying the Bible is a life-changing process, and we should be looking for change to happen.
I wanted to thank you for checking in to see if I had received the download. I am currently working on chapter four of your book. It is very insightful and challenging for me. Prior to reading your book I read Dwight Moody’s book How To Study The Bible. Although it was inspiring it did not give me the tools I was looking for to gain an attainable grasp on study. This book so far has been great. So many tools. I’m almost overwhelmed. I will continue earnestly with devotion, hard work and most of all Gods help and blessings.
— Dylan
Click here to get your free copy of Study the Bible – Six Easy Steps for evaluation.
Additional Resources that Support the Goal of the Book
I have made available a series of additional resources that readers can download to supplement the the book. I share these resources freely in the most commonly used file types. One book can’t contain all the information, and I want to supply additional tools in the appropriate format.
- A workbook that matches the topics of the book and allows the reader to write out the answers to questions and exercises presented. This PDF can be printed out and completed to give the reader a more tangible experience.
- A set of Bible study templates in Microsoft Word format that help organize and lead the student through a study of their own using the six step process. This is really a cleaned up copy of the template I used for the study of Titus.
- Links to a set of common study resources that the student can get for themselves. This includes such staples as Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Halley’s Bible Handbook and Basic Doctrine by Dr. Wayne Grudem.
These resources are all provided through my website and free to anyone who wants to download them.
What readers say about Study the Bible – Six Easy Steps
Thanks for the email, enjoying is probably an understatement as I am deeply convicted and I’m only two chapters in. Thanks for your obedience to our awesome savior. I will look you up when we get there and thank you in person.
— Brian
Hi. Dennis! Just to let you know, I’m enjoying your book “Six Easy Steps” and working through Titus. I appreciate the ongoing encouragement throughout the book, as at times, I’ve struggled with a step or two. Your encouragement has helped greatly and things are starting to click
— Eric
Dennis, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Everything you are giving me is leading me on the path toward fellowship with Jesus, my Lord and Savior. Up until now I have mostly had a knowledge of Him thrown in with a few personal encounters, but nothing that has been steady. Your resources are teaching me what it takes to walk with God on a daily basis.
— Jackie
I have been going through various studies by a number of different authors with a group of 8-12 women over the past 3 years. It’s been my prayer for well over a year to encourage my little group to study without the benefit of an author prompting us. But the group was hesitant, not feeling confident in undertaking the task on their own. We did various word studies and topic studies for a few months, but they still weren’t sure they wanted the personal responsibility of studying without the guidance of a book.
After searching several sites, I came across your book and it seemed like the answer to our dilemma. We just finished your book and the study of Titus. It was an amazing journey. Thank you for your leading us through the process.
We’ve decided to study Colossians next, but have chosen to edit your process a bit. I believe that’s the beauty of your book. It gives us the opportunity to exercise the process of studying the Bible using a basic framework, while tweaking it to meet our own needs, gleaning the message of God’s word.
Again, thank you for giving our little group the push we needed to discover the joy of studying God’s word on our own!
— Betsy
Act Now to get your evaluation copy and a valuable resource for your congregation!
Remember, there are two ways that you can take advantage of this offer for your congregation:
0.99 per copy (93% off the print book price) if you want to get ten or more copies. I’ll set up a custom download page you can share with your church and it will allow anyone to download a free copy, up to the number that you set.
— OR —
$1.49 per copy (90% off the print book price) if you want fewer than ten copies. If you want to offer your congregation the chance to purchase single books at this steep discount, I will have a storefront set up where they can purchase individual copies.
Click here to download a free copy of Study the Bible – Six Easy Steps. Use the 9 digit code I sent you, to download one copy, then share the other codes with leaders at your church who can help you determine if they would be a benefit.