Systematic Study Plan
I am putting together what I envision will be a five to seven year systematic study plan using Logos software, traditional text (paper), and internet resources. I am doing this for my own personal studies to help me in my Christian growth and ministry. Some of the areas of my studies will include but not limited to:
Bible study methods (including how to use Logos software effectively)
Whole Bible Overview - using introductions, surveys and Bible guides to get the overall message of the Bible.
In depth study of the Bible book by book working through the old and new testament.
Favorite Authors - Study of books and authors that interest me for example Spurgeon, G Campbell Morgan, Piper, NT Wright and others.
Ministry Skills - Methods for teaching, witnessing and evangelism.
Counselling Skills - Study of principles of biblical counselling and ministry.
Has anyone here developed a similar plan? Do you have any suggestions or authors/books/commentaries etc. that you have found particularly helpful? Is there area that you think I am missing that I should include?
Comments
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Sounds like a great undertaking.
Bible Study Methods - Rick Warren has a book covering this topic. I have not read it, but I've talked to others who have followed his methods and recommend his ideas.
http://www.logos.com/product/5445/rick-warrens-bible-study-methods
In your focus on Ministry adding an apologetic resource or two would be beneficial for witnessing. Logos has a number of these resources. Josh McDowell has several resources available in Logos as does Norman Geisler.
http://www.logos.com/product/8810/the-norman-l-geisler-apologetics-library
General Introduction to the Bible - by Geisler. I've not read it from cover to cover, but have referred to it frequently. He goes in depth on the inspiration, transmission and canonization of the Bible. Josh McDowell has numerous quotes from his book.
http://www.logos.com/product/192/a-general-introduction-to-the-bible-revised-and-expanded
Evidence for Christianity - very good, covers a lot of information, but is a rather thick book - so it may be more than you need.
http://www.logos.com/product/10168/evidence-for-christianity
Answers to Tough Questions - this resource doesn't go much in depth, but it is very concise, giving 1-2 page answers to each question.
http://www.logos.com/product/1185/answers-to-tough-questions
Canon of Scripture - by FF Bruce is about how we got the Bible.
http://www.logos.com/product/2979/the-canon-of-scripture
For Counseling - June Hunt has a collection covering many counseling topics. Each book is short and concise. I haven't looked at this collection very closely, but it seems like there is a lot of scripture references with basic steps to help others.
http://www.logos.com/product/5265/hope-for-the-heart-biblical-counseling-library
Competent to Counsel by Adams and Christian Counseling: A Comprehension Guide are both good.
http://www.logos.com/product/17703/competent-to-counsel
http://www.logos.com/product/3191/christian-counseling-a-comprehensive-guide
A study of Systematic Theology would good. I don't have any specific
recommendations here. I have several Systematic Theology resources in
Logos, but have not had time to look at them closely to know which on to
recommend. I'm sure someone else can add more information.Hope this helps.
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Michael Kinch said:
Is there area that you think I am missing that I should include?
You seem to have both HEAD (knowledge) and HANDS (ministry skills); I encourage you to not neglect the HEART.
Making Disciples! Logos Ecosystem = LogosMax on Microsoft Surface Pro 7 (Win11), Android app on tablet, FSB on iPhone & iPad mini, Proclaim (Proclaim Remote on Fire Tablet).
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Michael Kinch said:
Bible study methods (including how to use Logos software effectively)
You need to check out Dr. Utley,s inductive bible study method. http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/ in fact he has a lot of resources in L4. i would recommend this method to anyone who wants to really get an education in the Word that is comparable to a 4 year seminary eduction.
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Sam West said:
check out Dr. Utley
Interestingly, of the two texts found in the link, the shorter one, the Seminar Lecture Notebook, is available in Logos as You Can Understand the Bible Seminar. The longer Seminar Textbook doesn't appear to be offered by Logos. A number of Dr. Utley's commentaries and the shorter text are apparently a part of most base packages.
macOS (Logos Pro - Beta) | Android 13 (Logos Stable)
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You might also find these two books helpful as well:
Grasping God’s Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible
They are all excellent books!
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Thank-you everyone for your excellent suggestions. I am copying your posts into my notes and will use your suggestions in developing my study plan. I already have some of the materials that have been suggested but certainly not all. I have some more to add to my library now
. I do have some of Dr. Utleys materials in Logos. He also sent me a cd with his materials some time ago. I will have to locate it and have a look at it again.David Thomas, you suggested not neglecting the heart. Do you have any specific recommendations to accomplish that? Were you thinking of devotional materials? I think I will need to include some topical studies on Prayer and growing in my relationship with God.
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Michael Kinch said:
Bible study methods (including how to use Logos software effectively)
One idea is looking in your library for:
(read,study) bible (worth,methods)
Edit: Logos recently shipped => Tyndale Bible Study Collection (5 vols.) that includes: How to Study the Bible and Enjoy It
Also may want to learn a bit about Greek verbal system, which is more expressive than English.
My favorite Logos 4 feature is visual filter highlighting using Logos Greek Morphology so can see range of verbal expression in a passage in Greek and English resources with appropriate tagging. Also like using Lexham Discourse Greek New Testament (LDGNT) with interlinear display showing Greek manuscript and Louw-Nida numbers: can hover mouse on Louw-Nida # for semantic contextual range of meaning pop-up plus can hover over Greek words with Discourse Analysis tagging to pop-up my customized LDGNT glossary with questions, thread => Suggestion: Discourse Greek NT more customizable includes personal book docx file.
Wiki Extended Tips for Visual Filters has => Examples of visual filters with screen shots showing Logos Greek Morphology filters with highlighting palette. Personally learned to create palette and styles first, then create visual filters.
Likewise have customized my lexicon priorities so right click has 10 choices: 5 for lemma and 5 for Strong's numbers => searching strong's numbers since several discussion lexicons are indexed by Strong's numbers.
Michael Kinch said:Do you have any suggestions or authors/books/commentaries etc. that you have found particularly helpful?
My favorite commentary series is the UBS Handbooks; wiki Logos Resource Reviews has => UBS New Testament Handbook Series and => UBS Old Testament Handbook Series that includes link to => Logos 4 Blog: Quickly Access the UBS Handbooks
Currently, my second highest prioritized commentary series is => The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (58 vols.) that is currently not in any base package
David Thomas said:Michael Kinch said:Is there area that you think I am missing that I should include?
You seem to have both HEAD (knowledge) and HANDS (ministry skills); I encourage you to not neglect the HEART.
Could look in your Logos library for:
prayer
whose ranked results in my Library had # 1 => The Pastor in Prayer by Charles Spurgeon
Keep Smiling [:)]
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My favorite commentary series is the UBS Handbooks; wiki Logos Resource Reviews has => UBS New Testament Handbook Series and => UBS Old Testament Handbook Series that includes link to => Logos 4 Blog: Quickly Access the UBS Handbooks
[Y] Great resources!
πάντα εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ ποιεῖτε
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My favorite commentary series is the UBS Handbooks; wiki Logos Resource Reviews has => UBS New Testament Handbook Series and => UBS Old Testament Handbook Series that includes link to => Logos 4 Blog: Quickly Access the UBS Handbooks
Thanks for posting this blog posts...I just used it to prioritize the UBS Handbooks, very thankful that I have both OT an NT Series.
Blessings,
Philana
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Thanks Keep Smiling. I have been reading alot of good things about the UBS Handbook Series. I think I will have to upgrade soon and get it. I appreciate your advice.
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Michael Kinch said:
David Thomas, you suggested not neglecting the heart. Do you have any specific recommendations to accomplish that? Were you thinking of devotional materials? I think I will need to include some topical studies on Prayer and growing in my relationship with God.
I recently read - http://www.logos.com/product/16572/how-to-worship-jesus-christ which is VERY short, but had some good thoughts
I also gleaned a lot from - http://www.logos.com/product/392/the-training-of-the-twelve
I enjoyed The Complete Green Letters which is part of this collection - http://www.logos.com/product/4343/works-of-miles-j-stanford
I am hoping for more Logos Resources by William Thrasher like this one - http://www.logos.com/product/16567/basics-for-believers-foundational-truths-to-guide-your-life. I am currently reading his "Journey to Victorious Praying" which is not yet in Logos, and he has JUST released "God as He wants you to Know Him."
I applaud your desire to map a plan. I recall one author stating that we tend to overestimate what we can do in the short-term and underestimate what can be accomplished over a longer period of time. I commend your commitment to a longer plan.
Making Disciples! Logos Ecosystem = LogosMax on Microsoft Surface Pro 7 (Win11), Android app on tablet, FSB on iPhone & iPad mini, Proclaim (Proclaim Remote on Fire Tablet).
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You might also wish to check out The Divine Mentor - Vyrso its a really good book.
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t had very hard questions some harder than on the PMP. Very tricky on purpose. It's good that a get whacked like that. Keeps me moving forward. The questions have so many variables it's amazing.
Figuring out TCPI is a process within itself. I've got it down, I just have to get this information in the excel sheet. I have a 200 question exam in the head first book and a few pages to review ~10 and I am done with that book. I really need to capture everything in my Excel sheet so the sooner I am through with this book and the cbt the better. Still have several weeks so not to worry. Well maybe a little0 -
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My only suggestion (that I didn't see mentioned above) would be to read the bible from cover to cover a few times during your endeavor. Studying using other materials is great, but can never be a substitute for knowing the Scriptures themselves! (This isn't news to anyone here of course.[:)])
I'm in seminary, and one day this topic came up in class (I don't remember how, lol). My professor told the class he has read the bible through every year for some odd 13 years and that another teacher has done it 20+. Upon hearing this, I was struck with inspiration and motivation to do the same. And it has benefitted me greatly, to say the least.
Good resources for studying the heart was asked about above. I've found that John Piper has been extraordinarily helpful to me for this. Not only that, but he writes very intelligently as well. He is probably my favorite contemporary writer. Read Desiring God, his main book, of course. And a few other good ones are Think, Future Grace, and When I Don't Desire God. To be honest, all his stuff is good really. Those latter books are just ones I've read recently.
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Robert Wazlavek said:
My only suggestion would be to read the bible from cover to cover a few times during your endeavor. Studying using other materials is great, but can never be a substitute for knowing the Scriptures themselves! (This isn't news to anyone here of course.
)I'm in seminary, and one day this topic came up in class (I don't remember how). My professor told me he has read the bible through every year for some odd 13 years and that another teacher has done it 20+. Upon hearing this, I was struck with inspiration and motivation to do the same. And it has benefitted me greatly, to say the least.
Very true, since my reading plans now sync, I have been able to stay current with my Bible reading plan on my iPad. One thing I have found to be helpful is trying to read through the Bible in a translation I am unfamiliar with because it's easy to miss/skip/overlook things because of familiarity with the wording. We are blessed with such a wealth of Bible translations.
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Yeah, reading different translations is definitely to one's benefit! It's good to become aquanted with various versions, Word for Word, Thought for Thought, and in between.
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Robert Wazlavek said:
Yeah, reading different translations is definitely to one's benefit! It's good to become aquanted with various versions, Word for Word, Thought for Thought, and in between.
Reading original language resources would be helpful too.
Thread => American Standard Version 1901 - Personal Bible without Chapter and Verse #'s has a personal book Bible without chapter and verse numbers. Personally wish for Logos option to customize color of chapter and verse numbers (e.g. set foreground color to match background color).
My follow-up project for thread => Visual Filters and Biblical Places is reading every New Testament chapter looking for Biblical People, Places, and Things along with updating visual filters. Personally using a Reading Plan to track which chapters have been read.
Keep Smiling [:)]
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Michael Kinch said:
I am putting together what I envision will be a five to seven year systematic study plan using Logos software, traditional text (paper), and internet resources. I am doing this for my own personal studies to help me in my Christian growth and ministry.
Michael, when your plan is complete, would you mind sharing it? I'd like to see how you have it put together.
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Michael said:
Michael, when your plan is complete, would you mind sharing it? I'd like to see how you have it put together.
Yes Michael I will do that. Does anyone know how long a post can be? I suspect that when I have it together it may be fairly lengthy explaining each aspect of my study plan. Maybe I should post with an attachment.
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They can be pretty long. You probably don't have to worry about it. You could always split it into more than one post if you have to.
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Michael Kinch said:Michael said:
Michael, when your plan is complete, would you mind sharing it? I'd like to see how you have it put together.
Yes Michael I will do that. Does anyone know how long a post can be? I suspect that when I have it together it may be fairly lengthy explaining each aspect of my study plan. Maybe I should post with an attachment.
If you use Evernote you can write your plan out and then share the link to only that note. Then it wouldn't be a long post. I have suggested this in the past to others who wish to share lengthy items (i.e. portion of a resource) but don't want to have long posts. I had someone request an article from AYBD on the Pharisees as it was multiple pages posting it as an Evernote saved considerable space.
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It has been a while since I created this post and a lot has changed both with Logos and my personal studies. We now have a number of Mobile Ed courses available and of course many more books and training resources. I think I will revisit this and create a new plan. Once again please feel free to post your suggestions or recommendations.
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I would be interested in seeing your new plan. I'm about to go through a mentorship process and I'm trying to collect my thoughts to put together what you've described. Being a novice, I appreciate all the help I can get through this forum and elsewhere so I don't have to reinvent the wheel.
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Thanks Michael. Are you looking at mentoring someone or are you looking at being mentored? What is your primary focus?
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Michael Kinch said:
Thanks Michael. Are you looking at mentoring someone or are you looking at being mentored? What is your primary focus?
I'm going to be mentored beginning in January. The primary focus of the mentorship is growing in spiritual disciples and learning how to mature as a Christian and teach others the basics of daily living in the Word, spreading the Gospel, and making disciples so that they too may become mature Christians. With that in mind, we will be going through Francis Chan's book "Multiply" to facilitate our weekly 2 hour meetings. This is a one on one mentorship program.
In addition to this mentorship program, I've been trying to put together a list of books to go through myself with the purpose of growing in sound Bible study and helping others down the road with suggestions on where to start for non seminary students such as myself.
I'm considering picking up the following books to help me on my journey:
- How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart
- Exegetical Fallacies, Second Edition by DA Carson
- Grasping God’s Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible, 3rd ed. (this one I'm unsure about as it may be duplicating effort with the previous 2 books that seem more accessible)
These books I would add along side a few that I'm already reading or have read
- The Canon of Scripture by FF Bruce
- Everyone's a Theologian by RC Sproul
- I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist by Frank Turek and Norman Geisler
- The Four Hundred Silent Years by HA Ironside
I also have several systematic theology books as part of my Platinum bundle, but I'm not sure which one I'll start with or stick with. It's somewhat of a daunting task going through this, but has been immensely fruitful for my personal growth. Looking around at churches in my area I have not seen anyone put together a program to encourage and provide resources need for a more serious approach to sound Bible study. I feel it's essential to providing a firm foundation to build both the correct motivation and disciplines need to daily Christian living as well as the resources needed to disciple and multiply.
I'm want faithfully carry out 2 Timothy 2:2 and Matthew 28:18-20 by leveraging the scholarship we have available to supplement daily reading of the Bible.
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Micheal, this is similar to what I'm doing.
I try to take an hour a day for the following:
Mon/Wed/Fri: Devotional Bible reading/prayer and journaling (and usually reading from the Valley of Vision devotional) (I consider this the most important of all of the following)
Tues: Studying and Arcing (see John Piper on this) one book of the Bible at a time (I've been in Romans for a long time now and it's been the most rewarding study of my life)
Thursday: Reading a devotional commentary on a book of the Bible (in Doddridge on the gospels right now (his Family Expositor has the best devotions and commentary I've ever seen combined in one resource) - eventually planning on taking Spurgeons advice and reading strait through Matthew Henry)
Sat: Reading carefully and prayerfully through the puritans with special focus on Jonathan Edwards (I love these guys!)
Sun: Reading books on how to read/study/think about the Bible (right now I'm studying Grasping God's Word and it is excellent) (Eventually this will be open for other workbooks and more hands on studies. I plan on learning Greek some day in the distant future ...hopefully)
All of the above are my sit and study topics/books. With books that are more just regular reading books I just read when I have spare time (whenever that is). I found the book Lit! by Tony Reinke very helpful for developing a plan for choosing which books to read and how and when to read them. My reading and study plans change and evolve frequently as I find that some things are or aren't working or helpful, but this is my current iteration (if that's a word).
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Michael it sounds like you have a good plan. With the platinum base package you will have a good selection of books. I am working on putting my plan together and will be posting something here soon. Please keep us updated on how your mentoring program progresses.Michael said:I'm going to be mentored beginning in January. The primary focus of the mentorship is growing in spiritual disciples and learning how to mature as a Christian and teach others the basics of daily living in the Word, spreading the Gospel, and making disciples so that they too may become mature Christians. With that in mind, we will be going through Francis Chan's book "Multiply" to facilitate our weekly 2 hour meetings. This is a one on one mentorship program.
In addition to this mentorship program, I've been trying to put together a list of books to go through myself with the purpose of growing in sound Bible study and helping others down the road with suggestions on where to start for non seminary students such as myself.
I'm considering picking up the following books to help me on my journey:
- How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart
- Exegetical Fallacies, Second Edition by DA Carson
- Grasping God’s Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible, 3rd ed. (this one I'm unsure about as it may be duplicating effort with the previous 2 books that seem more accessible)
These books I would add along side a few that I'm already reading or have read
- The Canon of Scripture by FF Bruce
- Everyone's a Theologian by RC Sproul
- I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist by Frank Turek and Norman Geisler
- The Four Hundred Silent Years by HA Ironside
I also have several systematic theology books as part of my Platinum bundle, but I'm not sure which one I'll start with or stick with. It's somewhat of a daunting task going through this, but has been immensely fruitful for my personal growth. Looking around at churches in my area I have not seen anyone put together a program to encourage and provide resources need for a more serious approach to sound Bible study. I feel it's essential to providing a firm foundation to build both the correct motivation and disciplines need to daily Christian living as well as the resources needed to disciple and multiply.
I'm want faithfully carry out 2 Timothy 2:2 and Matthew 28:18-20 by leveraging the scholarship we have available to supplement daily reading of the Bible.
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Philana Crouch said:
You might also find these two books helpful as well:
Grasping God’s Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible
They are all excellent books!
I STRONGLY recommend Grasping God's Word. It's fantastic!
Cynthia
Romans 8:28-38
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