Understanding the historical context of a Bible passage can help you better understand its meaning and significance. Here are five resources that can help you understand the historical context of the Bible:

The Bible contains genres such as narrative, poetry, wisdom literature, prophecy, epistle, and apocalyptic literature. Each literary genre has its own distinctive characteristics and purposes. Here are some tips on how to identify different genres in the Bible, why it is important, and how to approach reading and applying these different genres to your life…

When we share the gospel with people, we should expect them to respond in faith and follow Jesus. When someone comes to faith, we must find ways to affirm their next steps. That’s more than just reading the book of John (although that is a great next step). The shattered pieces of people’s lives seem impossible to repair. Their misdeeds and mistakes have left a wake of brokenness behind them. The new life they’ve found in Jesus has infused them with the hope that Christ, the great restorer, can make all things new. It is possible that the Holy Spirit is prompting them to begin walking down the path of reconciliation.

As much as we don’t want to admit it, sometimes, we do not intentionally engage people with the gospel because we fear what others might say. The enemy attempts to convince us that spending time with the addicted or broken will cause others to think poorly of us. “The crowd” is always a factor when trying to make a choice to invite others into the kingdom intentionally.

As Christians, we are commanded to proclaim the gospel and follow Jesus' example by seeking and saving the lost. Although the story of Zacchaeus and Jesus is familiar, we often overlook its significance as a roadmap for helping others discover the transformational power of the gospel.

So, you want to get the most out of your Bible reading and study, wonderful! Learning how to do read and observe a biblical passage is where to start. First, choose a passage you want to study. Select a passage that you want to study. You can choose a passage that speaks to a particular question or issue you're grappling with, or one that you find particularly interesting or inspiring.