Groundwork || Study
  -   October 21, 2026

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Groundwork Session 5 – Study

THIS WEEK’S GROUNDWORK CHALLENGE
Choose one chapter of Scripture this week. Do not rush through it. Pray for wisdom. Read the entire chapter for the big picture. Read it again slowly. Observe and highlight important details. Study it verse by verse. Research what you do not understand. Explain the main message out loud in your own words. Write down at least one specific way you need to apply it. Then teach what you learned to at least one other person.

The objective is not merely to finish another Bible study. The objective is to become a man increasingly submitted to the God of the Bible.

 

 

Study requires diligence and commitment.

Study is more than acquiring information.

Scripture must be handled accurately.

The Ezra Model: Decide, Study, Do, Teach

Key Scripture: Ezra 7:10

Decide: Set your heart and commit yourself to seeking God’s truth seriously.

Study: Investigate Scripture through careful reading, observation, questions, research, and comparison of passages.

Do: Put God’s Word into practice through obedience and personal transformation.

Teach: Share what you have learned with others to encourage spiritual growth and discipleship.

Seven Ways the Discipline of Study Benefits Men

  1. Study Gives Men a Foundation for Truth
    Matthew 7:24-27
  2. Study Helps Men Recognize False Teaching
    Colossians 2:8
  3. Study Transforms Knowledge into Character
    Romans 12:2
  4. Study Strengthens Men to Endure Hardship
    2 Corinthians 1:8-10, Psalm 119:11, Matthew 4:1-11
  5. Study Prepares Men to Lead Their Families
    Deuteronomy 6:6-7
  6. Study Equips Men to Serve the Church
    Titus 1:9
  7. True Study Produces Humility Rather than Arrogance
    Proverbs 16:18

 

Eight Practical Approaches to Bible Study

  1. Pray for Wisdom
    James 1:5
  2. Read the Chapter for the Big Picture
    Ask: Who is speaking? Who is being addressed? What is happening? What problem is being discussed? What happened immediately before this? What happened afterward?
  3. Read It Again and Observe
    Do not immediately rush to a commentary. First, learn to see what is actually in the text.
  4. Go Verse by Verse – Don’t Rush
    Sometimes you need to slow down. Spend 20 minutes on one paragraph. Spend an hour on one verse. There’s no prize for finishing the Bible faster than everyone else. The objective is not merely, “I finished my reading.” the objective is, “I understand what God is saying, and I am responding faithfully.”
  5. Research What You Don’t Understand
    Questions can become doorways into deeper understanding.
  6. Explain It Out Loud
    “What does this mean?” “Can you answer clearly?”
  7. Apply It to Your Life
    Ask  yourself: “What should I believe because of this passage? Is there something I should stop doing? Is there something I need to begin doing?”
  8. Teach Someone Else – Discipleship
    Find someone to encourage. Teach your children. Study with your wife. Call another brother.

A Simple Study Method to Remember

  1. What does it say? – Observation
  2. What did it mean? – Interpretation
  3. What does it require of me? – Application
  4. Who can I help with what I have learned? – Discipleship

Personal Reflection and Discussion

  1. When you hear the word “study,” do you primarily think about acquiring information or becoming obedient to God? Why?
  2. How does understanding the Greek word spoudazō change the way you understand 2 Timothy 2:15?
  3. What is the danger of knowing a great deal about Scripture without practicing what Scripture teaches?
  4. Which part of Ezra’s progression is strongest in your life right now: setting your heart, studying, doing, or teaching? Which part needs the most development?
  5. What ideas about success, money, relationships, masculinity, sexuality, or identity have you absorbed from culture that Scripture may need to correct?
  6. What biblical truths have helped you endure hardship?
  7. What Scripture should you begin memorizing now so that it is available when temptation comes?
  8. If you are a husband or father, what does Deuteronomy 6 challenge you to change about the spiritual leadership of your home?
  9. Are you presently helping someone else understand and obey Scripture?
  10. Has studying Scripture made you more humble, or has knowledge sometimes tempted you toward pride?
  11. What is one truth from this study that you need to do, rather than simply remember?

 

THIS WEEK’S GROUNDWORK CHALLENGE
Choose one chapter of Scripture this week. Do not rush through it. Pray for wisdom. Read the entire chapter for the big picture. Read it again slowly. Observe and highlight important details. Study it verse by verse. Research what you do not understand. Explain the main message out loud in your own words. Write down at least one specific way you need to apply it. Then teach what you learned to at least one other person.

The objective is not merely to finish another Bible study. The objective is to become a man increasingly submitted to the God of the Bible.