One of the simple devotional bible study methods presented by the South African Theological Seminary, the 4P method is a really simple, but effective way to build your relationship with Christ.
“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”
(Joshua 1:8)
The 4P method is a simple step by step devotional system. The four P’s stand for:
- Passage
- Part
- Point
- Practice
The purpose is not an academic study of the Bible, but rather a more devotional meeting with the Holy Spirit over a Scripture Passage.
The purpose here is not to understand every nuance and cultural context, but to allow God to speak to you through His word on a personal level.
Do I need a Pen and Paper?
No, you do not.
…however…
Having a book or Journal to make notes in about what you have learnt and what God is telling you, as well as your Calls-to-Action, is very handy.
Writing down or Journaling what you have learnt and experienced not only serves as a reference, it also helps to cements the memories for later recall.
How does it work?
This is a personal bible study method. Just follow the 4 steps.
(It really helps to do them every day)
P - Passage
Pick a passage you want to work through.
It helps to work through larger sections of the bible at a time.
Take a book of the bible and read it chapter by chapter. you can easily take on 1-2 chapters at a time (or shorter… just depends on how quickly you hit the second part)
P - Part
Read until you get a part that really stands out for you.
Focus on things that ring true. Do not try and understand complicated parts or parts you don’t understand, but rather focus on something that speaks to your spirit. Ask God to highlight one piece for you.
P - Point
Now meditate on that part and ask:
“What is the Point?”
What is the meaning of this and why is it speaking to me personally?
Pray and ask God to let the Holy Spirit reveal to you what He wants to say to you through this part in the passage.
P - Practice
And lastly, take what you have learnt and decide how you are going to implement it in your life as a Christian.
Keeping in mind that this is a devotional bible study, the response of God speaking to you is to speak back in prayer. The essence of worship: God reveals to you, you respond to God.
Example:
The Example dr Smith of SATS gives for this method is as follows:
Passage:
1 Thessalonians 1
Part:
The piece that spoke to Dr Smith was in the second part of verse 9:
“They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God…” (v9b)
Point:
Now, once a specific part has been highlighted to you by the Holy Spirit, ponder the verse or part, meditate on it and ask the Holy Spirit to show you what God is saying to you.
In this example, Dr Smith commented as follows:
“Point: The Order of Repentance
The order of events struck me. If I were writing this I would have said they turned from idols to God.
My order would be back-to-front, since the gospel is primarily the good news about Jesus and what he has done. Sinners must first meet Jesus; only after meeting him can they turn away from their sins.”
Practice:
Dr Smith ends of with his “Call to Action” – what will change in his life and his response to God.
