DESCRIPTION
In this episode, Chris Rivers speaks with Matt Rogers, pastor of the Christ Fellowship Cherrydale in Greenville, South Carolina (https://www.cfcherrydale.com/staff), about the importance of reading the Bible and applying it to our daily lives. Utilizing a resource Matt developed called the Seven Arrows, listeners will learn how this tool was developed (1:00), why studying the Scriptures is so integral to our faith (2:25), and how to use the seven questions to analyze a passage (6:53).
APPLICATION
- Do you have a consistent pattern of reading God’s Word? What disciplines do you have in place to maintain a daily rhythm?
- Do you feel equipped to study the Scriptures and apply them to your life? What challenges do you face when trying to study/understand the Bible?
- How could you incorporate the Seven Arrows into your current reading/study plan? In what ways do you feel it would benefit or stretch you?
- Of the seven questions, which question do you think would be most challenging to answer and why?
KEY POINTS
- The idea of Seven Arrows was born out of a desire to equip believers to learn and study God’s Word. Matt shared how he began to see a pattern of believers who were depending on teachers/pastors to help them engage with God through his Word, but they were ill-equipped to study the Scriptures on their own. After one specific conversation with a new believer, Matt sat in his car and began jotting down some questions he would typically ask himself when reading and studying the Bible. This led to the development of the Seven Arrows.
- Learning to study God’s Word and apply it to our lives is paramount to our growth as believers. God has given us the Scriptures for our good and for his purposes. If we want to understand God and his purposes in the world, we need to orient our lives according to God’s truth. The Bible gives us something secure and solid to hang onto and orients our relationships to God and other people.
- The Seven Arrows (questions) are divided into three main parts:
Question #1 is a question of observation
Questions #2-4 are questions of interpretation
Questions #5-7 are questions of application
- Matt takes a passage from Psalm 44 and walks listeners through how to utilize the Seven Arrows as a method for reading and studying the Bible. The seven questions he explores are as follows:
- What does the passage say?
- What did this passage mean to its original audience?
- What does the passage tell us about God?
- What does this passage say about man?
- What does this passage demand of me?
- How does this passage change the way I relate to people?
- How does this passage prompt me to pray?
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
We have heard it with our ears, O God: our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago. With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our ancestors; you crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish. It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them. You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. Through you we pushed back enemies; through your name we trample our foes. I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever. Psalm 44:1-8
RESOURCES
Seven Arrows Bible
https://www.sevenarrowsbible.com
Grace has the Seven Arrows available on a bookmark for convenient reference. If you would like one, please ask a Grace staff member at your campus.
Biblically Oriented Core Value resources.gracechurchsc.org/sermons/core-values/biblically-oriented
Grace Church Bible Reading Plan
https://resources.gracechurchsc.org/reading-plans
