Hermeneutics (Course Overview)

December 30, 2025

You Really Can Understand the Bible

Many Christians love the Bible but quietly feel uncertain when they open it. They listen to sermons, read devotionals, and highlight familiar verses, yet still wonder whether they truly understand what God is saying. Over time, Scripture can begin to feel intimidating, confusing, or reserved for pastors and scholars. The result is often distance rather than confidence.

The Hermeneutics course is designed to change that. This 20-week study equips everyday believers with the tools they need to read the Bible with clarity, confidence, and faithfulness. Rather than offering shortcuts or personal opinions, the course shows how Scripture works, how meaning is formed, how different kinds of biblical writing communicate truth, and how God intends His Word to shape His people. Along the way, participants will practice interpreting real passages of Scripture together, learning how to observe carefully, interpret responsibly, and apply wisely.

This course is not about making you an expert; it is about forming you into a lifelong student of God’s Word. Whether you are new to Bible reading or have followed Christ for years, Hermeneutics will help you move from uncertainty to confidence. You will learn not only how to read the Bible for yourself, but how to listen discerningly to sermons, books, and conversations, anchored in Scripture rather than opinion.


20-Week Course Overview

SECTION 1 β€” FOUNDATIONS

Why Scripture Can Be Understood & How Meaning Works

  1. Access β€” Why You Can Understand the Bible
  2. Bible β€” What Scripture Is and Why It Matters
  3. Authority β€” Why We Must Obey Scripture
  4. Story β€” How the Bible Fits Together
  5. Translation β€” How Translation Is Interpretation
  6. Meaning β€” Who Determines What Scripture Means
  7. Context β€” Why Context Governs Meaning

SECTION 2 β€” FORMS

How Scripture Communicates Truth

  1. Genres β€” Why Literary Differences Matter
  2. Narrative β€” How Biblical Stories Should Be Read
  3. Law β€” How God’s Commands Should Be Understood
  4. Wisdom β€” How God Shapes Skillful Living
  5. Prophecy β€” How God Warns and Promises
  6. Gospels β€” How to Study the Life of Jesus
  7. Epistles β€” How the Letters Guide the Church
  8. Apocalyptic β€” How Apocalyptic Language Conveys Hope

SECTION 3 β€” FUNCTIONS

How Interpretation Leads to Faithful Living

  1. Method β€” How Interpretation Moves Toward Application
  2. Application β€” How Application Leads to Transformation
  3. Guardrails β€” Why Scripture Is Commonly Misread
  4. Discernment β€” How to Test What We Hear
  5. Perseverance β€” How to Stay a Student for the Long Haul

Why This Course Matters

God did not give His Word so His people would remain confused or dependent on others to understand it. He gave Scripture to be read, understood, trusted, and obeyed. Hermeneutics provides a clear path forward, one that replaces fear with confidence and confusion with clarity.

If you have ever wondered whether you really can understand the Bible, this course was built with you in mind.

Join me on Sunday nights in 2026.


Interested in Hermeneutics?

Story

Scripture is best understood when interpreted as a unified story rather than a collection of isolated texts. Seeing the big picture helps us comprehend each passage correctly.

Authority

Authority is one of the most contested ideas in our moment. This session clarifies that Scripture speaks with authority not because we agree with it, understand it fully, or find it convenient, but because it comes from God Himself.Β 

Bible

Many Christians read the Bible devotionally without ever stopping to consider what kind of book it actually is. This session clarifies what the Bible claims to be, how it is organized, and why those details matter for faithful interpretation.

Access

Many Christians want to read the Bible faithfully but feel unsure where to begin or whether they can truly understand it. This lesson lays the groundwork for the course by showing that God gave His Word to be known and that learning to read it well is both possible and worthwhile.

Hermeneutics (Course Overview)

God did not give His Word so His people would remain confused or dependent on others to understand it. He gave Scripture to be read, understood, trusted, and obeyed. Hermeneutics provides a clear path forward, one that replaces fear with confidence and confusion with clarity.

Why Are There So Many Bible Translations?

The very fact that we study the Bible in English implies that someone has already interpreted the original message into our language. Discover the Bible’s organization and its numerous translations to understand some of our interpretive challenges.Β 


Travis Agnew

Travis Agnew serves asΒ the Lead Pastor ofΒ Rocky Creek ChurchΒ in Greenville, SC.Β