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 — FOUNDATIONS
Why Scripture Can Be Understood & How Meaning Works
- Access — Why You Can Understand the Bible
- Bible — What Scripture Is and Why It Matters
- Authority — Why We Must Obey Scripture
- Story — How the Bible Fits Together
- Translation — How Translation Is Interpretation
- Meaning — Who Determines What Scripture Means
- Context — Why Context Governs Meaning
SECTION 2 — FORMS
How Scripture Communicates Truth
- Genres — Why Literary Differences Matter
- Narrative — How Biblical Stories Should Be Read
- Law — How God’s Commands Should Be Understood
- Wisdom — How God Shapes Skillful Living
- Prophecy — How God Warns and Promises
- Gospels — How to Study the Life of Jesus
- Epistles — How the Letters Guide the Church
- Apocalyptic — How Apocalyptic Language Conveys Hope
SECTION 3 — FUNCTIONS
How Interpretation Leads to Faithful Living
- Method — How Interpretation Moves Toward Application
- Application — How Application Leads to Transformation
- Guardrails — Why Scripture Is Commonly Misread
- Discernment — How to Test What We Hear
- Perseverance — 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?
Perseverance
Faithful Bible reading is not mastered quickly or painlessly. Perseverance reminds us that growth in understanding comes through consistency, patience, and long obedience rather than shortcuts or sudden insight.
Discernment
Truth is rarely rejected because it is obviously false, but because it is subtly distorted. Discernment trains believers to recognize when Scripture is being handled faithfully and when it is being used to support something it never intended to say.
Guardrails
Scripture is most often misread not because it is unclear, but because it is handled without boundaries. Hermeneutical guardrails protect faithful interpretation by slowing us down, correcting drift, and keeping us from using God’s Word in ways He never intended.
Application
Application is where Scripture finally reaches its intended destination. God’s Word was never meant to stop at understanding or agreement, but to move God’s people toward faithful obedience that reshapes everyday life.
Apocalyptic
Apocalyptic literature often feels confusing or frightening, filled with symbols, beasts, numbers, and cosmic imagery. Yet its purpose is not to terrify God’s people or hide truth from them, but to strengthen faith by revealing that God reigns even when circumstances look chaotic.
