June 2015 Student Newsletter

Words from the Director

Russell Haffner

School Director: Russell Haffner

This is just a short note to encourage you in your studies. I am so pleased with your decision to study the Bible with the school. I know that your life will be greatly benefitted because of the choice you have made. Learning and living God's word will help you to be a good neighbor, a trustworthy friend, a dutiful spouse, a dedicated church member, a successful parent, an excellent employee, a responsible citizen and of greatest importance a loyal disciple of Jesus Christ. It is a Bible education that develops and promotes our God-given qualities as a person, preparing us to serve effectively in the many facets of life. Studying the Bible prepares the whole person for all aspects of life.

Let me assure you that as the Director I am always focused on and dedicated to your success. I am here for you. Please feel free to email me anytime I can be of help (biblestudy@wvbs.org). I want to make your learning as enjoyable and rewarding as possible. Thank you for being a part of the school. Working together we can make this endeavor a great experience for all.

Understanding God's Word

We can occasionally be overwhelmed by some of the complexities found in God's word. We may even fail to see the true simplicity and clarity of the information found in the scriptures. What approach should we use to gain a good understanding of God's word? We begin by reading the passage to arrive at a summary of what we think the verse means. We would also want to take note of the questions we have about our text. Our next step might be to search the Bible to find all other passages that deal with the same topic. It is essential that we understand not only the immediate context where the verse is found but also the remote context where the same subject is taught. It would also be helpful to write down everything we learn and any questions we might have.

We would want to consider several questions as we are examining the text such as:

  • What is the context?
  • Who wrote the text?
  • What do we know about the background of the writer?
  • To whom was it written, in what historical circumstance and for what purpose?
  • What questions are naturally produced from the text?
  • What is the text about?
  • What are the key words found in the text?

It is true that the Bible has some difficult passages to understand. However, God has given us His word in a way in which it can be understood. He expects us to be good and diligent students of the scriptures. The Bible continues to challenge us to learn more. We must push our minds toward greater understanding of the deep truths God supplies us. The Bible prods us toward a deeper and deeper study of God's will. If we are willing to put forth the effort, then we are fully capable of understanding what God's will is for our lives.