Like or Dislike SOAP Bible study, Try These Alternatives

Honestly, it’s hard to be consistent in Bible study. Part of the reason why is that finding a Bible study method for you and one that you enjoy doing consistently can be a challenge. Thankfully, there are numerous different methods to help you dig deeper into God’s Word.

As a whole, there are many alternatives to the SOAP Bible study method. These alternatives usually emphasize different aspects of Bible study. However, like SOAP they follow a general pattern and result in deeper study of God’s word.

If you enjoy the SOAP Bible study method, then give these other acronym Bible study methods a try. But if you are not a fan of the SOAP method, that’s okay. Perhaps, one of these alternatives will give you the fresh start you need.

The SOAP Bible Study Method

The SOAP BIble study method is a simple and practical Bible study method that encourages spiritual growth, making sure that you not only learn the Bible but live it as well. As such the SOAP Bible study method is great for beginners.

SOAP stands for,

• SCRIPTURE
• OBSERVATION
• APPLICATION
• PRAYER

To do a SOAP Bible study you choose a passage of Scripture, make key observations, craft a practical application, and pray to God. It’s that simple. SOAP Bible study can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour.

If you want to know more details about doing a SOAP Bible Study Method then this SOAP Bible Study Made Simple guide is for you. It will walk you through each step in detail and provide an example so you know exactly what to do.

Oh, and if you enjoy the SOAP Bible study and have kids that you want to share it with then check out this article that I wrote on adapting SOAP Bible study for kids with kid-friendly resources. Now, on to the alternatives.

The GROW Method

The GROW Method of BIble study is similar to the SOAP Method in that it emphasizes observing the Bible and applying it to your daily life. The GROW Bible Study method can help you grow in your faith and love for God as well as help you develop a strong Bible study habit.

GROW stands for,

• GO IN PRAYER
• READ SCRIPTURE
• OBSERVE
• WRITE WHAT YOU LEARN

As you can see this Bible study method is very similar to the SOAP Bible study method. If you are a little creative and enjoy BIble journaling or have a spiritual journal, then this method could be for you.

The HEAR Method

The HEAR Bible Study Method is pretty much the identical to the SOAP BIble study method. The only difference is the acronym and what the letters mean. But if SOAP is not a fun or memorable acronym for you then maybe HEAR will help.

HEAR stands for,

• HIGHLIGHT
• EXPLAIN
• APPLY
• RESPOND

As you can see, the HEAR method is the same as SOAP, but with different words. What I do like about it is the acronym serves as a reminder that we hear from God’s word and we need to hear him speak to us.

I also like how this method feels a little more open ended than SOAP. For example, when doing Respond you can pray, create a personal goal, create a call to action, or respond in any other way. This allows more freedom to follow God’s guidance.

The 5 P’s

The 5 P’s Bible Study Method is going to be the only alternative to SOAP that we look at that is not another acronym. The 5 P’s Method was created by Priscilla Shirer for her personal study.

The 5 Ps are,

• POSITION YOURSELF TO HEAR FROM GOD
• POUR OVER THE PASSAGE AND PARAPHRASE MAJOR POINTS
• PULL OUT SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES
• POSE THE QUESTIONS
• PLAN OBEDIENCE AND PIN DOWN THE DATE

That’s a lot of P’s (I counted 12)! All jokes aside, I do love this Bible study method and here is why. This 5 P’s Method is the only one that we’ve looked at so far that includes the important step of interpretation.

The SOAP Bible study Method leaves out the important step of interpretation. Interpretation is the bridge that helps us go from observation to application without misinterpreting the Bible. That is a real danger and if we are not careful when doing SOAP we can.

If you want to know more about the dangers of misinterpreting the Bible and how to fix them, then I have the perfect article for you.

The POWER Method

The POWER Method of Bible study is another acronym Bible study method. This Bible study method is good if you are wanting to study an entire chapter at a time without getting overwhelmed.

POWER stands for,

• PLAIN TRUTH
• OUTLINE
• WORD STUDY
• EXAMPLES TO FOLLOW
• REFERENCES

How the POWER Bible study method works is simple. Once you choose a chapter you want to study, you read it and summarize the plain truth theme of the chapter in a few words. Next, you’ll make a simple outline of the chapter.

Following that you will choose a few words that stood out to you that you want to take a closer look at. You may need a Bible study tool like a concordance to help you find the definition in the Greek or Hebrew context. Check out this article to discover what type of concordance will work best for this.

Then you will discover if there are any examples for you to follow or another way to apply this to your life. Lastly, you will look at other passages in the Bible to see what they have to say about the plain truth theme.

The POWER Bible study method can be a little more in-depth than the SOAP Bible study method. So, if you want to go a little deeper than SOAP, but are intimidated by the Inductive Bible study method, the POWER Bible study method is a great in-between option.

However, if you are curious about the Inductive Bible study method and want to know more, then this Complete and Easy Inductive Bible Study Walkthrough will take all the intimidation away.

The RANSOM Method

The RANSOM Bible study method is a great hybrid of the SOAP Bible study method and ancient Christian practices of meditation.

RANSOM stands for,

• READ
• ASK
• NOTE
• SUMMARIZE
• OBEY
• MEDITATE

What I like best about the RANSOM Bible study method is that it ends with meditation. So often, I get in a hurry doing Bible study. I’ll read the Bible, maybe do the SOAP method, and after I get done praying jump up and continue my day.

That’s not always the best practice. By taking the time to meditate at the end of Bible study, like the RANSOM method allows, encourages us to rest in God’s peace. It allows us to slow down and ponder the greatness of God.

If that idea interests you and you want to know more about the ancient Christian practice of meditating on Scripture, called Lectio Divina, then this article will show you exactly how to do that. You’ll discover how meditating on Scripture transforms our hearts.

The APPLE Method

The last SOAP Bible study alternative that we will look at is called the APPLE Bible study method. This method of Bible study will help you slow down and pay attention to the details of Scripture.

APPLE stands for,

• ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
• PROMISES OF GOD
• PRINCIPLES OF LIFE
• LESSONS LEARNED
• EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW

The APPLE Bible study method is unique in that you will read a passage of Scripture multiple times, and each time you do you will look for one of the things above. So the first time you read a passage, you’ll look for and attribute of God. The second time, a promise of God. And so forth.

I do like the fact that the APPLE Bible study method allows you to go through Scripture multiple times. So often we can think we have a complete understanding of a passage, but when we read it again we discover something new.

If you don’t like the SOAP Bible study method, then these alternatives are great ones to try. I might even try a few over the coming weeks. However, if you do like the SOAP Bible study method, then these are similarly great alternatives to throw in the mix and liven up your Bible study habit.