4 Steps | How to SOAP Bible Study
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What is the SOAP Bible method of Bible Study?
For the Christian woman overwhelmed by all the Bible study methods out there, SOAP Bible study method is a moment of reprieve. It gives you the opportunity to slow down and engage with the Bible in a way that is simple. In the highs and lows of life, sometimes that’s exactly what we need; simple.
What is the soap technique? How does it work?
What does the acronym SOAP stand for in Bible Study?
Where can I find SOAP Bible study examples?
We’ll address each one of these questions in detail as you read through this article. I’ll introduce you to my favorite Soap Bible study free printable worksheets, and you a visual example of how to SOAP a Bible study at home on your own.
Let’s get started!
What Is the SOAP Technique?
The SOAP Bible Study method combines the intellectual desire to deconstruct and understand the Bible with the personal desire to intimately know the God who gifted it to us.
It is the interaction with God’s word and our commitment to seeking Him out that makes SOAP so life-giving.
Proverbs paints a picture of God’s heart for people. It reads,
“I love those who love me and those who seek me find me.”
Proverbs 8:17
For many, especially new believers, the SOAP Bible Study method is the beginning of knowing God through His Word. It is a Bible study method that is approachable, practical, and in so many ways fruitful. Stick with me and we’ll talk through why.
What does the acronym SOAP stand for in Bible Study?
The soap acronym for Bible study reads scripture, observation, application, and prayer; the 4 steps of the soap Bible study method.
- Read the (S)cripture
- Record Your (O)bservation
- Create an (A)ction Step
- Close in (P)rayer
SOAP.
It’s also really helpful to have a journal to jot down all your notes. For years I used the ninety-nine-cent composition notebooks you can find at Walmart and Target. I have recently fallen in love with these free Soap Bible Study printables. They’re specifically designed to help you keep your notes organized as you work through the 4 steps of the SOAP Bible Study Method.
Read the Scripture
Step one of the soap Bible Study method is simple; read the Bible. It helps to have a Bible reading plan to accompany it. I 100% recommend using this reading plan as your soap Bible study plan! Our Bible study community has been using it for years and we all love it. Alternatively, you can choose to read one book of the Bible at a time or find a topical plan on the internet. If a set plan isn’t your thing, try setting your timer for a certain amount of time and simply read through the Bible until your timer goes off. You could choose to read cover to cover or book by book. At that point, stop reading and start working through the next steps of SOAP (which we’ll go over in just a few seconds).
As you read, pay close attention to the details. This is vital for step 2.
Record Your Observations
Step two of the soap Bible study method is recording your observations. Some people prefer to combine this with step one and take notes as they read. That’s ok too.
This is where having a SOAP Bible Study Journal or those printable soap worksheets comes in handy. You’re going to write down everything you observed from the passage you read. We do this for a few of reasons; the first being that writing helps us process information. Second, is that writing down our observations helps us piece together things we would typically skip over. The third is so that we can revisit what we’ve learned, ask questions about what we didn’t understand, and meditate on the principles and words that God brought to our attention.
Recording your observations is important!
I teach about this in-depth in this Bible study guide. It’ll help you learn what to pay attention to as you’re reading the Bible.
Observations You May Want to Take Note Of:
- Key Characters
- Who is speaking
- Conflicts and trials
- New words and their definitions
- Names of God
- Interesting locations
- Promises from God
- Celebrations
- Bible Verses that challenge you
- Bible Verses that give you hope
- Main takeaway
I know, it sounds a lot like a literature class. Trust me, you’ll be amazed at what you can learn from the Bible when you pay attention to the little details and ask and answer the RIGHT study questions.
Create An Action Step
The third step of how to soap Bible study is to create an action step.
The author of 2 Timothy teaches,
“All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.”
2 Timothy 3:16
Even though scripture was written at a very specific time for specific audiences the principles within it often apply to us here and now.
Think about your main takeaway and all you observed during your reading. Consider how and why what you learned was important to believers at that time in history.
Next, consider why those lessons would be important for followers f Jesus here and now.
Taking those things into consideration you’ll now answer the question: What one thing can I do today to honor God TODAY with what I’ve learned?
Close In Prayer
The last step of the soap Bible study method with prayer. This step is powerful because it’s the first step in teaching us how to pray God’s will. Praying God’s will starts with knowing His word. We’ve taken the time to read the Bible, we’ve meditated on it, and considered what it teaches us about God and how it should affect us here and now. Next, we take what we’ve learned and we talk to God about it.
If you’re not quite sure you understand what you’ve read, this would be the time to ask God to give you understanding.
James 1:5 teaches us that if we lack understanding we ask God and He will give it to us. When I’m confused about scripture (yup, it happens even to me) that is where I start. Bring it to God and let Him piece it all together for you.
If you are confident in your understanding of what you read, this is the time to first, thank God for helping you understand; and second, ask Him for the wisdom, discipline, and endurance to live what He has taught you and to honor Him as you carry out the action step you outlined in Step 3.
It may take a day or two to get in the swing of things, but once you’ve got the hang of it studying using the SOAP Bible Study Method is really rewarding. As you grow and learn your time in SOAP will become more and more fruitful. You’ll be able to dig deeper and deeper into the Bible, which in my experience only nurtures our desire to know God more. That is THE best part of SOAP.
Don’t forget to download the Soap Bible Study Method pdf! Print these worksheets and keep them in a folder or binder to create your own Soap Bible Study notebook!
If you’d prefer a ready-to-use physical Soap devotional journal, click here.
SOAP Method of Bible Study Examples
Ready for some real-life examples of how to soap a Bible study? In this final section of the article, I’ll walk you through an example of each step in the soap Bible study method so you can see what it might look like to use this method for yourself.
Psalm 100 – Soap Bible Study Example
Scripture: Psalm chapter 100
The verse that caught my attention is Psalm 100:3,
Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Psalm 100:3
The phrase, “It is He who has made us…” drives this chapter home for me. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve burned myself out trying to become something bigger than me. It’s exhausting. This was a reminder that who I am is not the result of my own doing and striving. God created me. He will instruct me and produce in me every good thing He desires. My job is obedience to Him. What a relief!
Observation: I’ve read Psalm 100 before and I’ve heard it used in church services many many times. Usually, as we enter into worship. I usually associate joy with emotion. What’s interesting is that David doesn’t once make mention of how he was feeling when this Psalm was written. That’s unusual (David is usually pretty transparent about his feelings and circumstances) but the more I think about it, it’s likely intentional. Regardless of what we feel or what we’re going through; worship is the healthiest way we can respond.
No matter the circumstance, “Make a joyful shout to the Lord… Serve with gladness… Come before Him with singing… Know that He is God and it is He who has made us.
Action or Application: Start with thanksgiving. Like, make it a priority. One thing that is abundantly clear in this passage is that thanksgiving impacts our perspective (see Psalm 100:4-5). It’s not just about our mood. Thanksgiving allows us to see the goodness of God when the stresses of life try to blind us from them. This is why in every circumstance; joy, worship, and thanksgiving should be on our tongues. This is something I personally need to work on. I’ve learned to stay quiet in hardship. It is a way of guarding what comes out of my mouth. My action step moving forward is to be intentional about letting thanksgiving come out of my mouth.
Prayer: I’ve heard all the songs about praise and thanksgiving being on our lips. God, I want that to be an everyday reality for me. Open my eyes to your goodness. When I’m tempted to complain, help me bring to remembrance the reasons I have to be joyful and thankful. On days when it feels like all I have is you, remind me that You are more than enough and still, I have every reason to be joyful.
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How to Use the SOAP Bible Study Method! Share on XWe’ve made this post into a pdf in hopes of making it easier for you to use and share with friends. Download these soap Bible study examples for free here!
