First, we must identify the problem. I do not believe it is merely faulty-reading skills. It’s that someone somewhere handed you a Bible and flippantly said, “Simply read this, and the Holy Spirit will tell you what it says.” This is true, but only in part. To be genuinely discipled, we must learn to interpret Scripture; or understand the meaning of the original authors’ thoughts as they intended. Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 13:19: “When anyone hears the message about the Kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.” When the Word is sown by Jesus but is not understood or fully grasped by the reader, the devil can gain a foothold. Jesus Himself invites us to read and interpret it as a fundamental act of defiance against the enemy of our soul. 

​

We must also recognize that this is a community effort. In Acts 8, Philip encounters the Ethiopian Eunuch reading the book of Isaiah. Philip asks him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The Eunuch responds: “How can I unless someone explains it to me?” (Acts 8:31). He needed help. Interpretation is not just the work of “professionals.” The local church should be THE place of deep disciple-making through the reading and interpreting of the Word. Every person must be discipled and disciple others - all within the context of a loving community.

​

You might wonder where your pastors and spiritual leaders fit in this equation. Is discipleship not their “job”? Yes and no. It is undoubtedly your pastor’s desire that you “go into the world and make disciples” (Matthew 28:20), but it is not solely his or her responsibility to get you there. According to Paul, your pastor is “to prepare God’s people for the work of service so that the Body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the full measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12-13). Unity and maturity manifest within a culture of discipleship. The goal is not to get lost people into the church but to get church people out into their communities to represent Christ. True^North Bible study helps move this goal from dream to reality.

​

This culture of discipleship begins long before someone opens the Word. It is first defined when someone is welcomed “in” to a church. What are the parameters for this “in-ness”? Too often, the evangelical church has separated initial salvation from what it means to live “in Christ” - to consistently move into Christian maturity. When we offer the former without any requirement for the latter, we present Jesus as mere “fire insurance." The Wesleyan way of disciple-making does not separate the two. The question is not “Am I in or am I out?” but rather, “Am I on a path that takes me closer and closer to Christ each day?” We cannot earn salvation through effort, but our effort aids in our discipleship as we seek God through searching the Scriptures and doing so in a Christian community.

​

Now that you understand the critical “Why,” it’s time to move on to the “How.” The “How” is True^North Bible study at its core. Remember, this is a brief overview. This ultra-condensed, 30,000-foot view allows you to explore the fantastic possibility of recalibrating your internal compass. Still, it is not an adequate substitute for the complete instruction and discipleship process through observation, interpretation, and application.