A people of the Book

Whether we like to admit it or not, the purpose of Bible study is to enable us to deepen our relationship with God. There are other reasons that we might prefer to give - to equip us for service, help us become better people. But these are means to a greater end, they are not the final outcome itself.

Another thing to bear in mind is that it is vert tempting to evaluate the Bible's text and try to fit it into our worldview, evaluating its message in the light of our experience, rather than allowing its message to shed light on the evaluation of our experiences and shape our worldview.