# Better Bible Methods Presenting a simple, modern, and accessible way to engage with the book behind the Christian tradition. > [!image] > ![[overview.svg|512]] > Four steps extracting meaning from the text, four steps translating these to practical discipleship 1. **[[Text]]**: To experience the Bible we have to engage the text, learning about what it is, where it came from, and how it has been translated. 2. **[[Form]]**: To "read the text well" we have to understand how it is organised: the structures, rules, and conventions of ancient writing. 3. **[[Context]]**: Learning a little about the ancient world helps us to make sense of the subjects, themes, and concerns of each passage. 4. **[[Meaning]]**: With the text in context we can better identify the range of meanings shared between the authors and their audiences. 5. **Application**: While we have very different lives today, the meaning, principles, and wisdom from the Bible can be applied to modern situations. 6. **Communication**: As we apply ourselves to Christian life we communicate our hope to others through what we say and what we do. 7. **[[Habit]]**: Committing ourselves to Christian life develops ritual, habit, and tradition that helps us live well in community and with each other. 8. **Experience**: Over time our habits form a pool of experience from which we develop frameworks to better engage with the Bible. ## Why do we need this? Following Jesus is an act of interpretation, so _how we interpret matters_. We can often be surprisingly inconsistent in how we approach the Bible.