Blog

Latest Blog Posts from Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.

wisdom, sophia, G4678

wisdom, sophia, G4678

Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Greek word for Strong’s number: G4678 Greek Lexical Dictionary: Strong's #4678 - σοφία Greek Word: σοφία Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: sophia Phonetic Spelling: so-FEE-ah Quick Definition: Wisdom...

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work, ergon, G2041

work, ergon, G2041

Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Greek word for work, ergon, Strong’s G2041.

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How to Discern “God’s Voice” Without Getting Misled

How to Discern “God’s Voice” Without Getting Misled

You’ve probably heard a teacher, pastor or preacher say something to the effect “and then God told me.” What’s up with that? What role does personal experience and/or personal revelation play in Bible study? For me, the bottom line is: Scripture takes precedence over emotions and experience; and teachers ought to strive for accuracy and precision in their language. Here are the guidelines I use when teaching.

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2025 Year in Review

2025 Year in Review

2025 Year in Review: Highlights and accomplishments from Wednesday int the Word, who listened and where you listened from.

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Read through the Bible

Read through the Bible

Have you decided to read through the Bible as one of your New Year’s Resolutions? Here’s a great selection of updated plans to help you keep that resolution.

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Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

Wishing you an “exceptionally good Christmas” and the true joy of the season that only the peace of God in hearts can bring.

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Why Jesus Came

Why Jesus Came

The angel tells Joseph something about this son Mary will have. Who does the angel say this child is?

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How to have a “Mary” Christmas

How to have a “Mary” Christmas

This December you can have a Mary Christmas or a Martha Christmas. In a Martha Christmas you are so frantic doing good things that you miss the best gift of all. In a Mary Christmas you recognize what is truly important and find the best gift of all.

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November 2025 Reflections

November 2025 Reflections

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, I’m reminded of how thankful I am for this community of people who care deeply about truth, who keep showing up to learn, and who believe the Bible is worth understanding. I count it a privilege to study alongside you. Special...

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Bible Study: How to Observe

Bible Study: How to Observe

The first step in Bible study is observation. The goal is to slow down your reading and generate a list of questions that must be answered to understand the passage. I tend to break observation into the following 4 steps which generally correspond to my first few readings through the passage.

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How to choose a Bible

How to choose a Bible

Not sure which Bible to read? Learn the difference between word-for-word, thought-for-thought, and paraphrase translations—and which one is best for study and devotion.

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17 Examine Yourself: Paul’s Warning to Corinth (2 Corinthians 12:13-13:14)

17 Examine Yourself: Paul’s Warning to Corinth (2 Corinthians 12:13-13:14)

Paul’s closing charge is often misunderstood. In this passage, “examine yourself” is not a call to anxious introspection but a corrective to a church testing Paul while overlooking the evidence of Christ at work among them. Paul redirects attention from his credentials to their shared life in Christ, using his authority to build them up and aiming for restoration, unity, and peace.

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October 2025 Reflections

October 2025 Reflections

Start Strong releases January 9. 5 New podcast episodes. 4 New Bible Study Resources. September 25 news from Wednesday in the Word.

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How to Use Bible Background

How to Use Bible Background

Background is your flashlight, not your steering wheel. Use it to illuminate the author’s path. Then keep walking where the paragraph leads

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How to Transform your Bible Study with an Outline

How to Transform your Bible Study with an Outline

An analytical outline is a way of displaying a text of Scripture so that the flow of thought and the relationship between the grammatical parts become clear. It is my favorite study tool and one of the first things I do. Learn how to make one.

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How to Use Commentaries

How to Use Commentaries

How to Use Commentaries wisely: when to open them, which ones to read, and how to compare, without replacing your own study.

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Word Study Shortcuts

Word Study Shortcuts

While I recommend you learn how to do your own word studies, here are some shortcuts you can take to save time, to get past “study block” or compare your ideas with someone else’s.

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How to do a word study

How to do a word study

Word studies are one of the basic tools of Bible study. With today’s tools, you don’t have to know Greek and Hebrew to do a good word study. Here’s how.

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How to Cross Reference

How to Cross Reference

Learn how to cross reference Scripture with a simple method: start near, test relevance, and let clear verses explain hard ones. Tools, examples, FAQs.

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