Mission Statement
One of my favorite things to do is sit in a coffee shop, sip a cup, and grind out some Bible study. There have been no shortage of run-ins where someone walks by and asks me if I am a student at the local Bible college. What makes them assume I must be a seminary student? The answer is simple and yet regrettable. People assume that whenever someone is studying their Bible it’s because they are a preacher or Bible College professor. The world of Christendom (and I use the term “Christian” very loosely here) has regressed almost to the intellectual element of the dark ages, at least when it comes to Biblical studies. The Bible was translated into the common person’s language for the very first time in 1525. Prior to that time, only the clergy had access to the Bible (the Latin Vulgate at the time). This new access to the Bible is what spurred the Reformation Movement. Now, everyone has two copies of the Bible in their native language, and yet we still depend on the clergy to study the good book for us. Postmodernism and the incredibly fallacious ideology that truth is relative to each and every person, has launched the modern “Christian” back to diaper stages of Biblical understanding. If there is no absolute definition of what God’s word means, then why study it at all? This is the result of modern thought. Another crippling modern idea is that the Holy Spirit leads each and every individual to God and directs them personally to know God’s will, apart from the Bible. There is no need to study God’s word if either of these ideologies are true. I believe these are two major contributors to the overwhelming neglect of individual study of the Bible among churchgoers today.
I created fiveminutebiblestudy.com as a means to teach the common person how to study God’s word for himself/herself. The idea is to teach Bible study methods in a simple, understandable manner, five minutes at a time. The lessons should not take longer than five minutes to read (with few exceptions and sermon content). People spend hours slobbering at their phone screen daily, so how much is five minutes really?
Now, do not misunderstand me. This is not to say that all you need is five minutes of Bible study each week. God’s word is described as food (Hebrews 5:12-14), so essentially, you need to spend as much time dwelling on God’s word as you would eating the quality hamburger that just spilled on your lap.
God’s word is understandable for the common man. They were not Bible college students in Berea that Paul commended for their daily Bible study when he said, “These were more fairminded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so,” (Acts 17:11). This teaches an important principle for Christians everywhere: study of God’s word is the duty of each individual Christian. A Bible example is not enough? Consider the many commands Paul gives for Bible study as well.
“I charge you (put you under oath) by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren” (1 Thessalonians 5:27).
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth,” (2 Timothy 2:15).
“…Give attention to reading,” (1 Timothy 4:13).
Many other passages imply the highest priority should be placed on Bible study (Deut. 6:7-9, Neh. 9:3, Jer. 20:9, Matt. 21:42, Rev. 1:3). Finally, Peter tells every Christian to, “Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you…” (1 Peter 3:15). That is more than a suggestion.
Are you capable of giving a defense, that is, giving evidence for your faith? If not, you have come to the right place. It is never too late to start. There will also be periodic book and complimentary website recommendations for enhancing your Bible understanding. Log on to fiveminutebiblestudy.com to add another tool to your Bible study tool belt. Now for a brief introduction to myself, the page’s author and editor-
About Aaron
My name is Aaron Battey. I am 29 years old and live in Lawrenceburg, TN. I am a full time evangelist for the Chapel Grove Church of Christ but I also work part time as an RN in a local Emergency Dept. I worked as an RN for 5 years while preparing to preach the gospel. It was a long road, but I am thrilled to make preaching the gospel my primary vocation in life. I consider it a duty of myself as a Christian and an evangelist to give attention to reading, exhortation, and doctrine. These are the three main charges Paul gave to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:13. Because of this, I am very motivated to teach others how to study the Bible for themselves. If it truly is a lamp for our feet (Psalm 119:105), then everyone needs to know how to turn the lamp on and use it.
Separate and apart from my spiritual interests, I love coffee, baseball, music, and exploring the outdoors. Being raised in the suburbs of Atlanta, I am an avid Atlanta Braves fan. You might find me in a coffee shop reading, at a ball game, or hiking a mountain.
That’s enough about me! I hope you find this website useful. Continue to explore the page and share what you learn!