Categories
study

Do You Really Need To Take Notes?

In all honesty, a post like this can be counterproductive. I’ve argued for two posts that there should be some theological methodology for taking notes and that there are some goals while taking notes. In this post, I want to point out that none of this is really necessary and that might wind up cancelling the previous two posts.

Here’s why: we moderns tend to think that if something isn’t necessary then it isn’t really important and might not even be helpful. We Evangelicals happily point out that liturgy isn’t necessary and then often condemn liturgical churches while ignoring our own liturgies (Open in Prayer; Make announcements; sing three songs; introduce the speaker with a benediction; Prayer before speaking; the message; Close in Prayer). I’ve seen the same thing done to sports, movies, exercise, and voting.

And then, things that we want people to do, we underscore as “necessary” and add a guarantee to the thing (ie: note-taking is guaranteed to increase your love for the Lord). So here are 8 reasons why note-taking isn’t necessary.

Categories
study

How To Take Notes

So with my previous post on the theological methodology for note-taking in mind, and as part of a textually minded culture, I think we should be taking notes—no matter the tool (computer, notepads, mp3 recorders, stenography). In this post I want to six goals for taking notes.

Categories
study

Thinking Theologically About Taking Notes

In the How to Study Your E-Bible series, I listed digital tools for note-taking with respective methods (recording mp3’s, outlines, etc). I mentioned that the process should be easy, accessible, and personal but in this first of three posts I wanted to highlight seven points of a theological methodology for note-taking.

Categories
study

Non-Systematic System of Study

I don’t do Systematic Bible Studying. Not that I can’t but when I sit down, pray about what I want to do and then study a topic, deducing the conclusion based on the overall whole of those verses and commentators?it leaves me nervous. I find that it leads to way too much proof-texting. Instead, I make up my own heretical study method.

Okay, maybe not heretical just not topical (which might sound like heresy, I know). Like studying everything about angels or demons or the nature of God or His attributes. I’ve done that and will do more of that, in fact this site is divided like that?but that’s not how I personally study anymore. So, here’s how a heretic studies. Sometimes.