Creating a Bible Note-Taking System That Works For You

Apply note-taking skills from your school years to your Bible, whether you’re a historian, artist, action taker, summarizer, or list maker.

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Taking Notes in Your Bible

Perhaps you are more of an organizer than an artist, more logical than imaginative. Maybe you enjoy finding patterns in repeated words and phrases rather than analyzing genealogies. Or maybe a character study or researching a specific theme appeals to you.

I happen to be a mixture of all these things, rather than staying put in one area. But no matter what draws you in, the important thing is that you find what lights you up and gets you into the Word on a regular basis.

Supplies for Bible Note-Taking

I always like to be able to find an excuse to organize something into a better, more productive system, and my Bible is no different. Get motivated with these supplies:

Highlighters – for color-coding different categories or zooming in on a passage that speaks to you
Books of the Bible Tabs – for maneuvering your way quickly through the Bible, also another method for color-coding books of the Bible
Pens that don’t bleed – a must!
Colored pencils – for illustrating
Small pads of paper – for extra insights to slip in between pages
A printer – for any website information you research such as Bible maps
Bible study resources: topical Bible resources, books and workbooks, Bible diagrams

Do You Have to Be An Artist to Use a Bible Journal?

No! While I can appreciate the trend to write out one verse on a page of your Bible in the margin and illustrate it with watercolors and specialized pens, I feel like that turns my Bible into more of a sketchbook and not quite what I’m going for in my Bible study.

My approach to note-taking varies, therefore doodling is only one type of way to help me study the text.

Just as each person is gifted with their own learning style, we can apply what worked for us in our school days to how we can more effectively study the Bible.

This is your Bible. Make it personalized. Flip through each and every page and work your way through the thing.

“For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints an marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12

If you don’t know where to start, then I suggest Solomon’s wisdom in Proverbs or Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. I mean, check out all the knowledge to be discovered from this intro!

What Kind of Note-Taker Are You?

We all took notes in school, but over time we learned ways to do it in a way that actually helped us retain the information. Maybe you were a doodler, a paraphraser, a connection maker.

If you’re like me, you’re a mixture of a few, but see which one resonates with you the most and get started on that one.

1. THE HISTORIAN

You love learning about history and cultures, so maps and diagrams are your favorite tools.

2. THE SUMMARIZER

You like to simplify what you read in order to break it down into manageable parts. So the no-bleed pen is your favorite tool.

3. THE LIST MAKER

You spend time organizing things and creating to-do lists, so Books of the Bible tabs are your go-to tool.

4. THE ACTION TAKER

You want to know what to do and how to do it, so you love topical resources .

5. THE ARTIST

You appreciate a good visual to help you make sense of text, so your favorite tools are colored pencils.

Start Your Bible Note-Taking Today!

Like to highlight? Look for repetition in Genesis 1 and Psalm 150.
Like to circle? Find descriptions of who God is in Psalm 18:1-3.
Enjoy color coding? Make your way through the book of Luke and highlight each heading that covers a parable (a story Jesus told) or a miracle.
Love a good quote or perhaps a motivational speech? Take notes on the wisdom of Solomon in Proverbs 10-22 and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).

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So a few years ago, I made this Old and New Testament Summary Printable, and then worked my way through each book of the Bible! To get the rest of the printables, check out my Timeline Bundles for the best deal:

Timeline Bundles