SOAP is a simple tool used to read the Bible and journal along as you do so. I learned the SOAP methodology, as a construct, by reading Wayne Cordeiro’s super helpful book titled, The Divine Mentor: Growing Your Faith as You Sit at the Feet of the Savior. If you want to learn more about this method, that’s the book to read. I also preached a sermon several years ago where I fleshed this method out a little more fully too. You can find that HERE.
INTRODUCTION
“SOAP” is an acronym that stands for “Scripture”, “Observation”, “Application”, and “Prayer”. The big idea is that as you read through Scripture (perhaps using a Bible reading plan of some sort), you stay your mind on a particular verse or short passage and apply this method.
The method includes journaling by way of you writing out the Scripture, writing out your observations, a few thoughts on application and a brief prayer—all based on and guided from the passage you’re staying your mind on.
It’s important to note that there are no right answers as you do this! This is purely for you. In fact, if you really get into the journaling thing, you might consider creating an index in the front of your journal listing out all the passages you’ve stayed your mind on thereby creating a log, if you will, of your thoughts, reflections, and prayers on various parts of God’s Word.
HOW TO DO IT
As you read your Bible (be it one chapter a day, or a Psalm a day, or using some other plan), choose a passage to stay your mind on. This should be a passage that particularly stands out to you.
//Scripture
In your notebook or in a document on your device, copy out that passage complete with the reference. This might seem like an unimportant step, but by copying out the passage you are fixing your mind on the Word of God and centering yourself on this passage in particular.
//Observation
The next step is to write out observations from the passage. Here, you’re asking yourself questions like:
What does this teach me about God and his character?
What does it teach me about human nature, character, and behavior?
What does it teach me about Christ and salvation?
What does it teach me about the church, or the life of the people of God?
You may also write out your own questions that you have of the text—questions that you don’t have the answers to, but want to capture. Perhaps you can use these questions to ask a friend or your Gospel Community leader or a pastor.
You may also take note here (and write out):
Personal examples to emulate or avoid
Commands to obey
Promises to trust in
Warnings to heed
When you’re writing out “observations” you’re thinking objectively, “what is here”? This doesn’t have to be a lot—you might write out just a few bullet points.
//Application
The next section to journal out is “application”. Here you transition from “What does it say” (things you’ve captured in “observation”) to, “What is God saying to me?” This is where it gets more personal.
Under this heading, you might think in terms of:
What is in here that leads me to adore God?
What is in here that leads me to confession?
What is in here that leads me to thanksgiving?
What is in here that leads me to supplication?
What is God communicating to me through this text?
Why is God showing me this today?
It’s important to remember that this is for you and not for anyone else. Get honest before the Lord and be specific.
//Prayer
The last section to journal is a prayer. This is where you turn all of the above into a conversation with God and write out a brief prayer based on the Scripture, your observations, and your application.
SUMMARY
The entirety of this might take you 5-15 minutes and perhaps one page in your journal. It doesn’t have to be long and again, this is for YOU. This isn’t the only way to read your Bible and journal, but it is A way. You might find some things here helpful, and you might forge your own way after trying this out a few times.
You may also find some days where observation, application, and prayer all run together and you end up simply writing out the passage and heading straight into writing out a prayer. That’s fine too. Remember: there’s no right/wrong way.