Bible Study

by Glenna Marshall, Winfree Brisley (Editor)

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian

80 pages, Paperback

Published April 14, 2026

About the author

Glenna Marshall is married to her pastor, William, and lives in rural Southeast Missouri where she tries and fails to keep up with her two energetic sons. She is the author of The Promise is His Presence: Why God is Always Enough (P&R, 2019) and Everyday Faithfulness: The Beauty of Ordinary Perseverance in a Demanding World (Crossway, 2020).

Reviews

[Jen Eidsvoog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read, helps simplify bible study in a way that any believer can easily implement. Definitely recommend for those looking for something to help deepen their bible study without having to purchase another trendy study.

[Alison (readinginazaleawoods) · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.5 stars)

If you’ve ever felt intimidated by Bible study or wondered where to even begin, this little booklet is such an encouragement.

At just 80 pages, Bible Study by Glenna Marshall may be small in size, but it is rich with biblical truth and practical wisdom on the spiritual discipline of studying God’s Word.

As someone who deeply loves diving into Scripture, teaching it to my children, and helping women in my church and community grow in their understanding of God’s Word, I truly appreciated how approachable and encouraging this booklet was. Rather than making Bible study feel overwhelming or reserved for “advanced” believers, it reminds us that we can open God’s Word with confidence because the Holy Spirit equips believers to understand, learn from, and obey Scripture.

One of my favorite reminders from this booklet:
“We grow as we know God more and more. As a tree cannot grow if it is severed from its roots, so we too cannot grow apart from God’s word.”

This would make such a thoughtful gift for:
✨ A new believer
✨ A recent graduate
✨ A quiet time companion
✨ A Morning Basket addition
✨ A free little library resource
✨ A small group study

I also loved that each chapter includes reflection questions, making it easy to read individually or discuss together in community.

“Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart.” —Psalm 119:2

🌿 Thank you, @crosswaybooks, for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[Keisha | A Book Like You · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been patiently waiting to read this little booklet over the last few months and finally decided to purchase it for myself.

Glenna Marshall is one of my favorite humans and has authored my favorite Christian nonfiction book, Memorizing Scripture. It was for this reason, I knew I had to pick up this book in the Disciplines of Devotions series.

This booklet offers a short, approachable, practical, and meaningful look at the importance of the practice of Bible study amongst all Christians. I believe this will encourage both new and old followers of Christ, as Glenna might say, to jump off the diving board and take the plunge into deeper study.

[Shiny · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written and concise introduction to what Bible study looks like and how it is different from Bible reading. Wonderful encouragement especially for new believers to familiarise with close examination of God’s Word for spiritual growth, for drawing closer to God, for a deeper understanding of Bible and how it transforms hearts and minds for daily life and eternity. There’s a useful chapter on blessings of Bible study to whet the appetite for nourishment in riches of God’s words. For those who don’t know where to start with studying Bible, there is a definite plan on what, where, when, how often, how long to study Bible. The book builds on the foundations of study with helpful insights on context, various genres and big picture of Bible and some practical steps like inductive Bible study method to start and continue Bible study. There are helpful questions at the end of each chapter for small groups and a wonderful list of resources towards the end for further study but perhaps a bit too much endorsement for ESV study Bible.

[Lauren Claymon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a short and concise read that gives many practical and attainable steps to studying the Bible. It’s encouraging and left me with the desire to pick up my Bible vs feeling defeated and as if a proper Bible study is out of reach with my stage of life.

[Kim Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple. Clear. Perfect for those wanting to know where to start. Was given this book by publisher for honest review

[Meagan Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very short booklet (56 pages) on the what, why, and how of Bible study. I knew going into it that most of the information was probably not new to me (which was true), but I felt I was in need of some good encouragement and reminders of why we should put forth intentional effort to study God's Word. Ultimately, it is to know Him so that we can become more like Him. Again, nothing new to me, but this is a reminder I need from time to time. I'm guessing I'm not alone in this.

I really appreciated the brevity of this little book. Glenna did a great job getting to the point and she used Scripture throughout the book to support her thoughts. The final chapter gives a summary of how she approaches Bible study and I feel her method is approachable even for those who have never taken a deep dive into Scripture before. This would be an excellent book to use in discipling a new follower of Christ.

If you have never studied the Bible before or you just need a little nudge to get back into the Word on a deeper level, I would recommend this short and sweet guide.

"We study the Bible not to become smart but to become wise in the things of God. We study the Bible to know the ultimate author, hear what he has to say, walk closely with him, and reflect him to the world around us" (p. 20).

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed in this booklet, but it’s my fault for not looking at its length when I preordered it. It’s very short (56 pages). If you’ve ever opened your Bible and studied it at all, or if you’ve ever read anything about why and how we study a book of the Bible, you may find, like me, that there’s really nothing new in this booklet. It’s very basic. If you’re a brand new disciple of Christ, this might be helpful as a starting point for studying the Word.

[Audrey Hood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worship, Bible Study & Evangelism

These 3 beautiful little booklets are a perfect introduction, refresher, or reference guide to the spiritual disciplines (disciplines of devotion). Each one of these are a short, single-sitting read, but accompanied by reflection questions to journal, pray through or discuss with a friend or small group to increase the impact.

There are 6 total hand-sized books in this series and would make perfect gifts.

[Lia Ross Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little booklet is short and sweet! Great for beginners to Bible study and new Christians or seasoned believers who have hit a dry patch in their Bible study and need a reminder on how and why we study God’s Word.

[Hannah Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, helpful, and encouraging little read!

[Taliah Kendrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! This will be my new go-to recommendation for how to study the Bible. It’s a short read and accessible no matter where you are in your walk.

[Yvonne Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, concise book on the subject of Bible study.

“We study the Bible to know the ultimate author, hear what he has to say, walk closely with him, and reflect him to the world around us.”

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short book you can read in under an hour. I’ve been using her method for two years now and love it!

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little book that teaches an accessible way to begin studying the Bible.