Transformed by Truth: Why and How to Study the Bible for Yourself as a Teen

by Katherine Forster

Overview

Studying God's Word as a teenager changed my life . . . And it can change yours, too. 

The Bible is more than just an ancient religious document. It's a book filled with the actual words of the living God, meant to be read often and studied deeply that we might experience its life-changing power.

If you're a teen who's tired of low expectations and weightless platitudes, this book will help you dig into the Bible and make the time you spend reading count for eternity. Katherine Forster walks you through three simple practices that changed how she reads Scripture—observation, interpretation, and application— so you too can begin to understand what God has said in his word and discover how God's truth can literally transform you from the inside out.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781433564086
Publisher:	Crossway
Publication date:	08/22/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Katherine Forster is a college student who serves as lead writer for TheRebelution.com, an online platform that reaches hundreds of thousands of Christian teens, parents, and youth workers. She is a spotlight member of the Young Writers Workshop and a National Bible Bee champion. She writes on the importance of serious Bible study for teens.

Katherine Forster is a college student who serves as lead writer for TheRebelution.com, an online platform that reaches hundreds of thousands of Christian teens, parents, and youth workers. She is a spotlight member of the Young Writers Workshop and a National Bible Bee champion. She writes on the importance of serious Bible study for teens.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 11

Introduction 13

Part 1 Why?

1 You Are Not Too Young 19

2 How God Reveals Himself 31

3 The Big Story 45

4 God's Will for My Life 57

5 How to Obey God's Will 73

Part 2 How?

6 Part of Your Life 87

7 Getting Started with Bible Study 101

8 The Most Important Tool 113

9 Observation: "What Does It Say?" 125

10 Interpretation: "What Does It Mean?" 141

11 Application: "How Does This Change Me?" 157

Epilogue: Shelby Kennedy 169

Appendix A Recommended Resources 173

Appendix B Memorization Tips and Helps 177

Glossary of Abbreviations and Key Terms 181

Notes 185

General Index 189

Scripture Index 195

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Dear teenager, you are not too young to study the Bible for yourself. It’s not too hard, too overwhelming, or too confusing. Instead, it will give you everything you need for life and godliness and the deepest joy you can imagine. That’s the message of Transformed by Truth—and that’s a message I’ve personally seen lived out in the life of Katherine Forster. Teens, you need to be transformed by truth. It happened to Forster, and in this book, she shares how it can happen to you too. Her writing is accessible, relatable, theological, and highly practical. She’ll change how you view the Bible and increase your love for Christ. Transformed by Truth is a must-read for the Christian teen.”
—Jaquelle Crowe Ferris, Founder and COO, The Young Writer; author, This Changes Everything

“Convicting, informative, and extremely practical! This book takes you through the who, what, when, where, why, and how of Bible study in a fun and relatable way. A valuable resource for all Christian teens (and adults)!”
—Hannah Leary, Cohost, National Bible Bee

“Christian teens are often embarrassed to admit that they’re unsure how to study the Bible—or worse, that they find the Bible boring. With relatable candor and honesty, National Bible Bee champion Katherine Forster goes toe-to-toe with many of the common threats to a teen’s biblical literacy. Transformed by Truth is filled with solid encouragement and practical tools for teens hoping to develop a joyful dependence on God’s word.”
—Lindsey Carlson, author, Growing in Godliness: A Teen Girl’s Guide to Maturing in Christ

“This book will inspire you to not only begin memorizing the word of God, but also to pursue a closer relationship with the person of God.”
—Michael Farris, President and CEO, Alliance Defending Freedom

Editorial Reviews

07/22/2019

In this articulate and thoughtful guide to studying scripture, Forster, a 19-year-old blogger and National Bible Bee champion, tells her story of spiritual transformation through rigorous Bible study, and challenges fellow Christian teenagers to follow her example. Forster opens by positing that it is not enough to “go to church faithfully, pray, read the Bible and evangelize.” Because humanity’s ultimate purpose is to know God, she argues, Christian teens should use their formative years studying the writings of the Bible, where God reveals himself through “the story of history, beginning with creation and ending with the new creation.” She offers guidance about how to incorporate biblical study into daily life, so that it becomes habitual, and provides a comprehensive introduction to “the inductive study method,” which involves observation (asking questions, taking notes), interpretation (researching concordances and commentaries), and application (meditating and being open to transformation). Appendixes offer resources and tips on memorization. This challenging yet accessible work will appeal to readers of all ages comfortable with conservative Christian theology. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly