By Daniel Goepfrich
January 2024
A Practical Guide for Reading and Studying Your Bible
The Bible is clear that not everyone should have a formal teaching position (Jam 3:1) and that certain local church elders will focus on instruction and doctrinal issues more than others (1 Tim 5:17). However, every Christian has the right and responsibility to study the Bible and teach those around them (Col 3:16). Thus, every Christian should be taught and well-versed in the process of carefully interpreting the Scriptures, so they can fulfill their ministry in their families, local churches, and anywhere they go in this physical and internet-connected world.
In Hermeneutics for Everyone, Dr. Goepfrich presents a simple, yet detailed, process to do just that. After introducing some important background information about the Bible, he leads the reader through a step-by-step process of studying any Bible passage to determine what the original writer wanted his audience to know. Using a combination of his own examples and space for the reader to follow along in their own passage, Goepfrich offers an immersive walk through Bible interpretation.
The built-in workbook makes it perfect for college classrooms, Sunday school classes, small groups, homeschool classrooms, or personal study. Hermeneutics for Everyone is truly a practical guide so every Christian can learn to read and study their Bibles on their own.
Get 20% off when you buy 10 or more copies for your group, class, or organization.
Daniel Goepfrich, Th.M, D.Min.
Teaching Pastor
Oak Tree Community Church (South Bend, Indiana)
Adjunct Faculty, Greek
Calvary University (Kansas City, Missouri)
Adjunct Faculty, Bible
Word of Life Africa Bible Institute (Uganda)
Word of Life Hungary Bible Institute (Hungary)
Word of Life Philippines Bible Institute (Philippines)
Associate Professor of Greek and Hebrew
Agathon University of Applied Faith
Former Professor, Bible and Theology (15 years)
Tyndale Theological Seminary (Hurst, Texas)
International conference speaker
North America, Africa, Europe, South America, Asia
Daniel and Saralynn have been married since 1997 and have three married sons, one daughter, and several grandchildren
...for everyone
“For Everyone” is an important part of my worldview and drives a great deal of my ministry. Whether it’s teaching in our church, Bible college and seminary classrooms, or one-on-one over a cup of coffee, it’s my firm belief that God has always intended for us to understand the Bible.
In 2017, I started Theology is for Everyone as a banner under which I could help get the wealth of biblical teaching out of the seminary and into the hands of the person who desperately loves God but has no interest or need for a formal Bible education. With Hermeneutics for Everyone, I put together into one resource my many years of teaching the basics of Bible study. Not only is it less than 200 pages, but it includes a glossary to help with terms that might be new, lots of examples, and a built-in workbook so you can follow along in a practical, hands-on way.
Check out the comments from people in different countries and walks of life who have already benefited from this book. Once you’ve read it yourself, get a discount on multiple copies for your group or church, or contact me to come and teach a workshop or seminar. Hermeneutics, the practice of Bible study and interpretation, truly is for everyone!
Resources
“Hermeneutics for Everyone” video course
TIFE ACTS Workflow for Logos – https://flshare.net/o69bs5
What are people saying about Hermeneutics for Everyone?
An old proverb says, “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Too often, believers do not know how to fish, that is, how to study the Bible themselves. As a result, they settle for the fish given to them, that is, what they know about the Bible is what others have told them or what some prooftext seems to say. No greater need exists around the world than to teach believers how to understand the Bible themselves. Not only will that help them understand the great story God has given us in His word, but it will help them process what they hear or what they think they know.
In “Hermeneutics for Everyone,” Daniel Goepfrich has provided an excellent resource to teach a man to fish, that is, to teach anyone willing to do the work how to study the Bible in a way that leads to a correct interpretation of the Scripture. His ACTS model (read the book!) parallels the traditional evangelical model of “Observation–Interpretation–Application” but is worded in an easy-to-understand way and expanded to challenge the reader to test his or her conclusions along the way.
Goepfrich provides an excellent summary of the nature of the Scriptures and the need to study them correctly. He is technically solid yet writes in a way that no reader will get lost in the details or the verbiage. He provides many opportunities for the reader to practice what he or she reads through “Do It Yourself” questions. This is an excellent tool for individual use or group studies. It will certainly be one I use!
Dr. Roger Fankhauser
Former President, Free Grace Alliance Retired pastor • Arizona, USA
Dr. Stephen E. House
Texas, USA
“This is a fantastic book for those just starting and for those needing to refresh their skills. It’s concise, yet thorough; enjoyable, yet gets right to the point. It’s not just a book to read; it’s a book to immerse yourself into, and it’s also interactive. Whether you’re looking for inductive study, word study, topical study, or even Bible surveys, this book is for you.”
“Before reading about Bible translation philosophies, I thought the best Bible version I have to study is the one with simple expressions. But after reading and understanding the approaches to Bible translation, I came to the conclusion that the best Bible version is not the one with simple expressions but a version that creates balance between formal translation (focused on word-to-word translation from the original manuscript) and dynamic translation (focused on the intended meaning of the words). I also concluded that the balance between the formal and the dynamic approaches should be an integral part of Bible interpretation.”
Dennis Hanson
Ghana, West Africa
Dr. Bradley W. Maston
President, Fort Collins Bible College • Colorado, USA
“Charles Ryrie informs us, in his Basic Theology, that everyone is a theologian. This is because everybody has thoughts or ideas about God. Owing to this reality every person also needs to be able to read the Bible for themselves. The Bible is not only a book for scholars, academics, and ministry professionals. The Bible is for every single person. Even a mature believer may wonder if what they are seeing in the Bible is correct. If scholars disagree, what hope do the rest of us have at understanding God’s word and how it is meant to shape our lives? This is where Dr. Goepfrich’s book becomes not only necessary, but vital. Advanced concepts are dealt with and explained with simple and effective illustrations, in measured progressive steps. Hermeneutics for Everyone is a much needed contribution to the modern environment.
“As the president of Fort Collins Bible College and the primary Bible Study Methods professor at that institution, I am thrilled to be able to include this book and all the resources that it offers in our Bible Study Methods courses. This book is approachable and profound. It will help make the word of God accessible to everyone.”
“There is a crisis within churches that this book addresses. Churches are not teaching their people in the pews how to study the Bible, so I am impressed with this book from Dr. Daniel Goepfrich. We have been adding Dr. Goepfrich’s other books to our curriculum and recommended study items to help people move from sitting in the pews to becoming disciples. This book is remarkably well-written and easy to understand for non-theologians. A better description is the content is simple enough to grasp and meaty enough to want to get people excited about studying the Bible. We appreciate Dr. Goepfrich’s efforts on the pewsitters’ behalf.”
Ric Joyner
CEO, Biblestudycompany.com • Florida, USA
Mark Perkins
President, Evanelia Tahiti • Tahiti, French Polynesia
“Goepfrich sets three goals for his work, to be ‘a solid teach and reference resource,’ ‘useful for people at all levels of Christian maturity,’ and ‘for it to be practical and not just theoretical.’ After reading through it all, I found nothing at all overwhelming in the information. This is an accessible book that will work well for those who have an interest in going further on their own.
“In reality, the modern Christian library contains a good many books on how to study the Bible, most of which fall toward the more academic end of the spectrum, designed for those in professional ministry and theological education. Dr. Goepfrich aims instead for ‘everyone.’ Offering a simple-to-use method, sensible motivations for its employment, and a friendly tone of writing, I believe he succeeds on all counts.”
“This book came about at the right time. Yes, all of us as believers, we love reading and understanding God’s word, and yes, it isn’t that easy to fully understand with no aid! But the question always remained, ‘What should we use, therefore?’ I appreciated how
Hermeneutics spans through all questions I’ve heard about Bible studying and interpretation. Questions about translations and which one is the best, how and when to use other reader’s notes, etc. It was worth your input to bring to us such a great piece. I joyfully await its publishing and availability so every believer can read and know the way to go.”
Ssebunya Caleb
Uganda, East Africa
Ian Bacon
Program Director of Bible & Theology, Calvary University • Missouri, USA
“Dr. Goepfrich has written a fantastic book on Bible study and Hermeneutics! The reader will be well-equipped to study God’s word according to a literal grammatical historical hermeneutic using the inductive method of Bible study. I believe this book will be a beneficial resource not only in the classroom, but also to every believer in the church.”
“Daniel Goepfrich has succeeded in living up to his newest book’s title, Hermeneutics for Everyone. Here is a book that any believer can use as a practical guide in how to study and apply the Bible. The author has given a clear and concise approach to Bible study and includes practical questions and exercises that will help any believer put into practice the principles taught here. The book also includes a beginning section on the inspiration and authority of the Bible. The appendix on dispensationalism is a help to anyone who wants to better understand this approach to Scripture. Highly recommended!”
Alex Konya
Regional Director in Europe and Eurasia (retired), Word of Life Fellowship International • Hungary, Europe
Gary Day
Elder, Oak Tree Community Church • Indiana, USA
“As a member and Elder of Oak Tree Community Church, I’ve been fortunate to listen to Daniel’s messages for over twenty years. He’s always had this crazy notion that
everyone can learn theology. It turns out that he was right. With this book, he’s encapsulated his training and pastoral and teaching experiences to give us a practical way to interpret the Bible for ourselves so we all can know God better and love him more. He’s even given us ‘Do it yourself’ space so we can individually work through passages then be ready for group discussions.”
“Hermeneutics For Everyone is a practical, down-to-earth resource. It serves as a tool to help everyone who reads it understand what their Bible is and how to study it. Whether you have been reading the Bible for years, or never at all, this book will equip you with the tools to understand for yourself what God says in His Word.
“This book stands out as an outstanding resource because rather than simply giving you an interpretation of Scripture, it equips you to form your own interpretation of Scripture, test that interpretation, and submit to God’s Word in your life. I am very excited about this book! The material is very important for everyone, and it is presented in a way that anyone can understand and interact with. I believe that the author has written a very practical guide to studying the Bible and I hope that many people will put this material to use as they study God’s Word for themselves!”
Andrew Friend
Oklahoma, USA
Kateu Wilson
Uganda, East Africa
“I’m really grateful for the book. The time I have spent reading it has helped me improve my hermeneutics and has made my Bible study more effective. I appreciate the time and sacrifice made to put this together.”
“As a Christian college student, I found the book to be priceless in understanding HOW to study the Bible and not just read it. The language is clear and concise. The ‘Do it Yourself’ sections really help in obtaining further clarity. It’s always easier when ‘we do it ourselves’ and see it written down. The wide margins are smart and handy. A real asset in my growth as a Christian and student. I highly recommend it to every Christian college as well as to every church that teaches Bible study.”
Peggy Helfman
Indiana, USA
Akullo Juliet
Uganda, East Africa
“This book great. It’s going to be a challenge for someone who reads it with a presupposition of what they think correct Bible study is, but it will be highly beneficial for anyone who reads the book with an open mind. I would really love for Sunday school teachers the world over to read this book so that the foundation of correct hermeneutics can be built right from the beginning so that everyone who reads the Bible does so from a point of desiring to learn God, grow, and build a spiritual relationship with God and not from the presumption that the Bible is a ‘feel good’ book written to cater for unstable emotions.”
“Daniel Goepfrich has provided access to what can be a complicated pursuit – that of Bible interpretation. Goepfrich’s pleasing conversational style replaces the dry and stuffy manner that can sometimes accompanies such works and makes this book surprisingly easy to read and easy to understand. Because of its simple, clear presentation, this study can easily be used for teenage and adult users who would have little or no background in hermeneutics. However, as a pastor with undergraduate and graduate degrees in Biblical Studies, I found reading this entire work refreshing, reinforcing and even helpful.
“It is easily the most approachable book on this topic I have seen and is certainly an
excellent resource for any individual, church class, pastor, or professor. While it is not the deep, detailed, often complicated work you would find in a seminary hermeneutics textbook, it most definitely is the first book to use to bring Bible students safely into sound Bible study practices. I highly recommend this to individuals and those that teach others without reservation.”
Kevin Subra
Pastor, Church Revitalizer • Iowa, USA
Ralph Elliott
CRU missionary to Belgium
“This is definitely a book on biblical interpretation that you will want to
include in your library. Along with emphasizing the key hermeneutical
principle of the literal-grammatical- historical method of inductive study,
Daniel Goepfrich has additional helpful content regarding the differences in
Bible translations as well as understanding the role of commentaries and
other technical resources. The end of each chapter also includes practical
applications to assist in personalizing the content to your life. I encourage
to purchase this helpful resource on hermeneutics!”