Jesus says, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). True freedom is only found in Jesus! When we place our faith in Jesus, He sets us free from sin’s penalty. Not only that, but Jesus also sets us free from sin’s power as we continue to abide in Him by reading the Bible.
That’s why this summer we want to encourage our whole church family to take on the Summer of SOAP Challenge! The summer is 14 weeks long and we want to challenge you to SOAP in the Bible at least once a week (or more!). And it doesn’t have to be long, maybe just 10-15 minutes. Read about one chapter and then reflect, write about, and pray through God’s word. You can pick any book of the Bible you want, but if you don’t know where to start here are a few suggestions. The Gospel of John, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, or Colossians.
What is SOAP?
Here’s a quick recap of how to SOAP in God’s word. SOAP stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer:
Scripture
After reading, look at the Scripture and write down the verse(s) that stuck out the most to you.Observations
Then make Observations about what the passage says about mankind, God, and how it points to Jesus.Application
Applying and obeying what you learned helps God’s truth come alive in your life.Prayer
Finally, spend some time in Prayer praising God and ask Him to help you to abide in Him.
But why should we read the Bible? First and foremost, we read to the Bible to enjoy Jesus! It’s where God communicates to us and reminds us of the truth of the Gospel and the freedom we have in Jesus! Life can get crazy, but reading the Bible anchors us in God’s truth and helps us grow as His disciples.
Learn why and how we read the Bible
How to SOAP in Huddles
As you take on the Summer of SOAP Challenge, invite others to join you and share with each other what God is teaching you. At Citylight, we call these Huddles. Huddles are an extension of Sunday morning gatherings and City Groups. They are a place where 2-3 people of the same gender gather on their own time to pursue Jesus together!
Each person in the Huddle will SOAP throughout the week. Then when you meet up, have everyone share one or two things they heard from God. Ask and share with each other how you are applying what God spoke to you. Then spend time praying for each other. Huddles are a great place to encourage each other to abide in Jesus and grow as His disciples.
Citylight, we pray that our whole church family would hear from God, turn from sin and walk in obedience, and enjoy Jesus as we take on the Summer of SOAP Challenge. And even when summer is over, let us always be a church family that is abiding in Jesus!