Help Me Decide What To Study!

Every year I pick a topic to study for the year. This year my study topic as been the life and theology of Jonathan Edwards. Sadly it has been a real challenge finding time to study Edwards since I started a new job and have found myself having to make lots of adjustments to my planned course of study. Nonetheless it has been rewarding. It’s time, however, to start preparation for next year’s study project. This is generally the time where I start asking for input from others. After all, as a pastor what I study I usually end up affecting my ministry. As I prepare to study next year, however, I have a few guides to help me discern what topic to choose.

Because my interests are so varied and I like to study widely and diversely it can be a real challenge picking a single topic to spend a whole year studying. How do you boil down all the possible topics to one that you want to study for 365 days? The way I have chosen to do that is through the use of categories of a well-rounded minister. I believe it’s important for me as a pastor, indeed for me as a Christian, to be knowledgeable about the following categories: Bible, doctrine, ministry/Christian living, history, and culture. I attempt to study in cycles through each category. So in 2011 I study the Doctrine of Scripture, that’s a doctrinal study. In 2012 I studied a theology of sex which I categorized as a ministry/Christian living subject. There could be some obvious overlap here with doctrinal studies, but that was how I chose to categorize it then. This year is obviously a historical study. So that means next year’s topic must fall within either the Bible or the culture category. Since a theology of sex dealt so heavily with cultural issues I have determined that best course of action for next year will be to study a Book of the Bible closely for the whole year. With that in mind I would love your input on what book to study.

Since I write largely for myself I have selected several books of the Bible that interest me at the present. But since I also write for my congregation and those whom I serve I want to welcome their voices to the discussion. Are there books of the Bible that you feel very confused by, that you would want to study alongside me for a year? Originally I had planned to study the Gospel According to Matthew, but since Pastor Bob has been working his way through the book on Sunday mornings I wonder if it would be best to studying a different book for the benefit of our congregation. Here are the potential choices, please feel free to chime in with your suggestions. Share why you think a certain book would make a compelling study. Share what interests you about the book. Help me plan well for the next year by offering some suggested books or articles on the topic. In other words, what should I study in 2014? Here are my potential choices:

The Gospel According to Matthew

The Book of Leviticus

The Letter to the Romans

The Book of Genesis

The Book of Deuteronomy

Which would you choose?