How to do a Chapter Summary

Its all about the 10 C’s - easy to remember and easy to do whenever you have time to spare! The C’s can be done in any order apart from keeping number 10 at number 10!

Step 1 - Read the Chapter 5 times - without notes, perhaps in different translations if you can. But really read it and get to grips with it.

Step 2 The 10 C’s (click here for a blank form)

1) Caption - give the chapter a short snappy title - between 1 and 4 words

2) Contents - simply detail what is in the chapter - don’t try to interpret, simply summarise what is there

3) Chief People - Who are the main people, why are they included, what are they doing, what is significant about them?

4) Choice Verse - is there a verse that summarises the whole chapter or speaks to you personally in the clearest way

5) Crucial word(s) - a word that is used frequently or one that is only used once but is the most significant

6) Challenges - list any difficulties you have with the passage, or ideas that you might want to study firther.

7) Cross-references - are there other passages that relate to this passage. You may have these in your Bible, you may know of them or you may just have to leave this section blank!

8) Christ Seen - how does this chapter point to Jesus? What statements tell you something about Christ, or the Holy Spirit or the Father?

9) Central lessons - what are the major principles, insights, lessons you have learnt form this chapter? Why is this chapter in the Bible, why did God want it here?

10) Conclusion - this is the application bit - how does this chapter apply to me personally, what am I going to as a result of studying this chapter?