Hook. Book. Look. Took. (H-B-L-T). No doubt more than a few readers will recognize those rhyming words as the lesson design format they were taught during their seminary education courses long ago. Recent graduates will recognize the same. That’s because H-B-L-T remains a primary framework for adult Bible study as taught at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.
The framework, save for a few tweaks, hasn’t changed all that much—even as the culture, the learners, and education itself most certainly have. That’s because classics are classic for a reason. They rise above time and space. H-B-L-T remains a good starting point for Bible study design because it fits well in so many different contexts. That also makes it worthy of a quick review.
Before we get into the basics of H-B-L-T, a few important things need to be mentioned. The teacher’s prep doesn’t start with the hook. It starts with a blank sheet of paper (or a blank screen) that the teacher fills up with notes as he is filled up with information about the section of Scripture to be studied. This step is essential as it informs every other step that follows. It gives the teacher confidence that he has prepared thoroughly and can say, “Thus saith the Lord,” with certainty.
Four-Part Framework
Having mentioned that important step, here again are the four parts of the framework with a few words of explanation for each.
Hook is the portion of the lesson that is intended to give learners assurance of the relevance of the day’s topic, the assurance that the teacher has studied the subject, zeroed in on the main point, and given careful thought to how it applies to the lives of the learners. The hook is also used to generate interest or even suspense. This might mean an interactive open question (“What do you think about . . .?” “Tell me about a time in the Bible/from your life when . . .”). It might mean thinking of your most difficult, challenging, or pertinent application question and using it to lead off the lesson—but not fully answering it until later.
In the Book section, the teacher takes the learners on a tour of the section of Scripture that’s before them. (Imagine a portion of one of Paul’s letters or one of the miracle narratives from the gospels.) This might be a brief period of structured lecture (e.g., “Here are five interesting things you might not have noticed when we just read this.”), or it can take the form of a learning activity (e.g., “Pick out three things about the section that strike you as surprising or atypical behavior.”) In the ensuing discussion, the teacher makes sure to bring the context of the main point to light. He doesn’t talk about the main point or verse yet. That comes in the next section.
Look affords the class the opportunity to focus on one important point or verse from the section. It can take the form of two to three questions, with the encouragement that the questions progress from lower-level to higher-level thinking. If the passage is a little lengthy, one might start with an elaboration or restate the question (e.g., “What’s Paul saying here? Could you put this passage in your own words? How would you explain this verse to a first grader?”). And then proceed to another question that invites learners to compare this section with other sections of Scripture or consider whether they’d agree or disagree with a statement you provide.
Finally, Took invites learners to consider the selected Scripture’s place in their lives. Have them draw a parallel to their own lives or past experiences. Remember that adult learners respond well to problem-solving opportunities so present them with one like “What would you say if your son or daughter asked about (fill in the blank)? How might this passage help guide your answer?” If you used an application question as your hook, don’t forget to come back and pick up the answer here.
It’s up to the teacher to decide if the lesson should be one long H-B-L-T, or if there’s one H followed by a few sections of B-L-T.
H-B-L-T is one way to provide necessary structure to the Bible studies we write. Adult learners appreciate structure because it shows that the teacher knows where the class is going and has a plan to get there. In other words, he has given concentrated thought to the Word and the essential truths that would be most important for the learners to take with them. H-B-L-T might not be what our finished product looks like. Bible teachers are free to adapt the template and are encouraged to make it their own. But if you’re new to writing studies or you want to revisit the basics, H-B-L-T is a great place to start.