Author Kay Arthur, known for inductive Bible studies, dies

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Kay Arthur speaks at the 2011 National Religious Broadcasters convention. National Religious Broadcasters

Author Kay Arthur, known for inductive Bible studies, dies

Prolific Bible study author Kay Lee Arthur died Tuesday in Chattanooga, Tenn. She was 91, according to Precept, a ministry she co-founded. She was known for popularizing the inductive Bible study method, which uses stages of observation, interpretation, and application to draw conclusions from Scripture. Arthur wrote more than 100 books and from 1999-2019 hosted the Precepts for Life Bible study television program broadcast over 30 countries, according to Precept. She received numerous awards including the National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame Award. Though diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020, Arthur continued to serve at Precept until her death.

On Wednesday morning, funeral plans weren’t established. Her family is planning a private service but will make a video livestream available for the public, according to Precept.

What was Arthur’s background? Born in Jackson, Mich. in 1933, Arthur moved frequently during her early years. She earned her nursing degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. She married Tom Goetz and had two sons, Tom and Mark, but the couple divorced after several years. After a period of difficulty, Arthur accepted Christ at age 29, according to Precept.

While studying at Tennessee Temple University, Arthur met missionary Jack Arthur, according to Precept. They married in 1965 and served as independent missionaries in Mexico, where their son David was born. After several years, they returned to the United States, and Arthur began leading Bible studies for teenagers at her Chattanooga home.

As the studies grew, Arthur and her husband purchased a 32-acre chicken farm in 1970 to serve as a ministry center. Originally named Reach Out Ranch, the center later became Precept. Arthur began writing Bible study books and running boot camps for teenagers in 1975, and hosted her first weekly television program a few years later. Her ministry grew to reach 190 countries in more than 110 languages, according to Precept.