How do we use the Bible?

It's an old cliche that we're all theologians, and the only question is, what kind of theologian are we? Some of us are lazy, others are rebellious; some are dead & dry, others are fluffy and unclear, and so on.
But I was reading yesterday "Life in the Trinity" by Don Fairbairn, and he was suggesting that too often we read the Bible to find things to do or doctrines we must believe, and while each has its place, there is a more important search to be undertaking as we read.
If God is calling us to a relationship with Christ, surely we should be reading our Bibles to find out more about him - the one to whom we relate. Doing may be an important outworking of our sonship in Christ, but what we do flows from, and is motivated by, our knowledge of, and intimacy with, Christ. Sound doctrine is important, but only in that it describes how and why God has brought us into relationship with Christ. There are those who like to dot the 'i's and cross the 't's of their - or more often others' - doctrine, but one sometimes wonders if they've actually met the Trinity who is the author and subject of their sound doctrine.
As an historical theologian, Fairbairn has a high regard, and extensive knowledge of, the church fathers, and his emphasis on the importance of our relationship with Christ over-above doctrinal argumentation for its own sake seems to have come from Gregory of Nazianzus who begins his First Theological Oration with a long (and at times lol funny) polemic against those who spend their time asking theoretical questions out of idle curiosity rather than engaging with Christ himself. [The on-line version I've linked to here is not the easiest to read - Williams &Wickham's translation is a little easier, but you have to pay for it!].
Historical theology of this kind is not my usual reading matter, but I've been sent a long reading list in preparation for the Cambridge Summer School of Theology at which Fairbairn is speaking. It promises to be a stimulating week, but I've only got a couple of months now to read: Gregory of Nazianzus, Fairbairn himself, Grudem, McGrath, and various historic confessions. Hopefully they will provide further stimulating thoughts...