How to measure Scripture engagement …
Since Scripture engagement is crucial to the spiritual health and growth of individuals and communities (churches, schools, Bible agencies, ministries), it is helpful to understand “the conditions necessary for such growth to be sustained – to become permanent – and to continue” (Mark Forshaw, Global Scripture Impact).
Here’s how some key organizations/groups/agencies measure Scripture engagement:
Barna Group.
Collects data for the ABS State of the Bible study by using a four-part typology based on people’s view of and level of engagement with Scripture. A person is categorized/described as Bible engaged, Bible friendly, Bible neutral or Bible skeptic.
Biblica.
It uses a tool that measures the Scripture engagement elements of translation, access, literary form, holistic reading, context awareness, narrative understanding and story activation.
Canadian Bible Forum.
A quantitative survey by Angus Reid Strategies and a qualitative study by The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada to measure why Canadians do or do not connect with the Bible. Findings reported in the Canadian Bible Engagement Study.
Center for Bible Engagement.
Use surveys to gather data from individuals to measure life transformation levels of weekly Scripture engagement. It goes beyond simple usage of statistics to consider attitudes and behaviours that significantly impact spiritual growth and a person’s relationship with God.
Global Scripture Impact (American Bible Society).
Measure Scripture engagement by measuring the behavioural signs of ‘willingness,’ ‘understanding,’ and ‘action’ as indicators of people moving toward spiritual maturity/embodying Christ.
LifeWay Research.
Conduct quantitative and qualitative research utilizing question samples from the Transformational Discipleship Assessment (TDA) and the Transformational Groups (TG) research projects.
REVEAL.
Research the role of Scripture engagement in catalyzing spiritual growth. Use a set of survey items to determine what motivates people to engage with Scripture and what affects their exposure to Scripture.
Scripture Union Canada.
Use the quantitative Measure of Reading/Connecting with the Bible literacy gauge and assess qualitatively how people connect with, come alive to, invest in, submit to, rely on, receive from, and act in line with Christ and His Word.
Taylor University Center for Scripture Engagement.
Conducts quantitative and qualitative research to measure the frequency of interaction with the Bible, the extent to which a person has the Bible as a focal center in their spiritual life, the breadth of contexts whereby a person interacts with the Bible, kinds of interactions a person has with the Bible, and the views people have of the Bible. The tools used for the research are the Christian Life Survey, Christian Identity and Scripture Engagement Survey, Scripture Engagement Interviews, Scripture Engagement Field Interviews.
How to measure Scripture engagement. If you know about research that hasn’t been mentioned in this post, please share what you know.
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Working Definitions of Scripture Engagement
Summary
Measuring Bible engagement involves evaluating how individuals interact with Scripture in various ways, from frequency and context to personal attitudes and behaviours. Key organizations, like the Barna Group, categorize people based on their views and levels of engagement with the Bible, while others, like Biblica and the Center for Bible Engagement, use detailed tools and surveys to assess how deeply individuals engage with the Bible’s narrative and teachings. The Canadian Bible Forum and REVEAL focus on understanding motivations and spiritual growth, while organizations like the American Bible Society and LifeWay Research track behavioural changes and spiritual maturity through Bible engagement. Many institutions, including Taylor University and Scripture Union Canada, blend quantitative and qualitative methods to measure the impact of Bible engagement on personal transformation and spiritual life.
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