While many church congregations believe the Bible informs our faith and practice, few Bible engagement churches exist. That’s not to say that the Bible isn’t read or preached in most churches; it usually is. But it is to say that Bible engagement hasn’t permeated every facet of local church ministry.
Attributes of a Bible engagement church.
So, what are the attributes of an engaged church? Here are ten suggestions:
Aligns with Scripture.
An engaged church is where everything is aligned with Scripture, submitted to Scripture, and seen to be subservient to Scripture; in as much as when the Bible speaks, God speaks.
Prioritizes Scripture.
A Bible engagement church models the priority of Bible engagement. The Bible is opened in business meetings to inform decision-making, finances are disbursed according to the principles in God’s Word, weekly small groups study the Scriptures, and the church website, social media, bulletins, newsletters and PowerPoint announcements advocate for Bible engagement.
Values Scripture.
An engaged church is evidenced by everyone in the congregation knowing that Bible engagement is a high priority. Ask an individual in a church what’s special about their church, and if one of their top three answers is, “We value God’s Word,” then it’s possibly a Bible engagement church.
Interacts with Scripture.
A Bible engagement church fosters meaningful congregational participation and interaction with the Scriptures. It’s a disaster when, functionally speaking, a congregation thinks or acts as if Bible engagement is reserved for the pastor, experts or professionals.
Obeys Scripture.
An engaged church is a community of faith where people line up their lives with the Word. In other words, they’re living epistles. On a 24/7 basis, they’re striving (as the Holy Spirit empowers) to say and do what the Scriptures say they should say and do.
Integrates Scripture.
An engaged church intentionally integrates God’s Word into every aspect of the Sunday service. The Scriptures are read regularly and well, the content of the songs/hymns are biblically and theologically sound, the prayers are fueled by the Word, and the sermons consistently remind and reinforce the importance of connecting with the Word to connect with the One who is the Word.
Injects Scripture.
A Bible engagement church equips and teaches children, youth, adults and seniors how to engage with the Bible. Every person (all age groups) in the church has a Bible and a daily Bible reading guide. Scripture engagement resources, curriculum and tools are incorporated and injected into every church ministry, program or event.
Teaches Scripture Engagement.
An engaged church fully incorporates the Scriptures into the church’s discipleship and evangelism strategy. Congregation members are taught how to personally listen, read, pray, interpret, contemplate, study, imagine, memorize, journal, apply and share God’s Word.
Preaches Scripture.
A Bible engagement church has a pastor who preaches Word-soaked, Spirit-inspired, and Christ-centred sermons. The pastor finds ways to demonstrate that the Scripture text(s) for the sermon are more important than what will be said about the text(s). The preaching also takes seriously the oral and narrative nature of the Bible and incorporates sizeable readings of the Scripture.
Centralizes Scripture.
All told, an engaged church makes the Bible central to the church’s life so that people live it out as part and parcel of everything they do together. A Bible engagement church is, therefore, one where the congregation have learnt how to let God’s Word move, to be our voice in all the discussions we engage in, to be the main point in our preaching and teaching, to be the truth that we build our lives on, and to be the window through which we see Jesus.
Have your say. Share your insights. Is there something you’d add or subtract?
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Summary
A Bible engagement church fully aligns all aspects of its ministry with Scripture. God’s Word is central to every decision, activity, and interaction. It prioritizes connection with the Bible across the congregation, ensuring that everyone, regardless of age, is equipped to engage with the Scriptures daily. The church fosters a culture where the Scriptures are integrated into worship, disciple-making, evangelism, and all church activities. The pastor consistently preaches Bible-centered sermons. Ultimately, an engaged church ensures that the Bible shapes the lives and actions of its members, guiding them to live out its teachings and connect deeply with Jesus.
© Scripture Union Canada
