Bible engagement barriers and bridges …
The article “Scripture In Mission: Three Major Priorities In Eradicating Bible Poverty” by the Lausanne Movement Scripture in Mission Multiplex Resource Team identifies how “Bible poverty” is due to several barriers that hinder people from connecting with the Bible. The barriers include “ignorance, indifference or contempt for the Scriptures, the busyness of life, admiration of technology, being flooded with entertainment, the strangeness of the Scriptures relative to life in the 21st century, beliefs about what can be known, and the centrality and autonomy of the individual.”
If we’re going to deal with Bible poverty (i.e., help people connect with the Bible), we need to figure out how the barriers to Bible engagement might be bridged. So, what bridges help us span the difficulties that prevent us from connecting with the Bible? Here are three suggestions:
The bridge that moves “me” to “we”.
Individualism is killing Bible engagement. There must be a shift from reading/hearing the Bible primarily for personal benefit to reading/hearing the Bible primarily for the benefit of the faith community. Form must follow function. For Bible reading/hearing to be more communal (and biblical), it needs to be family-focused. That is, Bible engagement should centre on practices or methodologies that prioritize and cultivate family engagement with God’s Word. The Scriptures are very clear on this point – we should engage with God’s Word in ways that enable us to pass it from one generation to the next (cf. Deuteronomy 6:7, Psalm 78:1-8).
What does this look like in practice? For some, it may be homeschooling with a curriculum rooted in the Scriptures. For others, it may involve regular discussions stimulated by intergenerational Bible reading/reflecting guides. And for others, it may be family devotions in the evening.
The bridge that moves “screen” to “wean”.
Screen-based technologies like TVs, smartphones and tablets radically compete with or hinder time spent reading, reflecting, remembering and responding to God’s Word. Technology isn’t neutral; it shapes and alters our physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual environments. It also devours our free time, limiting or negating engagement with God’s Word.
How can we meaningfully hide the Word in our hearts or live according to the Bible (cf. Psalm 119:9-11) if it’s more important for us to be texting, checking Snapchat, or logging into Instagram? For Bible engagement to thrive, we must significantly reduce screen time. Like a baby being weaned from milk to solids, we must be weaned from the screen to the scriptures. What does this look like in practice? For some, it may mean deactivating Facebook, cancelling Netflix, or selling the game console. For others, it may be monitoring how much time is spent each day using devices with screens. And for others, it may be a spouse or friend who helps them prioritize time by reading and discussing the Scriptures daily.
The bridge that moves “know” to “grow”.
Bible commentators Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart say that “the single most serious problem people have with the Bible is not with lack of understanding … but obeying it – putting it into practice.” There are two forms of Bible poverty – when some people don’t have the Word and when some people don’t live the Word (cf. Amos 8:11, Matthew 7:24-27). One happens when the Scriptures aren’t accessible, and the other when the Scriptures aren’t acted on. Concerning the latter, the Bible clearly states, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” James 1:22. What does this look like in practice? It means we should receive God’s Word as a message from the Lord and not put off for tomorrow what we should do today.
A final thought: The difficulties encountered in building bridges over barriers are human, not divine. God isn’t limited by the obstacles that prevent people from connecting with His Word. While we may struggle to engage with the Bible—and through it, with the One who is the Word, Jesus Christ—we must remember that we can overcome these challenges through Christ who strengthens us (cf. Philippians 4:13).
Please join the conversation. What challenges have you faced in engaging with the Bible? Share your thoughts about Bible engagement barriers and bridges in the comments below.
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Summary
The article discusses the barriers to Bible engagement, including individualism, distractions from technology, and a lack of action in living out the Word. It offers three practical “bridges” to address Bible poverty: shifting from individual to communal Bible engagement, reducing screen time to prioritize Scripture, and moving from mere knowledge to living out the Bible’s teachings. These bridges emphasize family-focused practices, conscious reductions in screen use, and the importance of applying God’s Word in everyday life. Ultimately, it reminds us that while barriers may exist, we can overcome them.
© Scripture Union Canada
2 Corinthians 4:5
