Breathing Scripture in the church …
I wonder what 16th-century Protestants would think of today’s local churches if they could drop in for a visit. Sola Scriptura was the rallying cry during the Reformation, and many fought and died for the Bible to be pre-eminent over church traditions or practices that were un-biblical or extra-biblical. In varying degrees, it seems like something of the Sola Scriptura focus has been lost in the 21st-century Church. While the Church generally uses the Bible to provide an underpinning for teaching and life instruction, the Scriptures aren’t always the primary authority in directing all we say and do.
So why should the Scriptures be interwoven into everything we say and do in the local church? The REVEAL study by Willow Creek Community Church (USA) suggests one exceptionally good reason – to nurture spiritual maturity.
In the REVEAL study book, MOVE: What 1,000 Churches Reveal About Spiritual Growth, Hawkins and Parkinson say that embedding the Bible in everything is one of the top four practices of disciple-making churches. In fact, the top five percent of churches in the REVEAL study that successfully nurtured spiritual maturity were churches that “breathed Scripture.” When churches breathe Scripture, they’re asking, “What does the Bible have to say about that?” The answers to this question inform and direct every activity of the church.
Breathing Scripture . . . how many churches apply the Bible to everything they say and do? Looking at some of the things done or not done in our churches, I wonder . . .
Is your church breathing Scripture? If not, maybe it’s time to take up the ancient rally cry of Sola Scriptura. David’s oft-repeated proclamation was, “I have chosen your precepts” Psalm 119:173 (NIV). Pray that people will come to know today’s church for its total allegiance to the Scriptures.
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Summary
Breathing Scripture in the church: The 16th-century Protestant emphasis on Sola Scriptura is fading in many 21st-century churches, where the Bible is often not the primary authority in guiding all activities. The REVEAL study highlights that churches which “breathe Scripture”—embedding the Bible into every aspect of their practices—are the most successful in nurturing spiritual maturity. By consistently asking, “What does the Bible have to say about that?” these churches ensure that Scripture informs everything they do. A return to this Scripture-centered approach, rooted in the ancient rallying cry of Sola Scriptura, could help churches regain their focus on spiritual growth and biblical allegiance.
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