Making God’s Word Accessible to Everyone, Everywhere
Making God’s Word accessible … For everyone everywhere. Through the grace of God, we’re privileged to live in the era of making the Bible more accessible and freely available today in more formats than ever before. Thanks to the great work of many Bible agencies and organizations, virtually everyone everywhere can read, hear and see […]
Bible Engagement Preaching
Bible engagement preaching … There are approximately 37 million churches worldwide and 34,000 (Christian) denominations. If every church has only 1 service a week (most churches have more than 1 service), about 2 billion sermons are preached yearly! That’s a lot of sermonizing, meaning the Bible is the most talked-about book in the world! The […]
Correctly Handling the Word of Truth
Correctly handling the Word of Truth… Teaching truth correctly. One of the last things Paul told Timothy was, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” 2 Timothy 2:15. Note the phrase “correctly handles the […]
Cultivating Bible Engagement
Cultivating Bible engagement … The challenge of Bible engagement. Many pastors urge their congregations to read/hear the Bible personally. Many local churches freely offer Bible reading plans or daily devotional books. Now and again, churches have special events (e.g. Bible Sunday) to encourage individuals to get into the Word. Yet despite what’s being done to […]
Preach the Word: The Need for Bold, Convicting Preaching
Preach the Word … The focus of modern preaching. In many local churches today, the preaching mainly emphasizes what’s positive, encouraging and inspiring. Heart-warming messages are the order of the day. Helping people deal with their felt needs is part of the regular Sunday diet. And enticing seekers to come and hear next week’s message […]
Re-reading the Bible
Re-reading the Bible … Once, while doing some street outreach, I asked a lady if she read the Bible. “Yes,” she said, “Many years ago, I read it from cover to cover.” “Do you still read it?” I asked. With a face registering surprise, she said, “Why would I do that? I’ve read it once, […]
Hand-Copying Scripture
Hand-copying Scripture … “Apply yourself totally to the text; apply the text totally to yourself” – Motto in the 1734 edition of the Greek New Testament. One of God’s special requirements for the kings of Israel was that they would hand-copy Scripture. When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on […]
Consumerism and Bible Engagement
Consumerism and Bible engagement … Consumerism is a huge stumbling block to Bible engagement. It’s a stumbling block because the perspectives, values, and attitudes that inform the essence of consumerism (selfishness, self-centredness, and entitlement) are the antithesis of the perspectives, values, and attitudes that connect us with Jesus and His Story. Consumerism is the dominant […]
Professionalism and Bible Engagement
Why are there so many people sitting in church services Sunday after Sunday who never, or rarely, read (hear, listen, connect), reflect, remember, and respond to God’s Word? In another article, Unleashing the Bible in the Church, three obstacles to Bible engagement were identified – pastors who don’t get it, people who don’t want it, […]
Dramatizing Scripture
Dramatizing Scripture … “I hear, I forget. I see, I remember. I do, I understand” – Ancient Proverb. Bringing artistry and Scripture together. When God created us, He adorned our lives with humour, pathos, fragility, and strength. These unique traits provide brilliant opportunities for artistry and Scripture to come together. Little wonder the prophets of […]