Distractions and Diversions: The Best Version of the Bible
What is the best version of the Bible? That’s an important question. And the answer is the ________________ (fill in the blank). Distractions and diversions. Personally, I don’t think preferences for one Bible version or another are that important! In fact, it saddens me deeply that there are churches and Christians who will not associate […]
When the Going Gets Tough: How to Overcome Dry Bible Reading
When the going gets tough. Someone recently said, “I’m embarrassed to say this, but I must admit that my Bible reading’s dry – I’m getting nothing out of it. I’ve been reading the Bible for fifty years, and it’s been a grinding routine for the past two years.” “I know”, I replied. “Sometimes it can […]
How to Read the Bible Holistically: Contemplating the Whole Story
How to read the Bible holistically … Contemplating the whole Story. How do you read the Bible? A little bit of this, a little bit of that? A verse here, a verse there? Some folk slice and dice it – treat it like a piecemeal diet. What about you? Is your Bible reading just the […]
New Year Resolutions: Improving Your Bible Reading
Improving your Bible reading … The beginning of a new year signals a new start. Many of us get freshly motivated to do better than the previous year. Christians often think about how they can improve their Bible reading. The trouble is they tried that last year and the year before, and when they hit […]
Bible Reading and Polarization: Why People Don’t Read the Bible
Bible reading and polarization … Many Canadians don’t read the Bible. When asked why, many people say they’re too busy, and some say they have no interest in doing so. [Source: The 2009 National Bible Engagement Survey conducted by SGM Canada with 1259 people of all age groups in 18 cities in 9 provinces. The […]
Why Pastors Should Prioritize Bible Engagement
Why pastors should prioritize Bible engagement … The single most beneficial thing pastors can do for their congregations is help them read and reflect on the Scriptures. Bible engagement is critical for spiritual health and growth. Bible reading coupled with reflection is the primary catalyst for developing mature Christians. In fact, Scripture reflection has twice […]
Why Do You Read the Bible? The True Purpose Behind Bible Study
Why do you read the Bible? Why do you read the Bible? People mainly read it for their personal needs. A 2009 Canadian case study on Bible reading revealed that people read “for guidance, knowledge and direction” (28.2%), “for help, reassurance and comfort” (26.4%), “for understanding, answers and perspective on life” (21.5%), or to know/learn […]
Bible Engagement Revival
Bible engagement revival … Revival is intimately linked to Bible engagement. The 19th Century Swiss Protestant theologian and church historian Philip Schaff wrote: “Every true progress in church history is conditioned by a new and deeper study of the Scriptures.” That is to say, every spiritual awakening has sprung from and been fuelled by God’s […]
Why Read the Bible?
Why should we read the Bible? Google “Bible Reading,” and dozens of Bible agencies, ministries, churches and individuals invite people to read or listen to the Bible. To help us read/listen to the Bible, they offer an extensive range of plans, charts, guides, schedules, approaches, programs, challenges and resources. The information on the sites offering […]
Letting the Scriptures Speak: Read the Bible For What It Truly Is
Letting the Scriptures speak … Read the Bible for what it truly is. In 1992, I attended a two-week graduate course on Relief and Development at Eastern Mennonite Seminary in the USA. During the opening session, the professor asked the group of fifty or so students to describe how they pictured God. With few exceptions, […]