Advocacy for SE
Of this I am convinced: This side of heaven there is nothing more wonderful we could ever hold in our hands or engage with our minds than God’s Word as given to us in the Bible.
The author describes 25 ways of engaging with Scripture:
Survey the Word, Listen to the Word, Read the Word Silently, Read the Word Aloud (Privately), Read the Word Publicly, Discuss the Word, Hand-copy the Word, Study the Word, Cross-reference the Word, Stress the Word, Highlight the Word, Read the Word Responsively, Paraphrase the Word, Dramatize the Word, Sketch the Word, Read the Word Interpretively, Memorize the Word, Recite the Word Interpretively, Personalize the Word, Sing the Word, Hum the Word, Display the Word, Share the Word, Teach (or Preach) the Word, Do the Word! [more...]
BibleFresh is a joint initiative which aims to encourage and inspire churches across the UK to make the most of the year 2011, empowering Christians to a deeper level of engagement with the Bible. The initiative brings together nearly a hundred agencies to raise the level of biblical literacy across the UK, through the following four tracks:
- Bible Reading
- Bible Training
- Bible Translation
- Bible Experiences
The BibleFresh website now has a leaders' guide to download and will host other resources as 2011 approaches. [more...]
It is important for all of the local churches to be increasingly implicated in the translation project for the following reasons: It ensures that the translated Scriptures will be used after the New Testament’s publication, so that there will be a greater impact of the Holy Scriptures in the life of the Church.
The Cameroon Association for Bible Translation and Literacy (CABTAL) has a Church Relations department which seeks to involve local churches in the translation task from the very start of the project. It is their belief that the more the churches are involved in supporting the work, the more the published Scriptures will be used.
The August 2006 edition of CABTAL's "Scriptures Alive" magazine focusses on this part of their ministry, describing the many ways in which they are sharing the vision for Bible translation and Scripture Engagement: banquets, Sunday morning presentations in churches, speaking at general assemblies, attending New Testament dedications, visiting a Bible translation project, seminars at a Bible Schools and seminaries... [more...]
Only God's inspired Word changes people's lives. That's a fact. It's also a fact that fewer people than ever know that the answers to their problems are contained in that dusty book on their shelves.
The Center for Bible Engagement exists to encourage Bible reading and Bible study; to not only equip the reader with biblical answers to life's questions, but to foster a biblical lifestyle as well. [more...]
This is a 7-page summary in French of Wayne Dye's "Eight Conditions of Scripture Engagement". The awareness of the contribution of each of these eight factors can help in developing strategies to promote the use of God's Word.
For a more in-depth discussion of the Eight Conditions (in English), see the author's article in the IJFM journal. [more...]
"This is what we have been looking for." As I heard these words coming from the Amuesha teacher/preacher as he taught the newly translated Scripture to his own people, I sensed this moment as a tremendous breakthrough for the Amuesha people to be able to accept the message of the gospel as the fulfilment of their own view of religion.
The author reflects on ten factors that contributed to the positive response of the Amuesha people of Peru to mother-tongue Scriptures. These are summarized as: fulfilment of existing religion; motivation to change; confidence in those presenting the message; relevance of the gospel message demonstrated by those who believe it; simplification of the gospel message in the early days for easier understanding; biblical instruction in the vernacular rather than the national language; encouragement and use of local leaders rather than outsiders, including the expatriate translator; adequate degree of fluency of readers; availability of translated Scripture even in provisional form from the early days; and a degree of church organization to give a permanency of opportunity for Scripture use. [more...]
This blog is an attempt to create a forum in which to exchange ideas between those who are seeking to engage young people with the Bible in meaningful, powerful and relevant ways... Any thoughts, resources or inspiration I get regarding Bible Engagement issues will be posted here.
This blog is written by Marty Thompson, Bible ministry consultant with Scripture Union Queensland (Australia). [more...]
What’s the best way to read the Bible? Many people think it’s something like getting up real early every day and intensely reading the entire Bible every year... But is the pre-dawn snow plow routine really the best way for everyone to engage with God’s Word? Sure, it’s a good method, if you can keep it up. But what if you can’t? What if you aren’t a morning person? Or what if you’re new to the Bible? Or what if reading is difficult for you?
The Essential Bible Blog is written by Whitney Kuniholm, president of Scripture Union/USA. His blog entries are clear, positive and thought-provoking, motivating the reader to meet God in his Word. If the first few weeks of posts are anything to go by, this blog is one to follow for anyone involved in promoting Scripture Engagement. [more...]
Not only do we not know about the state of Scripture Use in our projects, we often don’t even know how many New Testaments or Bibles have been sold.
In an effort to define progress and success in Scripture Use, Hill proposes both national and project level goals. She then addresses the specifics on how to carry them out in an effective and sensitive manner. An appendix containing a survey of questions to the point is offered. [more...]
In all cases, engaging with God's word involves thinking, feeling, willing and doing. Minds are informed, hearts are touched, lives are changed. Engaging with Scripture is like participating in a culture or learning a language, which takes time, in which we immerse ourselves, so that it shapes who we are - so much so that we can't imagine our life without it.
This website from the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC) has articles, book reviews and thoughts to help believers engage with God's Word.
[more...]The resources gathered together in this part of the website, and as they continue to be added to over time, are intended to help disciples and churches of Jesus Christ in their ongoing engagement with the Bible, which will bring the delight and transformation that comes from lives shaped by engagement with God himself.
