Studies have found a strong correlation between reading the Bible and church participation, mission, and evangelism (links below). One pastor wrote that “reading the Bible generates life, it produces change, it heals hurts, it builds character, it transforms circumstances, it imparts joy, it overcomes adversity, it defeats temptation, it infuses hope, it releases power, it cleanses the mind.” Research has confirmed this. When we read the Bible, we can expect to be transformed as individuals and as a community. God has personally communicated to us and has worked through people and history to preserve how he has ultimately spoken through his Son, Jesus Christ. We have been given an incredible gift: The Word of God. An atheist friend of ours said, “I ask Christians all the time if they read their Bible and they often say ‘No.’ Seriously? If I believed I had a book written by God I would read the s**t out of that book!” Perhaps this is a tad crass, but it’s a solid, solid point. In our biblically illiterate culture, many people “increasingly don’t read their Bibles, don’t’ engage their Bibles, and don’t know their Bibles.” In fact, 23% of us didn’t even read a single book last year. Studies have shown that both inside and outside the church there is a serious problem of biblical illiteracy. The sad reality is that we’re missing out on encountering the living God through his living Word. But it is true that most Canadians don’t read their Bible.
But did you know that only about 14% of Canadians read the Bible at least once a month? That’s why more than 86% of Canadians are going bald! Okay, we made up the going bald statistic.
He penned these words, “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me, it has feet, it runs after me, it has hands, it lays hold on me.” Don’t you love that imagery? The Bible is the backbone of our faith. Martin Luther, the 16th century Reformer loved himself some Scripture.
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