The Key to Life-Changing Biblical Engagement – ​​Biblical Studies

Photo by Brad Neathery–Freely

By Jeff Martin

A recent study surveyed 40,000 people ages 8 to 80 to see how people engaged with Scripture. The Center for Bible Engagement has compiled the extensive research findings of Arnold Cole and Pamela Caudill Ovwigho in “Understanding the Challenge of Bible Engagement: Scientific Evidence for the Power of 4.” While compiling the results, they made a profound discovery that they weren’t even looking for when they originally planned the survey.

The study indicated that when people engage in Scripture once a week, which might include a pastor instructing the congregation to “open their Bibles…”, there was a negligible effect on some key areas of their lives. The same result was true if people engaged in the Scriptures twice a week. The result amounted to little or no effect.

Three times a week I saw a small indication of life. There was a slight pulse, a faint heartbeat. Something was moved in the behavior of the person who engages in the Scriptures. The revelation happened when Bible engagement reached at least four times a week.

There are profound differences between people who engage with Scripture at least four times a week and those who engage with Scripture less frequently. click to tweet

A constant increase in impact would have been expected, but it was not. The level was basically flat during days one and two, with a small increase on day three. But when it came to day four, the effects kicked in in an amazing way. The surprising findings included the following:

• Feeling alone decreases by 30%
• Anger issues decrease by 32%
• Bitterness in relationships decreases by 40%
• Alcoholism falls 57%
• Sex outside of marriage falls 68%
• Feeling spiritually stagnant drops by 60%
• Viewing porn drops 61%
• Sharing your faith jumps 200%
• Discipling others jumps 230%

The research literally jumps off the charts. The findings underscore the truth that there are profound differences between people who consult the scriptures at least four times a week and those who consult the scriptures less frequently.

These data are extremely revealing. There is a great effort to prevent followers of Christ from reading the Bible every day.

People who get involved in the Bible one to three days a week report basically the same effect on their personal lives as those who don’t get involved at all. click to tweet

An integral part of these findings is that people who get involved in the Bible one to three days a week report basically the same effect on their personal lives as those who don’t get involved at all. The deceptive reality is that they can feel good about their activities without any sustainable results. They think they are being “good Christians,” but their lives are no different than people who are not Christians at all.

This can be devastating for a move. Limited activity is elevated to the same effect as constant activity, when in fact it is the same as no activity.

Limited activity is often elevated to the same effect as constant activity, when statistically it is the same as no activity. click to tweet

The reality is that with a lack of consistent engagement with the Bible defined as a minimum of four times a week, Christians have less confidence to share their faith with others and are more vulnerable to falling prey to false teachings, lethargy and apathy. in constantly living out your faith in your circle of influence.

Studies show that the best spiritual predictor among teens ages 13-17 was their engagement with Scripture.

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Similarly, examining children raised in the church, a Lifeway Research study found that the single most important factor in predicting their spiritual health as young adults is whether they read the Bible regularly as children.

The other side of the coin is equally conclusive and encouraging. The more Christians read or listen to the scriptures at least four times a week, the bolder they will be to share and grow in their faith. Your lives will begin to have a profound impact on those around you immediately. There will also be fewer times of stagnation in your spiritual growth. They will go viral on your faith.

The more Christians engage with Scripture at least four times a week, the more viral their faith will become. click to tweet

This mounting evidence of the impact of Scripture not only on individuals in a society, but on the very foundations of an entire society can lead to discouraging findings when you discover that most people do not communicate with their center of understanding. gravity and are cut, making them vulnerable to invasion. But the power of simplicity goes both ways. When a critical node is identified and brought back online, the entire system can be revitalized with surprising and rapid effect.

There is an answer. There is hope. Just keep it simple.

This article is an edited excerpt from Empower: The 4 Keys to Leading a Volunteer Movement With permission from B&H Publishing.