This guest Bible Gateway Blog post is by John D. Barry (@JohnDBarry), general editor of the NIV Faithlife Study Bible (Zondervan, 2017) (@NIVBible).
Bible illiteracy is on the rise, especially in the United States. We desperately need the transformative work of God in our hearts. Here’s why we’re failing to engage people with the Bible and what we can do about it.
1. The Real Problem Behind Bible Illiteracy
People are curious about the Bible—blockbuster films about the Bible and TV specials demonstrate this to be the case. Yet, engagement with the Bible itself is lacking; statistically, this has been proven to be the case.1 It’s ironic and disheartening but there’s hope.
If people are curious about the Bible, but lacking enough interest to read it and understand it, then perhaps the problem is with us who know the good book well. Maybe we need to do better.
2. We Need to Offer Guidance and Have Passion
If the Bible is as transformative as we claim it is, it should ignite an unquenchable passion in us. We must then take this passion and use it as a catalyst to tell others about the God we love and his book.
But we all know that passion is not enough. The Bible is often overwhelming and perplexing—interpreting the Bible is a messy and complicated business. The central message of the Bible is clear: God loves you and Jesus died for your sins so you can have relationship with him (John 3:16–17). Yet, what about those complicated passages that hard to understand?
We all have questions when we reach these passages—even those of us who specialize in the profession of Bible study. Imagine someone new to the Bible encountering the difficult passages.
We need guidance that’s interesting and compelling. I believe this comes in church community, but we also need study Bibles and Bible study tools.
3. We Need to Honestly Answer the Difficult Questions
Often all that stands between a person and faith is a question. But often we don’t approach matters of theology from the standpoint of helping someone explore their questions. Instead, we try to give them the common answer as quickly as possible.
The exploration stage of faith, even for those who are already committed to Jesus, is critical. An unexamined life is not worth living, as Socrates supposedly remarked.
Everyone knows there are multiple viewpoints on the Bible. And people are searching for answers to their difficult questions. We need to help them fairly engage issues of interpretation—presenting options and letting them decide for themselves. If we believe truth is really that, truth, then we must not be afraid of any questions people might have. We must trust the Creator of all truth to lead.
How we got the Bible was a long process. How to interpret a given passage is often open for debate. There are faithful Christians who widely differ on their interpretations of major issues, such as the end times. So why not help people engage with the difficulties? Feeding our curiosity for the Bible will draw us closer to its ultimate Author.
4. We Need to Express Our Beliefs
Expressing our beliefs in the God we love and serve is a great testimony to Jesus. People can see a life transformed. And there are few who can resist wanting the same for their own life.
We must put in a good word for Jesus, as my pastor so often remarks. And we must love people fully and compassionately. Our love is the way they’ll know we’re Christians (1 John 4:8; 1 Corinthians 13). This love is seen in a faithful and fair answer. This love is seen in walking alongside someone in his or her Bible study. This love is seen in our passion for Christ. This is how we fight Bible illiteracy.
1 See my articles, “Evangelicals Want Moral Government but Are Ignorant of the Bible” (November 5, 2012; ReligionToday.com, now ChristianHeadlines.com) and “How Western Christianity Lost Its Luster and a Solution” (July–Aug 2013; Bible Study Magazine, pg. 2). Compare the “State of the Bible 2016” by Barna Group and American Bible Society. ↑
[Read the Bible Gateway Blog post, 4 Ways Examining Multiple Views Will Transform Your Bible Study]
[Read the Bible Gateway Blog post, 6 Steps to Take Your Bible Study from Dull to Incredible]
John D. Barry is general editor of the NIV Faithlife Study Bible and the CEO of Jesus’ Economy, an innovative non-profit creating jobs and churches in the developing world. At JesusEconomy.org, people create jobs for the impoverished by shopping fair trade. They can also give directly to a cause they’re passionate about, such as creating jobs, planting churches, or meeting basic needs. 100% goes to the developing world. Anyone can join the movement at JesusEconomy.org.
The NIV Faithlife Study Bible (Zondervan, 2017) is filled with innovative graphics, rich commentary, and insights from multiple points of view—all designed to inform readers’ faith and to engage their curiosity, no matter where they are on their faith journey. To learn more, visit www.NIVFaithlifeStudyBible.com.
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