The Essential Bible Blog

Bible Reading Revival Message Resonates Globally

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:12:00 +0000

I've just returned from a 23-day speaking trip to England, Scotland and South Korea. Before I left I wondered if my "Bible reading revival" message would resonate outside the USA. Now that I'm back, I realize I received a very clear answer.

I think the best way to help you understand what happened is to let you read my Mission Trip Report which has excerpts from a journal I kept on my trip and photos that were taken along the way (like the one of me preaching in bedroom slippers!) But here's the bottom line: after speaking 4 times in Scotland and 10 times in South Korea I discovered that the vision of Bible reading revival does resonate in different countries. And E100 is transferable to different cultures.

I’m now convinced that Scripture Union's "essential vision" is a global message and E100 is a global program. And it's spreading much faster than I ever imagined when God put the idea in my heart while I was doing my own devotions 10 year ago. Amazing!

Check out the Mission Trip Report I prepared for the folks who were praying for me. And if you were one of them...thanks so much!

FREE e-Book: The Essential Secret

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 20:40:00 +0000

How do you get “average Christians” to establish and maintain a habit of regular of Bible reading? That may seem like a rather mundane religious question; aren’t there more important issues for Christian leaders to think about? Maybe.

But I’m convinced that correctly answering that simple question is one of the most significant challenges and opportunities for the Western Church today.

Because the real issue behind the question is not just the renewal of a personal spiritual discipline. Rather, it’s the renewal of the Church itself.

So what I've done is write an e-book called The Essential Secret, and you are welcome to download it free. In it I’ve shared seven principles for getting entire churches reading and enjoying God’s Word. I've discovered that's really possible. For the past 10 years, Scripture Union has helped over 5,000 churches increase the level of Bible reading among their congregants through a program called The Essential 100 Challenge (E100®).

I wrote The Essential Secret because I want to share what we’ve learned from our experience with E100®; in essence, I want to give you “our secret sauce.” My hope is you’ll add some of what we’ve discovered to your ministry so that more of your people will begin reading and enjoying God’s Word.

Here’s a link to the free e-book: The Essential Secret. Feel free to forward it to your pastor or anyone who might be interested. Thanks!

(Much of the e-book content appeared in Uncover Magazine, a quarterly publication from the American Bible Society that is devoted to helping ministry leaders mobilize their congregations to engage God's Word)

Confessions of a Guilty Bible Reader

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:05:00 +0000

Let me tell you a secret. I don't read my Bible every day. Maybe I should feel guilty, especially since I’m the president of Scripture Union, a ministry whose mission is to help people of all ages meet God daily in the Bible and prayer. But I don’t, and here’s why.

Every morning, Sunday through Friday, I start my day in God's Word and prayer. But on Saturday morning I don't read my Bible. Instead, I get a cup of coffee and read the newspaper, every section, including all the Sunday advertising inserts, which always come a day early.

Why do I skip Bible reading on Saturday? Because I don't want to let it become a legalistic habit motivated by guilt. I take a day off to remind myself that a meaningful quiet time is not about punching in every day at the devotional clock. It's about developing a relationship with God.

Do you ever feel guilty about your devotional life? I think a lot of Christians do. That’s why I've written a new booklet, Confessions of a Guilty Bible Reader. It’s my attempt to honestly share some of the struggles and breakthroughs I’ve had as a lifelong Bible reader.

If you long for a closer, guilt-free walk with God, then I invite you to check it out. It has lots of stories and practical ideas to help you transform the basic discipline of Bible reading and prayer into an enjoyable daily encounter with God. (Click here to order Confessions of a Guilty Bible Reader.)

Uniting Around the Bible

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 03:59:00 +0000

With Lamar Vest and the signed
Uncover the Word Commitment

A lot of people think the Bible is a divisive book, and I know why. They see Christians arguing over it. They see churches splitting over it. They see publishers and ministries competing over it. Wouldn’t it nice if the world began to see Christians uniting over it? Well I’m happy to report there’s a new movement in the church to do exactly that, unite around the Bible. And you can be part of it.

With Pastor Rick Warren at the
Uncover the Word Summit

The movement is called Uncover the Word and it’s sponsored by the Forum of Bible Agencies and led by the American Bible Society. Earlier this month, nearly 300 Christian leaders from all sectors of the Christian church, gathered in Orlando for inspiration, challenge and most importantly, to sign the Uncover the Word Commitment, a document that declares our common commitment to God’s Word, the Bible, and our dedication to reading it, living it and promoting it together, something Scripture Union wholeheartedly supports. If you’d like to be part of this Uncover movement, I invite you to sign the Uncover the Word Commitment yourself.

The Uncover the Word movement will be sharing research and resources for encouraging more people to read God’s Word on a regular basis. But for now, the “man bites dog story” is this: Christians are beginning to unite around the Bible. As evidence of that, check out this opinion piece by ABS president Dr. Lamar Vest and his recent interview on Fox News:

The Case for "Worst Practices"

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:11:00 +0000

Next week I'm planning to attend The Uncover Summit, a 3-day event where over 250 Christian leaders will gather to consider the latest research on best practices in Bible engagement. But as I think about which speakers I want to hear, I find myself hoping that someone will make the case for "worst practices." Here's why.

Over the past few years, several ministries involved in the Bible cause, including Scripture Union, have spent time and money researching the most effective Bible engagement methods; we want find out what works. That's a good thing, and it has led to some important breakthroughs in our understanding of the impact of a regular Bible reading habit.

But we need to remember that "what works" is not just our methodologies, or programs or even our research "proving" that one approach is better than another. That's because the active ingredient in any Bible engagement program is God's Word and its ability to change lives.

Think of it this way. How many times have we heard about someone in a hotel room, drunk, depressed and suicidal, finding a Gideon Bible and coming to faith in Christ? And while I'm sure no one at the upcoming Summit would recommend getting drunk, depressed and suicidal as a best practice for an effective quiet time, nonetheless we have to acknowledge that there are times when that "method" has produced a positive outcome. And it has done so simply because "the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Heb. 4:12).

Of course, I'm not saying that we should forget about research, or that we should scrap our good programs and adopt "worst practices". But I am saying that all our efforts to develop and implement effective Bible engagement methods should lead us to a greater sense of awe at the power of God's Word to change lives, and a greater sense of humility about the role we play in that process. Because if we lose sight of that, we've missed the main point.

E100 Challenge for Every Church in the USA

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 19:04:00 +0000

I sometimes feel like “Johnny One Note.” He was a teenage boy in the Broadway musical, Babes in Arms, who organized a show to avoid being sent to a work farm. Johnny’s gift was the ability to hold one clear note, for a long time.

For the past 10 years I’ve been on a mission to share the vision I believe God put into my heart for a church-based "Bible reading revival." I’m convinced that the simple practice of meeting God every day in the Bible and prayer is not just a commendable spiritual discipline. It’s also the key to the renewal of the church itself.

So for the past year at Scripture Union, we’ve been working on the “E100® Every Pastor Project,” a plan to put our E100® Bible Reading Challenge into the hands of every pastor in the United States, and I’m happy to report that we’ve just launched the program.

We’ve developed an E100® Pastor’s Kit that explains all the details and includes a live sample of the key component, the E100® Daily Planner. If you're a pastor, minister or priest, or if you know one who might be interested in this program, I’d be happy to send you a FREE E100® Pastor’s Kit. Just call our office (1-610-935-2807 x401) or email us (info@scriptureunion.org).

One more thing. You've probably heard that the fall of 2011 is the 400^th Anniversary of the King James Version of the Bible. I believe it’s a perfect opportunity for church leaders to challenge the people under their spiritual care to “read the Bibles they already have.” So if you want to get your church involved in the E100® Bible Reading Challenge beginning in January 2012, you better get in touch with me…soon.

The Bible's Greatest Story

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:08:00 +0000

Would you be interested in a Bible reading program on the Bible's greatest story? Of course you would! Well, you're in luck because Scripture Union has just what you're looking for; it's called The Essential Jesus Challenge. It guides entire churches through 100 Old and New Testament readings on the story of salvation. Check out this video from our friends in New Zealand. Through a partnership of the Bible Society, Scripture Union and Wycliffe Bible Translators, The Essential Jesus Challenge is spreading across the country. Soon we'll be doing the same thing in the USA...and, Lord willing, around the world!

God's Word Brings Faith Alive

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 20:21:00 +0000

Do you believe God's Word has power to change lives today? This past weekend I spoke at the annual conference of Faith Alive, a lay witness ministry committed to spiritual renewal in the Episcopal Church. It was a wonderful opportunity to share my vision for church-based Bible reading revival. But the best thing about the weekend was not my messages. Rather, it was was the testimonies from Faith Alive leaders on the impact of reading the Bible.

One attendee shared that for the first half of his life he was afflicted with a debilitating stutter; it was so bad that he carefully planned his education, career and entire lifestyle around one anxious thought: I will never, ever be put in a position to speak in public. Then at age 24, as a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa, he attended a local church and to his shock was asked to read the Scripture passage out loud to the congregation.

The pastor, not knowing about the stutter, pressured him to read. As he stood in front of the church, he braced himself for yet another embarrassing struggle with his stutter. But to his amazement, as he began reading Ezekiel 37 about the Valley of the Dry Bones, his stutter disappeared! He was able to read the whole chapter with perfect clarity...and the stutter never returned. Today, the former stutterer is a parish priest who regularly reads, speaks and preaches in public with great effectiveness.

This weekend reminded me that Bible reading revival is not "my" vision. Rather, it's a reality and a spiritual power that has been alive among God's people for a long, long time. Let's pray that God causes it to spread like wildfire in our day.

What It Is

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Mon, 02 May 2011 21:33:00 +0000

Bible engagement is on the move! More Christian leaders are talking about it. And more Christian organizations are spending money on it. That's all good. But I've been thinking about what it is; does anyone have a definition of "Bible engagement" that the average Christian can understand and remember? Well guess what? I'm going to take a crack at it.

But before I do, let's consider "what it's not." Bible engagement is not something only clergy can do; it's for everyone. And it's not something for people with lots of Bible experience; it's for Bible newbies too. And it's not just for people who like to read thick, dusty books before the sun comes up; it's for people who are hungry for meaning all day long. OK...so what is it? Drum roll, please...

Bible engagement is"the process of taking in and living out God's Word for the purpose of knowing him better and experiencing him more."

You can remember that, right? Now let me break it down for you:

Taking in...which usually involves reading, but it can also involve hearing or watching or drawing or singing, or you name it. I just got a new iPad2 and I'm discovering there are lots of creative ways to take in the Bible's message (when I'm not goofing around with the other apps).
Living out...it doesn't do any good to be a Bible-know-it-all if it doesn't make a difference in your actions. That's called hypocrisy. Over the years I've discovered the most effective Bible study "method" is to do what it says. That's when I really understand what it means.
Knowing him better...theologians say the Bible is God's "self-revelation." No matter what Bible passage you read, always ask, "What does this teach me about God?" If you want to know God, read his Book.
Experiencing him more...the Bible is like God's personal journal; reading it connects us to his personality, his heart, and we begin to sense he is "with us." For real. That's when the Bible becomes life-changing.

So that's my shot at defining Bible engagement. But I'm not saying it's the only definition. How would you describe it? Add a comment to this blog post and let me know...what it is.

Narnia and the Bible Reading Secret

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:58:00 +0000

Have you seen the new movie, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader? It’s based on the third book in The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis. I was thinking about Narnia recently when suddenly it hit me that a famous detail in the story contains the secret to making the Bible come alive today. Let me explain.

As you probably know, one of the central images in The Chronicles of Narnia is the wardrobe. It’s through the wardrobe that the four children—Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy—enter into a whole new world where the lion king Aslan is alive, where Aslan is on the move. As the story unfolds, we learn that Aslan represents Christ; he's a picture of God incarnate. And that’s the secret: the Bible is like the wardrobe in Narnia.

Think about it; if our main focus in reading the Bible is relational, that is, to get to know the heart, mind and presence of God every day, then we enter into a whole new world where God is alive and God is on the move. But, if our main focus in reading the Bible is informational, that is, just to learn Bible facts, or gain Bible knowledge, or to stop biblical illiteracy in America, then we find ourselves in a frozen world, where it's more difficult to grow as a Christian.

So what’s the point of reading the Bible? It’s certainly not to become a Bible know-it-all. Rather, it’s to embrace Aslan. That’s what makes the Bible come alive today.

Bible Reading Revival in Albany

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 12:36:00 +0000

Last month I had the privilege of speaking three times to over 500 clergy and lay leaders in the Episcopal Diocese of Albany about the vision God has put in my heart for a church-based Bible reading revival. The truth is, I've been sharing this vision everywhere I can for over 10 years. But last month, an amazing thing began to happen.

My messages covered themes I've pondered for years--examples of Bible reading revival in the Scriptures and Church history, a new approach to Bible reading, a bigger vision for Bible engagement, plus an effective church-wide Bible reading program called The Essential 100 Challenge (E100).

But what amazed me this time is that God began stirring people to action. Bishop William Love took the lead by standing to say, "I'm committing to reading these Essential 100 passages myself and I'm inviting everyone in the Diocese to join me." After that, all 120 churches, reaching some 9,000 parishioners, agreed to take the Challenge with the Bishop.

In addition, people began thinking of creative ways to reach out with God's Word. A woman planned to start several E100 groups at the local university. A man felt convicted that his church didn't have pew Bibles so he made it his mission to find some. A parish priest convinced his Vestry to host a community barbecue where people could share their Bible reading testimonies.

A few weeks later, the Standing Committee in Albany passed a resolution which said, "The Standing Committee unanimously endorses and commends to the Diocese the E100 Bible reading plan by Scripture Union. The Standing Committee members commit themselves to complete the program and to encourage its use in their parishes."

I know it's just a beginning, but I believe God is igniting a Bible reading revival in Albany. Now I'm praying it spreads to other Dioceses in the Episcopal Church. And I pray it won't stop there. I pray it spreads like wildfire to the Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Catholics and yes, to seekers and non-believers too. I pray that God ignites a nationwide Bible reading revival, and I invite you to join me.

Top 10 Bible Engagement Books

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 17:27:00 +0000

It's the New Year and I bet you're already sitting around wondering what to do, right? Well, no need to panic because I've got the perfect solution, a do-it-yourself Bible Engagement Course based on my top 10 Bible engagement books. I'm convinced that reading these books could literally transform your experience of the Bible in 2011. So...you ready for the list?

Hang on...one comment before we begin. Because some are new to the notion of Bible engagement, I've organized the 10 books into a logical progression; they start with foundational issues and move to transformational issues (but you can read them in any order you want). And now, without further adieu, here are my top 10 Bible engagement books:

1. Understanding the Bible by John Stott. This is the best one-volume summary of the background and context of the Bible that you're ever going to find, written by one of my heroes. First published by Scripture Union nearly 40 years ago, it's a classic that should be on the shelf of every Bible reader. Great starting point in our little course.

2. The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? Somewhere along the way every Christian asks, "How do I know the Bible is true?" This slim volume focuses on the New Testament (because that's the target of most doubters) and nails the answer. Reading it will make you a confident defender of the Bible.

3. How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth, by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart. Once you understand the context and reliability of the Bible, you need some perspective on how to interpret the different kinds of writing it contains--narrative, laws, psalms, prophecy, Gospels, epistles and so on--plus a grasp of some basic hermeneutical principles. This book delivers all that in a readable format.

4. Shaped by the Word, by M. Robert Mulholland, Jr. Pastors and preachers often say, "God's Word changes lives." This book, by one of my mentors, helps us understand how that happens. It zeros in on the role of the Bible in the spiritual formation process.

5. Life with God, by Richard J. Foster. Understanding that the Bible is key to spiritual formation is step one. Step two is "re-learning" how to read the Bible so that spiritual transformation is possible. That's what Foster helps us do in this book.

6. Eat This Book, by Eugene Peterson. The author of The Message tackles an important question: how can Bible reading and prayer become a genuine dialog with God? If you're hungry for a Bible engagement experience that's more than just informational, this is the book for you. I love this book!

7. Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers, by Chris Hall. God's people have been reading the Bible for centuries. My friend Chris Hall adds depth to our understanding of Bible engagement by introducing us to how Athanasius, Chrysostom, Augustine and many other Church Fathers approached it. Those guys were good.

8. The Blue Parakeet, by Scot McKnight. To balance our historical perspective, we need to listen to some contemporary voices like McKnight's. His book steers around both liberal and conservative biases so we can catch a fresh vision of the big story of the Bible.

9. Hearing God, by Dallas Willard. How specifically does God speak to us through the words of Scripture, or through any other means for that matter? This book is the best answer to that important question that I've ever found, by one of the great spiritual writers of our day.

10. The Holy Bible. Of course, the best Bible engagement book ever is the Bible itself. No matter how many books you read and study about the Bible, there's no substitute for this: pray it in, live it out, every day. "That's what Bible engagement is all about, Charlie Brown."

OK, that's my top 10 list. What's on your top 10 list...what books would you add? Feel free to share them by posting a comment to this blog. Let's build a list of great Bible engagement books together. Thanks!

Good News About Bible Engagement

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 22:04:00 +0000

In my last post I mentioned a recent survey by The Pew Forum where atheists/agnostics scored higher in Bible knowledge than Christians. Doh! But this time, I want to tell you how I discovered the most significant and surprising outcome of the survey. It happened last week at the annual meeting of the Forum of Bible Agencies-North America, a group of Christian leaders that are in some way involved in "the Bible cause." You might expect such an event to be a real yawner, especially since the Bible is everywhere in North America already. What's to talk about? Actually, quite a bit. We invited Alan Cooperman, the man behind the Pew Survey of Religious Knowledge, to walk us through some of the key findings--that religion is very important to Americans, or that educational attainment is the single leading predictor of higher religious knowledge, or that...I hate to break it to you...a lot of Christians don't know their Bibles very well. So how did we respond? Did we booo, argue or kick him out for sharing such bad news? Far from it. We thanked Mr. Cooperman for helping us better understand the urgent need for Bible engagement among church-goers. Then an unexpected thing happened; at the end, we joined together for an impromptu prayer meeting (see the picture above). We called out to God for Bible reading revival; we asked God to unify us so that we could help people of all ages read and live his Word. Standing in that circle of prayer made me realize God had used a negative secular survey to ignite a positive ministry outcome. That's significant. So I invite you to join the circle; join us in praying for Bible reading revival in your church, your community and your country.

A New Vision for "National Bible Week"

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:45:00 +0000

Guess what? This is National Bible Week, the one time each year when US Christians unite to give three cheers for the Good Book. I'm all for that. There’s only one problem. It doesn't seem to be making much of a difference.

The most recent evidence came this fall when The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released the results of a major survey on religious knowledge in the United States. Among many questions about religion, participants were asked about their basic Bible knowledge. When all the data was tabulated, the findings were surprising:

A higher percentage of Mormons could name all four Gospels than Evangelicals
A majority of Protestants couldn’t identify who Job was
Atheists and agnostics scored higher than Christians in overall Bible knowledge

That’s not good. The question is, how should Christians respond? Should we all get copies of The Bible for Dummies so we can pull ahead in the next survey? Maybe. But I think a better response would be to begin planning now for a different kind of National Bible Week next year. Here's what I'd suggest.

First, let's start with a press conference to confess that the church has lost touch with its own Book. Second, let's all take a vow, that's right, an old fashioned vow (Psalm 116:14), not to buy another Bible until we've read through one we already have. Finally, let's announce a 10-year effort to get more church-goers reading the Bible. If we really want to ignite a Bible reading revival, that's what it'll take.

But does that mean we should forget about sharing God's Word with a needy world? Not at all! I'm convinced the best way to get non-believers into the Bible is not to post the 10 Commandments in the courthouse, or to fight for Bible reading in the public schools, or even to give out Bibles on the street corner. Rather, it's for believers to become passionate about reading and living God's Word themselves. When that happens, the church will have the spiritual credibility and power to say "come and join us." I can't wait for that kind of National Bible Week in 2011. How about you?

Archbishop Leads Bible Reading Campaign

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:21:00 +0000

Want to see how one church leader is working for Bible reading revival? Anglican Archbishop Robert Duncan is promoting The Essential 100 Challenge (E100) throughout his entire Diocese of Pittsburgh, and he's hoping to expand the program nationally in the future. Check out this 3-minute video clip of his remarks (click the triangle in the photo below).

Devotional Lab Rats

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 14:15:00 +0000

My friends at the Center for Bible Engagement (CBE) have researched how the Bible affects personal behavior. They call their key finding "scientific evidence for the power of 4." The bottom line is that reading or listening to the Bible four or more times per week leads to positive moral choices. More so than church attendance, or even prayer. That's significant. There’s only one problem: the research may tempt us to overlook the most important part of Bible engagement.

The CBE’s study isolates the frequency of a person’s engagement with the Bible; the goal, as stated in their conclusion, is “four scriptural touches a week.” But is frequency alone what makes the difference?

What if a study found "scientific evidence" that kissing one’s spouse four or more times per week produced a good marriage? I'd get right on it. Every Monday morning, first thing, I’d give Carol four pecks on the cheek, plus one extra for good measure. Bingo! I’d have a good marriage, right? I guarantee you, Carol wouldn't think so.

What makes kissing significant is not just “the number of touches.” It’s also the nature of those touches and the quality of the relationship behind them. That’s the perspective we need to hold in balance with the "4 or more" finding.

The CBE has done the church a great service in researching what faithful believers have known for centuries: regular Bible reading makes a big difference. But let’s be careful not to respond by reducing Bible engagement to frequency alone, otherwise we may increase the number of devotional lab rats in the church, but decrease the number who meet God every day in his Word. And ultimately, that's the most important goal.

Luis Palau Recommends Scripture Union

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:15:00 +0000

Scripture Union recently celebrated its 50th Anniversary in the United States (internationally SU was born in 1867 and is now active in 121 countries). As part of the festivities, we invited international evangelist Luis Palau to tell the story of how Scripture Union helped him begin the daily Bible reading habit. Check out this 2-minute clip of his remarks (click the triangle in the photo below).

Radical Christianity?

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:33:00 +0000

I have a suggestion for Terry Jones. He’s the Florida preacher with a flock of 50 who’s gotten worldwide attention for threatening to burn copies of the Koran on September 11. Everyone’s on his case for stirring up trouble. But the way I see it, Pastor Jones has a golden opportunity to do something really radical.

Instead of burning the Koran, why not publicly read the Bible? No one does that anymore. Good old Pastor Jones could read from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Or he might select from Paul’s letter to the Galatians, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Boy oh boy, would that shock people.

And here's another shocker. I'll bet you agree with Pastor Jones on one thing: you're frustrated and alarmed by the very real danger of terrorism in our world today. Me too. But here’s the question: what’s the right response, especially for those who claim to be followers of Jesus? Is it burning Korans and packing heat like Pastor Jones? I don't think so. The best thing any group of Christians could do on September 11, or any other day, would be to faithfully read and live out the life-changing message of the Bible. But then, you won't get on TV for doing that.

Biblical Illiteracy is NOT the Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:48:00 +0000

These days more Christian leaders are decrying the decline in Bible reading. “The problem in the church today…” they thunder, “…is biblical illiteracy!” Guilty “Amens” go up from the congregation. It’s a great line, but I'm not so sure it’s the real problem.

I am sure that Bible reading is decreasing; the research on that is clear. But is the solution to learn more about the Bible? I agree, it doesn’t look good if a high percentage of church-goers believe the Sermon on the Mount was a message Jesus delivered on horseback. Or that most people can name all four Beatles but not one of the twelve Apostles.

But it seems to me the real issue is not that Christians need to bone up on their Bible factoids. Rather, it’s that Christians need to discover what Bible engagement is; that’s what’s missing in the church today. The question is, what exactly is Bible engagement?

On a practical level it means there are different ways to take in the Bible’s message—reading, listening, discussing, watching, acting, drawing, etc. And on a philosophical level it means there are different outcomes that can result from connecting with the Word of God.

My observation is the outcome most Christians seek from reading the Bible is more biblical knowledge and truth, both of which are important. But the outcome that makes the Bible come alive is a sense that we’ve experienced the presence of the living God as we read and attempt to obey his Word. That’s what Bible engagement is all about.

So my challenge to Christian leaders who are genuinely concerned about the decline in Bible reading is this: stop telling us we’re biblical ignoramuses, and start encouraging us to meet God in his Word. Because ultimately, true Bible engagement is real God engagement. And that’s our deepest need.

The World's Best Bible Translation

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:09:00 +0000

Which is the best Bible translation of all time? Is it the KJV? The NIV? The ESV? The NRSV? The CEV? The HCSB? The NAB? The MSG? The NLT? Or is it my lunchtime favorite, the BLT?

Well, you'll be happy to know I've figured out which Bible translation is the best. I’m not talking about my personal preference; I'm talking about the absolute, undisputed best Bible translation in the world. And I'm going to tell you what it is.

But before I do, I want to ask another question: why do we need so many Bibles? With research showing a steady decline in Bible reading across America, shouldn’t the Church unite to address that issue? For starters, what if Christians agreed not to buy another Bible until they read through one of the many they already have?

And another question: why do Christians judge each other over which translation they favor? Are you a liberal if you read the NRSV? Are you a conservative if you use the KJV? Are you an Evangelical if you feel comfortable with the NIV? Are you a true believer if you’ve switched to the ESV? How tragic if Christians fought a battle for Bible translation among themselves, while losing the war for Bible engagement in society.

OK, back to my original question: which is the best Bible translation of all time? That's easy. It's the one you read and apply every day, and that’s the only one Scripture Union endorses. You can't argue with that, now, can you?

It's Bible Bail-Out Month!

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:06:00 +0000

February is "Bible Bail-Out Month." By my calculation it's the time when most people bail out on their New Year's Bible reading resolution...and I know why.

One of the myths of the Christian life is that you should read through the Bible every year, the whole enchilada or else. And it doesn't count unless you use the snow plow method, that is, you start reading Genesis in January and you plow all the way to Revelation by December.

But that's why February is Bible Bail-Out Month. It's the time when most people get to Leviticus, and uh-oh, the Bible reading plow bogs down. What follows is a few weeks of guilty inaction that can be relieved only by picking up a copy of Our Daily Bread at the back of the church. "Oh well, maybe next year."

My suggestion is that instead of trying to swallow the entire Bible ever year, we make it our New Year's resolution to get a steady diet of God's Word every day. And let's not worry if we miss a few days throughout the year. Trust me, you will.

Just find a Bible reading plan that takes you to all parts of the Bible, reading a chapter or less per day, then stick with it. And if you fall behind, take the Bible reading advice my Dad gave me years ago, "Start today, and go forward." It's our enemy who wants to turn Bible reading into a guilt-driven chore. It's our Heavenly Father who's waiting to meet with us in his Word.

What really makes a difference in our spiritual lives is not how much of the Bible we read every year. Rather it's how much of the Bible we remember and apply every day. So make that your goal, starting today.

Bible Reading Revival in New Zealand?

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:27:00 +0000

Want to see a real live example of community-based Bible reading on a nationwide scale? Check out this video from New Zealand where the Bible Society, Scripture Union and Wycliffe Bible Translators are joining forces to promote The Essential 100 Challenge to every church in the country beginning this month.

Bible Glut in the Public Square

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:37:00 +0000

I'm baffled by Christians who spend so much energy complaining that the Bible is being pushed out of the public square. Why? Because it isn't true. Oh sure, there are plenty of people in our pluralistic society who don't obey God's Word, even some who publicly disrespect it. But that's a different issue, one that's been with us since the Garden of Eden.

Think about this: Over 90% of American households own one or more Bibles. You can borrow a Bible from any public library. You can buy a Bible from any bookstore; ironically, there are more Bibles in Barnes and Noble than most Christian bookstores. Not only that, the Bible is freely available online in multiple translations and languages, from sites like BibleGateway and YouVersion.

I would contend that the Bible isn't being pushed out of the public square. In the Western world, and especially the United States, the reverse is true: we have a glut of Bibles. The real problem is we don't regularly read the Bible or faithfully live out its message. Why not put more energy into addressing that issue?

My encouragement to Christians who, like me, want to see the Bible become a more pervasive influence in society is this: start with "the household of God." On any given Sunday, 45% of Americans attend a worship service. If just half of these church-goers became more regular in their Bible reading it would not only renew the church, but also do more to influence our neighbors for God than anything else we could do.

The best way to win the culture war is not for Christians to hyperventilate about those who don't believe the Bible. Instead, it's for the church to "read it and live it" themselves. Until we do that, our message and our mission will never be fully successful.

Customer Service for the Bible

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:17:00 +0000

Have you ever wished there was a customer service department for the Bible? For sure, the Bible has a lot of wonderful features and benefits built in. But when you think about it, most people have difficulty using the “product.” Research shows that Americans are buying more and more Bibles, but reading them less and less. What’s a good way to solve that “consumer problem”?

Recently I bought a new TV at Best Buy, a 37” Toshiba 720p Flat-Panel LCD HDTV. Oh baby! When I got it home, I couldn’t wait to set it up. I yanked open the box and the first thing I looked for was the “start-up guide,” a short booklet that provided the basic information I needed to begin enjoying my new purchase right away.

Then it hit me. That’s what we need for the Bible, a start-up guide. So I’ve just written a new e-Book called The Bible Reading Start-Up Guide. My goal was to provide the practical help you need to begin enjoying God’s Word every day, whether you’re new to the Bible or have been reading it for years.

And guess what? It’s free. Just click the picture above or the links in this post and it’s yours; no strings attached. Feel free to add the link to your Facebook or MySpace page, even your church’s website. In fact, feel free to share The Bible Reading Start-Up Guide with anyone who needs a little “post-purchase support” for their Bible. Enjoy.

Community-based Bible Reading

noreply@blogger.com (Whitney T. Kuniholm) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:35:00 +0000

You want to know why pastors have trouble motivating their people to read God’s Word? It’s not for lack of Bibles. We have plenty of them. And it’s not for lack of good preaching. Most pastors regularly emphasize the importance of the Word.

It’s because our default method of Bible reading—what I like to call the “Lone Ranger Method”—is hard to sustain. Research shows that people just don't read the Bible on their own every day. The Lone Ranger was a good sheriff, but I bet he was a bad Bible reader.

So, what’s the solution? What would motivate more people in your church to read the Bible more consistently? I think it’s a new paradigm called “Community-based Bible Reading.” What’s that?

Community-based Bible Reading is when a significant number of people in a congregation commit to reading the same Bible passages, together, over time. Each day, they read the same passage individually. Each week they talk about these same passages in groups. Each Sunday they hear these same passages preached about in a sermon.

When a large enough core group is focusing on the same passages together, it creates a motivational updraft for Bible reading. People who struggle with the Lone Ranger Method are pulled along by the positive reinforcement all around them.

And the side effects of Community-based Bible Reading are significant. When many people are reading the same passages together, that’s what they talk about. They have a common experience in the Word to relate their lives to.

A pastor in a mainline denomination who tried this approach once told me, “The simple practice of having my people read five Bible passages in the week, which I then preach from on Sunday, has transformed my church.” That’s Community-based Bible Reading.