There is one book that has stood the test of time—the Bible. This book has been a source of controversy since its inception. Its words have inspired greatness, been the cornerstone of nations, and have caused conflicts. The Bible’s contents have been honored, cherished, twisted, and abused. It has been called holy, a fairytale, and the source of wisdom. For the church, this book is the source and revelation of her faith. The Holy Bible is comprised of sixty-six books written over a span of 1,600 years by approximately 40 different authors. How can one book result in so many different responses? The key lies in its interpretation and how humans understand and apply its contents. The Christian understands, or at least should, that the Holy Bible is comprised of the very words and breath of God. 2 Timothy 3:16 explains that all Scripture was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Using human agents, God penned these inspired words to tell the story of himself, his creation, his redemptive plan, and the institution and completion of his kingd

Understanding the nature of the Bible shows how Scripture is paramount for the Christian’s life, mission, and sustenance. Recent studies have shown, despite its high importance, biblical literacy is in crisis among the church. This crisis of biblical literacy has left the American church, in large, starving. Kenneth Berding of Talbot School of Theology describes this crisis as a “famine of biblical knowledge.”[1] It is no secret that we live a in a post-Christian society that has begun to infiltrate the church. As a result, many Christians have settled for one meal of biblical food twice a week. We are literally starving ourselves spiritually. To evidence this George Gallup and Jim Castelli lament “Americans revere the Bible–but, by and large, they don’t read it. And because they don’t read it, they have become a nation of biblical illiterates.”[2] A recent Barna poll shows that 12 percent of adults believe that Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife.[3] A large number of polled adults believe that Billy Graham preached the Sermon on the Mount.[4] If we are missing a basic knowledge of the Bible, imagine how this affects our spiritual development and shapes our view of God. It is no surprise that this inevitably affects the mission of the church.

We must ask ourselves, what the cause of this decline in biblical literacy is. First, we are a people of many distractions. In a world of instant gratification and in a technology driven age we are not lacking distractions in our daily lives. Americans spend an average of 7 hours and 3 minutes a day in front of a screen.[5] If you throw in an 8-hour workday and other responsibilities it is easy to see we are a distracted people.

Apart from distractions, many churches lack expositional preaching in their Sunday worship services. Expositional preaching teaches the congregation how to study the Bible, ensures the messages relevance, and affirms a high view of Scripture.[6] Finally, the average churchgoer lacks the tools and knowledge of biblical interpretation. For instance, how do you interpret a passage of Scripture that was written to an audience over 2,000 years ago? This blog will address these problem areas in the future.

In the interim, consider joining or starting a small group dedicated to inductive Bible study. Beginning a Bible reading plan is also a great way to ensure you are staying in the Word and supplementing the two hours you may get at normal church gatherings. Finally, listen to expository preaching. A few good teachers to consider are John MacArthur, Voddie Baucham, and Paul Washer. Take control of your biblical literacy today.

[1]  “The Crisis of Biblical Illiteracy,” Biola Magazine – Biola University Blogs, accessed November 22, 2024, https://www.biola.edu/blogs/biola-magazine/2014/the-crisis-of-biblical-illiteracy.

[2]  Albert Mohler, “The Scandal of Biblical Illiteracy: It’s Our Problem,” AlbertMohler.Com, accessed November 22, 2024, https://albertmohler.com/2016/01/20/the-scandal-of-biblical-illiteracy-its-our-problem-4/.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] “Revealing Average Screen Time Statistics for 2024,” Backlinko, accessed November 22, 2024, https://backlinko.com/screen-time-statistics.

[6]  ason K. Allen, “12 Reasons to Commit to Expository Preaching,” Lifeway Research, accessed November 22, 2024, https://research.lifeway.com/2019/09/18/12-reasons-to-commit-to-expository-preaching/?msclkid=24ec2e63afb71c329cdf49231c5e22f3.