“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
Dear Friends,
In the days of Reformation, the Bible was not in the hands of most people. The church owned the Bibles. The priests read the Bible in Latin to the people during services and taught the people what they wanted them to believe. Even if the common folk had access to the Bibles, they may not have been able to read them. John Foxe described it this way: “Simple, uneducated people who had no knowledge of scripture were content to know only what their pastors told them, and these pastors took care to only teach what came from Rome…most of which was for the profit of their own orders, not for the glory of Christ.” What the protestant reformers discovered was that when people were unable to read the Bible for themselves then this created an atmosphere that could foster false teachings and misuse of power. That is why the vernacular Bible translations of people like John Wycliffe and Martin Luther were so important. Due to the convictions and work of men, such as Wycliffe and Luther, we have access to a variety of Bible translations, and most American homes probably have at least one Bible sitting on the shelf.
However, I am wondering if we have come full circle. In America, we are all about efficiency, and since the seeker sensitive movement in the 1990’s, we have sought to give even easier access to the Scripture for those who attend church. Pew Bibles have been around a long time, but now we print the Bible passages for that Sunday in the bulletin or project them on the screen. These are not bad practices. However, a few years ago, I began noticing that I could go to a church on a Sunday and sit all through service and Sunday school without ever opening my Bible or even being encouraged to open my Bible. In essence, we have taken the Scripture out of our own hands and put it back into the hands of the church leaders. And this was not in one specific denomination. As a military wife, we have moved around quite a bit and visited many churches in several different denominations. And it is not that Scripture is not being taught. It is taught, and, in some cases, it is taught very well and accurately. But how do we really know?
Now some people have argued with me that people don’t need to bring their own Bibles to church, because they have a Bible app on their phone. This may be true. There are many great apps out there, and I have some on my phone and tablet as well. But I would like you to do a little test this coming Sunday at your church.
Church Test: As you sit listening to the sermon on Sunday, I want you to glance around the congregation. How many people have a Bible open in their lap following along? How many people appear to be looking at a Bible on their phones? (Granted, they really could be looking at anything on their phones, but you can tell who is paying attention and who isn’t for the most part.)
Personal Test: How often do you take your Bible to church? How often do you have it open before you during church (whether it is print or digital)?
The answers will vary greatly. This is not something that measures a person’s faith and should not be used to judge a person or a church. This test is not criticism, but merely a snapshot of something that I have noticed from years of observations. I simply would like you to think about it and explore in your own church and in your own life.
These thoughts are merely about how we use and approach the Bible within the context of a church. One advantage we have over the people in Luther’s day is that we can study the Bible for ourselves in our own homes. There are a ton of resources out that that can aid us in Bible study. However, the point is that there are multiple opportunities for us to be engaged with the Word, and we should take advantage of them.
At Agnus Dei LOC, you will find Scripture passages in the bulletin and perhaps projected on a screen. Eventually, we will have pew Bibles as well. However, these things should never replace the habit of you reading the Bible for yourself. The Bible is the most important book in the world. One of the most vital things we can do in our Christian walk is to read and study the Bible for ourselves. The Protestant reformers recognized this importance, and we need to reclaim it for ourselves. Honestly, it is empowering to study and know Scripture for yourself.
We look forward to seeing you this Sunday at 9 am at Agnus Dei LOC. I strongly request that you bring your Bible with you for two primary reasons. First, for the very practical reason that we do not yet have church Bibles for you to use. I encourage you to follow along in your Bible during the worship service, and you will need it for Sunday school as we study the Gospel of Mark. Second, all of us, myself included, need to maintain the spiritual habit of reading and studying God’s Word for ourselves. So, bring your Bible and bring a friend!
Until next we meet,
Pastor Jessi
P.S. – If you do not own your own Bible, please let me know when you come to Agnus Dei on Sunday, and I will make sure you get one.
In the days of Reformation, the Bible was not in the hands of most people. The church owned the Bibles. The priests read the Bible in Latin to the people during services and taught the people what they wanted them to believe. Even if the common folk had access to the Bibles, they may not have been able to read them. John Foxe described it this way: “Simple, uneducated people who had no knowledge of scripture were content to know only what their pastors told them, and these pastors took care to only teach what came from Rome…most of which was for the profit of their own orders, not for the glory of Christ.” What the protestant reformers discovered was that when people were unable to read the Bible for themselves then this created an atmosphere that could foster false teachings and misuse of power. That is why the vernacular Bible translations of people like John Wycliffe and Martin Luther were so important. Due to the convictions and work of men, such as Wycliffe and Luther, we have access to a variety of Bible translations, and most American homes probably have at least one Bible sitting on the shelf.
However, I am wondering if we have come full circle. In America, we are all about efficiency, and since the seeker sensitive movement in the 1990’s, we have sought to give even easier access to the Scripture for those who attend church. Pew Bibles have been around a long time, but now we print the Bible passages for that Sunday in the bulletin or project them on the screen. These are not bad practices. However, a few years ago, I began noticing that I could go to a church on a Sunday and sit all through service and Sunday school without ever opening my Bible or even being encouraged to open my Bible. In essence, we have taken the Scripture out of our own hands and put it back into the hands of the church leaders. And this was not in one specific denomination. As a military wife, we have moved around quite a bit and visited many churches in several different denominations. And it is not that Scripture is not being taught. It is taught, and, in some cases, it is taught very well and accurately. But how do we really know?
Now some people have argued with me that people don’t need to bring their own Bibles to church, because they have a Bible app on their phone. This may be true. There are many great apps out there, and I have some on my phone and tablet as well. But I would like you to do a little test this coming Sunday at your church.
Church Test: As you sit listening to the sermon on Sunday, I want you to glance around the congregation. How many people have a Bible open in their lap following along? How many people appear to be looking at a Bible on their phones? (Granted, they really could be looking at anything on their phones, but you can tell who is paying attention and who isn’t for the most part.)
Personal Test: How often do you take your Bible to church? How often do you have it open before you during church (whether it is print or digital)?
The answers will vary greatly. This is not something that measures a person’s faith and should not be used to judge a person or a church. This test is not criticism, but merely a snapshot of something that I have noticed from years of observations. I simply would like you to think about it and explore in your own church and in your own life.
These thoughts are merely about how we use and approach the Bible within the context of a church. One advantage we have over the people in Luther’s day is that we can study the Bible for ourselves in our own homes. There are a ton of resources out that that can aid us in Bible study. However, the point is that there are multiple opportunities for us to be engaged with the Word, and we should take advantage of them.
At Agnus Dei LOC, you will find Scripture passages in the bulletin and perhaps projected on a screen. Eventually, we will have pew Bibles as well. However, these things should never replace the habit of you reading the Bible for yourself. The Bible is the most important book in the world. One of the most vital things we can do in our Christian walk is to read and study the Bible for ourselves. The Protestant reformers recognized this importance, and we need to reclaim it for ourselves. Honestly, it is empowering to study and know Scripture for yourself.
We look forward to seeing you this Sunday at 9 am at Agnus Dei LOC. I strongly request that you bring your Bible with you for two primary reasons. First, for the very practical reason that we do not yet have church Bibles for you to use. I encourage you to follow along in your Bible during the worship service, and you will need it for Sunday school as we study the Gospel of Mark. Second, all of us, myself included, need to maintain the spiritual habit of reading and studying God’s Word for ourselves. So, bring your Bible and bring a friend!
Until next we meet,
Pastor Jessi
P.S. – If you do not own your own Bible, please let me know when you come to Agnus Dei on Sunday, and I will make sure you get one.
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