Author: Russell Lightner

Breaking the bonds of worry

I admit it—I can be a worrier. That’s a problem, given Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:25 (“Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry”) and Paul’s challenge in Philippians 4:6 (“Don’t worry about anything”). I’m learning to overcome it, though, so maybe these suggestions will help you:

1

Be honest with somebody about your worries
Some of us—especially Christian leaders—realize that worry is problematic, so we don’t tell anybody when we do worry. Bearing worries alone, though, only increases the burden. Actually, worry is selfish (it ignores the offers of help from others who love us) and silly (it assumes no one else will understand). Don’t listen to Satan, who tries to convince you to fight your battles alone.

2

Recognize worry for what it is: a lack of faith
Writing those words is painful to me as a worrier, but
I can’t ignore the reality. Worry says, “I’m not convinced God is going to take care of this problem.” Faith says, “I give it to You.” One of my steps in overcoming worry is to confess my lack of faith, and I’ve learned that taking this step can itself be freeing—especially when I confess it to someone who wants to help shoulder my burden.

3

Pray about what worries you
That’s what Paul told us to do in the rest of Philippians 4:6—“but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” Humbly cast your cares on God by talking to Him (Psalm 55:22, 1 Peter 5:6-7) and by asking others to pray with you. Frankly, most of us would worry less if we just prayed more.

4

Read, memorize, and recite Jesus’ words as often as you need them
I know that’s a basic answer, but the Word trumps worries. Particularly, quote these words from Matthew 6:27: “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” Worry doesn’t accomplish anything, except hinder our relationship with our God—who, by the way, isn’t worried about anything. Bury His Word deeply into your heart and mind, and let Christ give you His peace the world won’t understand (Philippians 4:7).

5

Take steps to address whatever worries you
I’ve learned over the years that I’ve sometimes worried foolishly about things that really weren’t a problem in the first place (like, e.g., if I think I’ve made someone angry but choose not to ask if that’s the case). Worry becomes a consuming fire to me when it would hardly be an ember if I quit fretting and started doing something. Maybe that’s the case with you, too.

Chuck Lawless is dean of doctoral studies and vice president of spiritual formation and ministry centers at Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. For more from Lawless, visit chucklawless.com.

Pastor del oeste de Texas desafía a su iglesia a una misión fuera de sus paredes

“Nuestro trabajo comienza al cruzar la calle”

En medio de una zona remota del oeste de Texas en donde la trata de personas y las drogas son rampantes, la Iglesia Bautista Immanuel sigue siendo de impacto en su ciudad y creciendo en la misión de Dios.

El pastor principal de la Iglesia Bautista Emanuel (IBI), Juan Carlos Rico, está guiando a su iglesia a mantenerse firme en el servicio a Dios y a la comunidad en donde la iglesia ha perseverado por más de 100 años, a pesar de los desafíos que enfrentan al estar en un lugar muy remoto y peligroso en donde abundan las drogas y la trata de personas.

¿Cuán remoto se encuentran? Actualmente, no hay ninguna iglesia de la Convención de los Bautistas del Sur de Texas que se encuentre más al oeste que la suya. Además, la IBI está más cerca de las capitales de Arizona y Nuevo México que de la capital del estado al que llaman hogar. Sin embargo, esto no ha impedido que la iglesia tenga un impacto en esta comunidad y en todo el mundo. Esta iglesia ha podido seguir sirviendo activamente a través de la SBTC y de otras obras misioneras locales e internacionales que ellos realizan.

Uno de los proyectos locales que ha ayudado a la iglesia a alcanzar a muchas personas en su zona es una escuela cristiana privada fundada por la iglesia hace más de 50 años. La Escuela Cristiana Immanuel sirve a unos 500 alumnos, lo que la convierte en la escuela más grande de la zona, y recibe a alumnos de 2 años hasta el 12mo grado. La escuela es uno de los ministerios más fuertes de la iglesia, ya que la consideran una herramienta de evangelización.

“Debemos aprender a llegar a otras culturas, pero lamentablemente nos limitamos, ya sea por el idioma, por la cultura o por querer llegar sólo a los que son como nosotros”.

J.c. Rico Tweet

La escuela “nos ayuda mucho a alcanzar a otros, a crecer y a defender nuestra fe por medio de la Palabra de Dios”, dijo Rico, quien también sirve como representante regional de la SBTC.

Cuando Rico comenzó a pastorear esta iglesia centenaria, dijo que se dio cuenta de que necesitaba un plan para innovar y poder resurgir. Una de las cosas que Rico ha observado es que otras iglesias en su área no están viendo crecimiento o incluso han cerrado sus puertas. Dice que cree que la IBI ha sido capaz de evitar esas tendencias negativas porque ha evolucionado, especialmente en la forma en que trabajan para alcanzar a otros. El mensaje del evangelio no cambia, pero según Rico, los tiempos cambian y las iglesias necesitan actualizarse para ser más efectivas.

“Buscamos hacer lo que es más cómodo para nosotros”, dijo Rico sobre la mentalidad que tienen muchas iglesias. “Debemos aprender a llegar a otras culturas, pero lamentablemente nos limitamos, ya sea por el idioma, por la cultura o por querer llegar sólo a los que son como nosotros”.

La IBI se considera una iglesia multicultural y orientada a las misiones. Hace un año y medio, iniciaron un culto en español que ya recibe a unas 60 personas. El lema de la IBI es “Ven a Cristo, Crece en Cristo y Ve por Cristo”, y bajo esta visión, la iglesia trabaja para traer a la gente a Cristo, discipularla y enviarla a cumplir la Gran Comisión.

Rico cree firmemente que el tamaño de la iglesia no debe impedir el cumplimiento de la Gran Comisión que Jesús dejó a sus seguidores. Para ello, dice Rico, las iglesias deben ser intencionales en enseñar y animar a la congregación cada domingo a que busquen alcanzar a otros. Es importante entender, añadió Rico, que la iglesia no es un club, ni un lugar de entretenimiento.

Su amor por servir y alcanzar a los perdidos comenzó a una edad temprana. Rico, quien es mexicanoamericano, dice que a pesar de vivir toda su vida en los Estados Unidos con sus padres y hermanos misioneros, asistieron a una iglesia en Juárez, México, durante su infancia y adolescencia. En esta iglesia, formó parte de equipos que servían y evangelizaban de casa en casa, lo que dio a Rico una pasión por el evangelismo. Hoy, esa misma pasión es el motor que lo impulsa a seguir sirviendo con su esposa Rosie, con quien lleva 30 años de casado, y sus cuatro hijos.

“Nuestro trabajo comienza al cruzar la calle”, dice Rico sobre la misión de la iglesia. “Creo que nos hemos equivocado al entretener a la gente en lugar de ofrecer a las familias oportunidades de crecimiento. Hay mucho que hacer, pero todo empieza cruzando la calle de nuestra casa. Ahí es donde está la misión. Ahí es donde empieza”.

West Texas pastor challenges his church to reach beyond its walls

‘Our work begins across the street’

Amid a remote area of West Texas where serious crimes are a part of life, Immanuel Baptist Church in El Paso continues to impact its city and grow in God’s mission.

Immanuel Baptist Church’s (IBC) lead pastor, Juan Carlos “JC” Rico, leads his church to stand tall in serving God and the community where the church has existed for more than 100 years—this despite the challenges they face being in a remote and dangerous place where drugs and human trafficking abound.

How remote? Currently, there is no Southern Baptists of Texas Convention church farther west in Texas than theirs. Additionally, IBC is closer to the capitals of Arizona and New Mexico than to the capital of the state it calls home. This has not prevented the church from making an impact in this community and around the world. This church has been able to actively serve through the SBTC and other local and international missionary projects it participates in.

One of the local projects that helps the church reach many people in the area is a private Christian school it founded more than 50 years ago. Immanuel Christian School serves about 500 students, making it the one of the largest schools in the area, serving students from age 2 through 12th grade. The church considers the school one of its strongest ministries and a key evangelistic tool.

The school “helps us a lot to reach others, to grow, and to defend our faith through the Word of God,” said Rico, who also serves as a field ministry representative for the SBTC.

“I think we’ve made a mistake in entertaining people instead of offering families opportunities to grow. There is a lot to do, but it all starts across the street from our home. That’s where the mission is. That’s where it begins.”

J.c. Rico Tweet

When Rico began pastoring this century-old church, he said realized it needed a plan in place to innovate and re-emerge. One of the things Rico has observed is that other churches in his area are not seeing growth or have even closed their doors. He said he believes IBC has been able to avoid those negative trends because it has evolved, especially in the way it works to reach others. The message of the gospel does not change, but according to Rico, times change and churches need to update themselves to be more effective.

“We seek to do what is most comfortable for us,” Rico said of the mindset that many churches have. “We must learn to reach other cultures, but unfortunately we limit ourselves, either by language, by culture, or by wanting to reach only those who are like us.”

IBC considers itself a multicultural and mission-oriented church. A year-and-a-half ago, it started a worship service in Spanish that has already drawn about 60 people. IBC’s motto is “Come to Christ, Grow in Christ and Go for Christ,” and under this vision, the church works to bring people to Christ, disciple them, and send them out to fulfill the Great Commission.

Rico firmly believes the size of the church should not impede fulfilling the Great Commission that Jesus left His followers. To do that, Rico says, churches must be intentional in teaching and encouraging the congregation every Sunday to reach out to others. It is important to understand, Rico added, that the church is not a club or a place of entertainment.

His love for serving and reaching the lost began at an early age. Rico, who is Mexican American, says that despite living in the U.S. with his missionary parents and siblings, they attended a church in Juarez, Mexico, throughout his childhood and adolescence. In this church, he was a part of teams that served and evangelized from house to house—which gave Rico a passion for evangelism. Today, that same passion is the engine that drives him to continue serving with his wife Rosie, to whom has been married for 30 years, and their four children.

“Our work begins across the street,” Rico said of the church’s mission. “I think we’ve made a mistake in entertaining people instead of offering families opportunities to grow. There is a lot to do, but it all starts across the street from our home. That’s where the mission is. That’s where it begins.”

Broken leaders are the best leaders

Ihave always been fascinated with the topic of leadership and love to study how great leaders operate and execute vision. However, the longer I have been on my journey of learning to lead, the more I realize the best leaders are broken leaders.

The leaders I have come to love and desire to follow are those whose strength is in their brokenness. In fact, after a little more than two decades in ministry, I have come to a place where I don’t trust a leader who has not walked through seasons of brokenness. As I read Scripture, I believe a pattern we see in great leaders is that God calls, He breaks, and then He blesses.

To be clear, brokenness in the life of a leader looks different for everyone. Noah’s brokenness was different than Moses’. David’s valleys were not the same as Paul’s. All these men went through seasons of brokenness, yet they experienced God’s favor and blessings. The lessons I have learned through great-yet-broken leaders in the Bible have forever been seared into my mind. Allow me to share the top three lessons with you:

Don’t equate brokenness with weakness

Often when we see someone experiencing a season of brokenness, we assume that person is weak. We question their mental and emotional capacities and default to the notion that the person can’t handle their circumstances. However, this is the refining process the Lord uses to grow people to be next-level leaders. When leaders come to grips with their humanity, they begin to realize their deep need for God every moment of every day. Brokenness has a unique way of creating a new sense of dependence on the Lord.

"I began to desire to be that type of leader, one who knows his brokenness and embraces the Lord’s ability to use me in spite of me."

Nathan Lorick Tweet

Broken leaders become humble leaders

We have all been in a room when a leader speaks and we are immediately put off by his or her lack of humility, overconfidence, or arrogance. I was once that type of leader until the Lord blessed me with seasons of brokenness. It was in those valley experiences that I began to watch leaders who led with grace and humility. I was so encouraged and immediately drawn to leaders whose confidence was in the Lord, not in their own ability. I began to desire to be that type of leader, one who knows his brokenness and embraces the Lord’s ability to use me in spite of me.

Broken leaders have nothing to prove

Some people spend much of their lives trying to “be somebody.” They feel like they have to do everything they can to prove themselves. While there is nothing wrong with working diligently to do the best job you can, broken leaders realize they have nothing to prove. A leader who understands and embraces brokenness realizes that anything good and worthy comes from the Lord. I love what Paul says in Acts 20:24: “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord.” Paul knew he was broken and that the only one he needed to please was the Lord. He knew his value was in the Lord and the ministry He had blessed him with. Leaders, when we understand our brokenness, we embrace His strength. When we lead in His strength, we have no need to prove anything to anyone, but only to please the Lord.

Broken leaders are the best leaders. They don’t have to hide their fears and insecurities behind big voices or influential positions. They simply depend on the grace and goodness of God every moment of every day. I pray as you lead forward, you would not be ashamed of your brokenness but embrace His strength in you. I love you, I believe in you, I am in your corner!

Lone Star Scoop • May 2022

Final preparations being made for Roundup collegiate event

Registration is ongoing and final preparations are being made for Roundup, SBTC’s headline collegiate event, set for May 11-13 at Travis Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Worth. Roundup is a collaborative learning event that champions church-based collegiate leaders. It’s also a venue where churches and their leaders can make meaningful connections with one another. “College ministries are on an island, and our goal is to create a network of churches within SBTC that can help each other in the tasks to reach, develop, and send college students,” SBTC Collegiate Ministry Associate Mitch Tidwell said. Shane Pruitt (North American Mission Board), Dhati Lewis (Blueprint), and Austin Wadlow (The Commons Church) will be the keynote speakers at the event. Visit sbtexas.com/roundup for more information and to register.

SBTC Black Church Network restructures, looks ahead

The SBTC’s African American Fellowship has unanimously decided to rebrand itself as the Black Church Network (BCN) and is forming teams to engage in cooperative missions efforts across Texas.

BCN serves in harmony with the SBTC in fulfilling the Great Commission through support of the Cooperative Program. Member churches will aim to help one another in missions, evangelism, compassion ministries, church planting, and church growth while promoting the services offered by the SBTC. The network is currently working to inform churches about its purpose and objective and forming ministry teams.

“As pastors, associate pastors, and leaders in the black community, it’s always beneficial to connect with others who are serving in similar positions,” said Tony Mathews, SBTC’s senior strategist for missional ministries. “The network will be a source of encouragement, as many of the participants experience some of the some challenges in ministry. This is a great opportunity for our leaders and churches to expand the great work they are already doing.”

For more information, e-mail Mathews at tmathews@sbtexas.com.

Task force to review SBTC sexual abuse policies, practices

LONGVIEW—SBTC President Todd Kaunitz, pastor of New Beginnings Baptist Church, has appointed a seven-member task force to review the convention’s policies and practices on sexual abuse prevention. Kaunitz appointed the task force in response to a motion made by Michael Criner—pastor of Rock Hill Baptist Church in Brownsboro—and approved by messengers during the SBTC Annual Meeting in November 2021. The task force consists of: Justin Arnold, chairperson (New Beginnings Baptist Church, Longview), Adam Mason (Houston’s First Baptist Church), Joyce McKinley (Rowlett Friendship Baptist Church), Christy Piles (Emory Baptist Church), Spencer Plumlee (First Baptist Church of Mansfield), Tamera Turner (Mesquite Friendship Baptist Church), and Criner.

SWBTS board approves $37.3 million budget

heological Seminary board of trustees has approved the proposed fiscal year 2023 budget of $37.367 million, representing a 5.86% increase over the current year. The budget includes a 3% cost-of-living increase for faculty and full-time staff, a 3% increase in tuition and fees, as well as targeted investments in Hispanic programs, technology infrastructure, and other campus improvements. “It is my joy to report to the board of trustees that the state of Southwestern Seminary is strong, and it is growing stronger every day by God’s grace,” Adam W. Greenway, president of Southwestern Seminary and Texas Baptist College, said in his report to the board during the April 5 plenary session. Additionally, Danny Roberts—executive pastor of North Richland Hills Baptist Church—was re-elected to role as chairman of the board. Information from SWBTS was used in this report.

SBTC pastor among trio to be nominated for SBC president

Bart Barber, pastor of First Baptist Church of Farmersville, is among three men who have been announced as candidates for the office of SBC president. Messengers will vote during the SBC Annual Meeting in Anaheim, Calif., June 14-15. Barber will also serve as chairman of the Committee on Resolutions at the June meeting—a position he was appointed to by current SBC President Ed Litton, who has opted not to seek a second term. Two other candidates for SBC president had been announced as of press time: Florida pastor Tom Ascol; and Robin Hadaway, senior professor of missions at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The Texan will publish interviews with each of the candidates in its print and online platforms in June. Information from Baptist Press was used in this report.

Baptism not just for new believers

This coming Sunday is set as a time for people to profess their faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior through the public act of baptism. Southern Baptists have set the designation as “Fill the Tank Sunday.” Those who have come to faith in Christ take this first step to show their obedience to Jesus. Yet, everyone who needs baptism is not always a new believer in Jesus.

I was brought up in a Baptist home. My parents did not attend every time the doors were open, but we were regular Sunday morning and occasional Sunday night attenders. I went to revival meetings and Vacation Bible School. My pastor was a man who faithfully preached the gospel. About age 8 I went forward at an invitation but did not understand what I was doing. Without any counseling I was scheduled for baptism the next Sunday. The only thing I remember about the experience was that the water was cold. They forgot to heat the baptistry.

By the time I was 12, I came to an understanding of my sinfulness. During a special evangelistic service, I went forward again. Similar to the previous time, no one shared Scripture or prayed with me. They dunked me again, but there was no relationship with Christ.

Shortly afterward, my teenage years turned horribly rebellious. My lifestyle began to spiral downward. My mother would pray for me. My dad would talk with me. I would insist that I was “saved” because I believed in Jesus. My belief was head knowledge, not a heart conversion.

"Regardless of how long a person has been a believer, it is always important to have baptism on the correct side of the salvation experience."

Jim Richards Tweet

As my high school days were ending, I was even more defiant in my sinful activities. My best friend in high school shared the gospel with me. My pastor continued to preach the gospel. The Lord broke through in my life two weeks before graduation. Alone in my bedroom, for the first time, I totally gave myself to the Lord Jesus Christ. I could not have explained it that night, but through repentance and faith He granted to me eternal life. There was an evident 2 Corinthian 5:17 moment.

Four months later I answered God’s call to preach. My pastor began to mentor me. In one conversation he realized that I had become a believer after I had been “dunked.” He showed scripture where baptism is a picture of our salvation experience. Baptism should always follow conversion. Even though I had preached and had begun formal training for ministry, I submitted to scriptural baptism.

Some of the necessary elements for scriptural baptism are the proper mode—immersion; the proper authority—a New Testament church; the proper candidate—a believer. Regardless of how long a person has been a believer, it is always important to have baptism on the correct side of the salvation experience. Be obedient! Do it now!

Linked together on a mission

A few weeks ago, I had the joy of attending the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s Empower conference in Irving. It was an amazing event in every way. Church leaders across our state were encouraged, equipped, and empowered to pursue the Great Commission.

But the most impactful part of this event for me was interacting one-on-one with so many church leaders from across our state. I heard countless stories of leaders advancing the gospel in incredible ways through their local churches. It reminded me of how special this network of churches called the SBTC really is. I was so encouraged and thankful to Jesus for the privilege of being a part of this cooperative effort to reach our state, nation, and world with the gospel.

As I thought further about this experience, Philippians 1:3-5 came to my mind, and it articulates how I feel as a fellow pastor in our convention. The apostle Paul writes, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” In essence Paul is saying, “Every time I think of you, I thank God for you.” Consider what is happening here. Paul is writing this from prison and is currently suffering for preaching the gospel. Yet, even while captive, just the memory of this church brings joy to his heart, it blesses him, and it leads him to offer prayers of gratitude to God. God has used them to give joy to Paul in the most difficult of seasons. But what is it about them that makes him so encouraged when he thinks about them?

"We are made up of churches of all styles, ethnicities, sizes, and age demographics but who are working together in a koinonia or 'partnership in the gospel' to advance the Great Commission."

Todd Kauntiz Tweet

In verse 5 he gives us his reason. He says it is “because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” Paul clearly says the joy they bring into his life is rooted in their “partnership in the gospel.” The key word here in Greek is koinonia, which is often translated “fellowship” or “partnership.” But, when it is simply translated as “fellowship,” it can often be watered down in our church culture’s understanding of fellowship. I grew up in a Baptist church and loved “fellowships” because they were potluck meals. While my affections and appetite are still stirred by potlucks, koinonia is describing much more than just meeting and eating with fellow believers. It’s a term that means “joint venture.” It’s the idea of being linked together by a common investment that in many ways defines the relationship. Paul is overwhelmed by this church because they were linked together in Jesus and share in the “joint venture” of advancing the gospel together.

This is what stirred my heart again at the Empower conference! I was reminded of the “joint venture” we share as a network of churches. We are nearly 2,700 churches united in Jesus, sharing a common vision of reaching the world with the gospel through this cooperative effort. We are made up of churches of all styles, ethnicities, sizes, and age demographics but who are working together in a koinonia or “partnership in the gospel” to advance the Great Commission.

So, let me echo Paul’s words to the Philippian church about our own convention: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel…” This is the way I feel about our network of churches and why I am so thankful to serve as a pastor of an SBTC church.

Choose quality over quantity when consuming God’s Word

When I first followed Christ, my pastor told me I needed to read the Bible. I tried and made it all the way through Exodus but got bogged down at Leviticus. Since those days (a long time ago), I’ve learned more about reading the Word. Here are five suggestions to help you:

1

Be grateful for your opportunity to study the Word

I’ve been in places around the world where people had little or no access to the Scriptures. Meanwhile, many of us have more Bibles in our homes than we have human beings! We who have access to the Word, have a copy available in our language, and can read it without threat of persecution are blessed indeed. Why would we not want to engage the Scriptures?

2

Focus on consistency more than quantity

Reading a lot of the Bible does not always equate to reading it well and meditating on it deeply. In fact, I would rather you read one chapter every day than read 10 chapters every 10th day. Consistency will make you want to increase quantity, but the opposite is not always true. So, get a consistent reading plan in place. Let God grab your heart every day through His Word.

3

Follow a plan to read through the Bible at least every other year

I read the Word every year, but I did not start there. It took me years to get there. On the other hand, you can read the Word in two years if you read just under two chapters a day. Most of us can make that commitment even if it means giving up something else to do it. Again, have a plan—know today what you are going to read tomorrow.

4

Use a good study Bible

I try hard not to get stuck in the notes—but they do help me at times. Sometimes I need them simply to understand the Word better. The more I understand it, the more I want to read it. If you want a suggestion, I have found the CSB Everyday Study Bible helpful because its study notes are condensed from the larger CSB Study Bible.

5

Hold yourself accountable to someone

Here’s how I do it: I write a daily e-mail to a group of guys to tell them what I read, what I’m learning, and how they might pray for me. One of my former students sends his daily e-mail to his student ministry leaders; a colleague sent his to his deacons when he was a pastor. The e-mail doesn’t take long to write, and I suspect all of us have someone to whom we might send a message every day.

Chuck Lawless is dean of doctoral studies and vice president of spiritual formation and ministry centers at Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. For more from Lawless, visit chucklawless.com.

Digging Deeper: Lifeway Research director says Bible engagment is about much more than just reading God’s Word

We’ve all seen the numbers and heard the statistics regarding Bible engagement in America and they’re often not encouraging. There are fewer Americans who believe the Bible is 100 percent true and authoritative, and even among those who claim to follow Jesus, the level of Bible engagement is down. We asked Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, to help us process some of the numbers and provide a ray of hope for churches and leaders looking to raise the level of biblical engagement among their people.

In a general sense, we know American Christians aren’t engaging with the Bible as much as they should. Can you put numbers to that lack of engagement based on some of Lifeway Research’s latest findings?

Scott McConnell: One of the things we see is that among Americans, only 12% have read the entire Bible and another 10% have read it more than once. So that’s less than a quarter of Americans who have read the entire Bible at any point in their life. And even if we ask, “Have you read half of the Bible?” it’s about 50/50. Half of Americans have read about half the Bible, and half have read less, and 7% have read none of it.

If we zoom in just on Protestant churchgoers and look at their engagement with the Bible, just 32% of them read the Bible every day and another 27% [read it] a few times a week. About six out of 10 Protestant churchgoers are reading the Bible several times a week. So we definitely have some indicators that both presently and really anytime in the past, a lot of Americans and a lot of Christians have really not spent a lot of time in the Word on their own.

So how would you define biblical engagement? Is it about more than just reading the Bible?

SM: It is. It includes reading the Bible, but it also should include our beliefs about the Bible, our desires related to the Bible, and our behaviors—is it impacting the way you live your life? If you’re only engaging with one or two of those areas, you’re not getting the full benefit of what Scripture has for you. Bible engagement really should be more holistic.

Can you give me a general profile of a person who is not engaging the Bible regularly? What kind of things can we know about them from your research?

SM: When you’re not engaging with Scripture, you’re not going to be able to grow in biblical relationships. You’re not going to be able to grow in obedience. You’re not going to be able to grow in worship because it’s connected. It’s very much a tapestry. A real tangible example is that somebody who’s reading the Bible every day and then misses a few days, 65% of those folks say they desperately miss that time in God’s Word and another 21% somewhat agree. So almost nine out of 10 people who are reading the Bible every day—it’s not just a habit that they got into at some point, it’s not feeling like they have to, it is something that they absolutely enjoy. If you’re not in that place, if you’re not reading the Bible regularly, I would definitely want you to hear that. You don’t just want to try to create a habit in your life. You don’t want to just jump into this discipline for discipline’s sake. This is part of worshiping God and enjoying Him, spending that time in His Word.

When you’re not engaging with Scripture, you’re not going to be able to grow in biblical relationships. You’re not going to be able to grow in obedience. You’re not going to be able to grow in worship because it’s connected.

Scott McConnell, Lifeway Tweet

What can pastors and church leaders do to raise the level of biblical engagement among the people they serve?

SM: If a church is considering what it can do to encourage Bible engagement, I think they’ve got to start with the authority of Scripture. That might mean starting in a different place than we have in the past. In the past we encouraged people to just believe in the Word of God, but today we have to explain a little more. A lot of folks have not grown up in Christian homes, or they’ve grown up in a home where people take what they want from the Bible and leave the parts they don’t like. So it’s more and more important that churches are taking a step back and explaining “Where did the Bible come from?” and “Who did the Bible come from?” and letting people know that Scripture has an overall story to it. The Bible is a big book and you can kind of lose your place in the bigger story. Many people don’t understand that there’s a story of love and redemption that God has extended to us and revealed to us through Scripture. We need to set it up to make sure people understand that this book is worthy of our belief and is a precious gift of God’s revelation to us of the relationship He wants to have with us. … When somebody accepts that the Bible isn’t just a book with good moral teaching, but it actually has authority in my life because of who it came from, that can be transformative. You’re going to look at other things in life differently when you have that belief in Scripture’s authority.

If people don’t believe that the Bible is the written Word of God and is totally accurate, they’re much less likely to be reading the Word of God and engaging with it on a regular basis. You kind of wonder why they’re still practicing in other areas if they don’t believe in the Word of God, but at the same time there are many benefits to being a part of a body of believers that they may enjoy. Having a relationship with God and really wanting the truth of God’s Word to impact your life—when those are absent, then we definitely see much less engagement with Scripture.

What are the churches that are successful in helping their people engage more effectively with the Bible doing?

SM: Encouraging people to read the Bible on their own [through a reading plan] is an important thing that we see churches doing. The speed that you’re reading through the Bible seems to be less important than reading it regularly. When we ask Americans how they’ve read the Bible, only 22% actually have read sequentially and systematically through a section a little bit each day. Studying the Bible together in community is also a huge part of Bible engagement, whether that’s a Sunday school or a small group. We’ve seen statistically that people who are doing that on a weekly basis are more likely to be serving in their church. They’re more likely to be serving in their community. They’re more likely to be giving to their church. They’re more likely to be engaged in spiritual disciplines. They’re more likely to have friends at church and relationships with others at church. They’re more likely to be peacemakers at church. So many ways that we want to be growing closer to Christ happen when we study God’s Word in community. So that’s absolutely an essential piece that churches should be emphasizing. We’ve actually seen churches rebound faster [after COVID] because the people who were in groups had both the relationships and that closer walk with Christ that encouraged them to be back in person.

We’re also seeing [churches raising engagement when they communicate] that life change is expected through God’s Word and through the Holy Spirit, that you use God’s Word in your life not because you want to be a church that knows the Bible really well, but because you believe it so well. That really completes that circle of Bible engagement where it’s actually impacting your life.

You look at a lot of numbers and statistics, and those figures aren’t always encouraging. What are you seeing in the realm of biblical engagement that encourages you?

SM: To me, the most encouraging part of it is that those who are in God’s Word on a regular basis, almost all of them enjoy it. And the other thing is just the impact it can have on your life. As with most things within our discipleship journey, it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a lifelong journey. The fact that you can be going through a passage for the fourth time and see new things that God is bringing to light through that passage is absolutely refreshing. We continue to see that Bible engagement is predictive of walking closer to Christ, so knowing that spending time in His Word has an impact definitely gives us confidence to encourage others and to want to be in God’s Word ourselves. In this day and age, we have so many options for how to do this. If reading is absolutely not your thing, there are so many ways to listen to God’s Word and to hear people teaching on God’s Word on a regular basis that you can fill that gap in ways that still have you engaging in the Bible regularly.

Memorizing God’s Word is foundational for student growth

For 20 years I have had the honor to serve the Lord in student ministry. In those two decades, I have discipled and taught hundreds of teenagers to engage God through his written Word.

I have noticed two things remain the same for a teenager’s engagement with God’s Word, regardless of cultural influence and generational differences:

1) Teenagers want to engage with God through His Word; and

2) They want to be challenged to do so. Someone just has to being willing to challenge them.

I have also noticed a connection between the number of students who engage with God’s Word and the number of adults who challenge students to engage with God’s Word. The more adults encourage a single student to engage the Word of God, the more likely that student will engage with the Word of God. It’s that simple.

There are many ways to engage the Word, but here are some simple strategies I have used to challenge students (and my own children) based on the challenge found in Psalm 119:11: “For I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

How old are you?

Can you recite from memory, without a break, the same number of Bible verses as you are old? For instance, if a teenager is 15, can they recite 15 Bible verses without taking a break? As an adult, can I recite 38 Bible verse without a break? This is a fun challenge I do with my 17-, 13-, and 8-year-old children on a regular basis. We even try to see who can quote them the fastest (naturally I never win!).

How small (and big) can you go?

Memorize a small book of the Bible: Titus, Jude, James, etc. As you memorize one book, move to a larger book. Maybe, just maybe, someone can memorize all of Psalms.

What is your topic?

I have found a great apologetic tool is to memorize Scriptures based on a topic. For instance, I ask my students and children to memorize the following Scriptures to recount the creation account: Genesis 1:1-2:3, John 1:1-18, and Colossians 1:15-20. Given, there are lots of other creation-account scriptures, but I give these to my students and children because it encompasses a full and Christ-centered view of creation.

No matter your age, I challenge you to join your local church’s youth leader or pastor to disciple a younger generation. After all, it takes more than one person to challenge this next generation to engage with God through His word. Will you?