Leadership Thought: How You Can Help Stamp Out Biblical Illiteracy.

Dear Friends,

Most American homes have a bible. In fact, many of them have more than one, and yet a recent survey revealed that we are largely ignorant of what’s inside the Bible. Fewer than half of American adults can name the four Gospels and while most participants of the survey could name the four Beatles, they were unable to name one of the Ten Commandments. One in ten of those in the survey thought Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife, and 50 percent of high school seniors thought Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife (Taken from a message “Marked for Life,” by Greg Laurie).

The Psalmist writes, “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” Psalm 119:11. The Bible provides a specific antidote to sin. It has been said that the "Bible will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from the Bible." And I believe this to be true. If read and studied on a regular basis, the Bible will change our lives and the life of our nation.

Yesterday I wrote about one specific format I use in studying the Bible, and today I want to follow up by suggesting some practical suggestions that might aid you in your time of Bible study.

Establish a daily habit of opening and studying the Bible. Find a quiet place, a regular time, and come with an expectant attitude that God is going to meet and personally speak to you with the truth that you need to hear.

Spend a short time in prayer before you open your Bible. Ask God to  cleanse you of sin and fill you with the Holy Spirit to help you discover the truths that God desires you to know.

Less is more. Start by reading fewer verses rather than trying to digest large amounts. It is better to read 10 verses with understanding than 10 chapters that you quickly forget.

Be expectant. Anticipate that God is going to say something important to you.

Have a pen and a notebook with you to record truths that you observe and discover.

Have a good Bible commentary by your side.  Warren Wiersbe’s, With the Word, is one of the best short commentary of the  Bible, and it has been an invaluable resource for me over the years.

Use markers to highlight specific verses or passages in your Bible. No, it is not a sin to mark your bible, although I know that some people think it is. Save the e-mails on this one.

Have a couple of translations with you. Eugene Peterson’s The Message Bible is a great resource to help you untangle challenging verses as it presents an easily understood paraphrase of the Bible. Another excellent resource is the Living Bible that has brief translations for each verse you read. The Story is also a helpful resource that takes you through the Bible chronologically, and it written in story format. I also use John Maxwell's Leadership Bible that takes Bible truths and transforms it into leadership principles.

Read your Bible out loud. This was the way the Bible was first presented to those who first heard it before the printing press was invented.

Read a whole book in one sitting, and then read it again and again until you feel you know the book well enough to share what you have learned with someone else.

To make the most of your time, listen to the Bible while you are walking or driving. There are many excellent audio translations of the Bible that you can use while you are engaged in another activity, but remember there is no substitution for that uninterrupted sit-down time.

You might ask, “What is the best translation of the Bible?” I am not sure for everyone will have their own preference, but I agree with the person who said "the best translation is the one in which you translate the Word of God into your own daily life. Remember, you may be the only Bible that some people will ever read.

In closing let me suggest a format that I have often used in helping to apply the truth I am reading. It is called the S.P.E.C.K.A Method.

S  Ask is there any SIN  to avoid?

P Is there any PROMISE to claim?

E Is there any good EXAMPLE  to follow or bad EXAMPLE  to avoid?

C Is  there any COMMAND to obey?

K Is there any KNOWLEDGE to remember? (about God or how He works)

A What is the APPLICATION for my life?

Information on SPECKA is taken from Rick Warren’s Bible Study Methods.

I hope the above information will spur you on to regular, systematic, and meaningful study of God’s Word.

And by the way thanks to those of you who shared responses to yesterday’s Leadership Thought on the same subject. I always find value in your thoughts and ideas so please keep them coming.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom