Maybe you saw this Peanuts comic strip last week. Or, if you’re a seasoned youth ministry vet, maybe you saw this Peanuts comic strip when it originally ran in 1969. I was around, but I wasn’t yet reading Peanuts. Peanuts’ creator, Charles Schulz, passed away in 2000. Had he still been with us, he might have revised the strip for last week’s re-running (Linus: Did you know it would take 1,189 tweets to tweet the Bible?). But the questions it stirs are still the same.
From Lucy’s perspective, is this how serious Bible study is perceived by casual Bible users? Or, worse, from Linus’ perspective, is this how it’s put across by Bible study advocates? Taking the comic at face value, it’s funny that Linus equates theology with the counting of letters and words in the Bible. It’s equally funny that he judges Lucy for not being interested in that type of theology.
What’s not funny is that this a commentary on Bible study today. A few points and questions:
Why Bible “study”?
With a little Google elbow grease, you could probably find the first time in church history when the word “study” was applied to a group of believers getting together to explore or discuss the Bible. But if you start your search with the Bible itself, you’ve back gone too far. You will find only two occasions when the word “study” is used with sacred text. First, Ezra “devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord.” Ezra, however, was studying all day, every day. That is actual study, not a group of believers gathering in a living room. The second occurrence: Jesus used the word “study” pejoratively to chide the Jewish leaders for studying Scripture but missing the point (John 5). The Bible uses other, better, words to describe believers gathering to interact with Scripture. In Acts 2, the new believers “devoted” themselves to the apostles’ teaching. In Acts 17, the Bereans are described as “examining” the Scriptures every day. Several of us have been saying this, and it seems to be gaining momentum: It’s time to lose the word “study” to describe our small-group or devotional time. It either overstates, or understates, what’s actually happening.
What Counts as Good Bible Engagement?
Does the act of counting 28 references to love in the 21 verses of 1 John 4 count as Bible engagement? Does it matter which Greek word for “love” is used in a passage? In both cases, it can. But, in both cases, digging out that information is not the point. It’s a means to the point, which is Jesus. Back to Jesus’ chiding the Jewish leaders for studying Scripture but missing the point, that scene speaks poignantly to those of us who advocate deeper experiences in Scripture.
Experiencing Scripture is only a means to a greater goal: seeing Jesus. We even have an ancient word for that: epiphany. At InWord, we’ve hash-tagged a phrase for that: #TheHolyWow. Jesus described how this works in John 14:21 and Luke recorded the first “Holy Wow” for us in Luke 24:31-32.
The final question isn’t “how many words for love” can you find?” The final question is: what light bulb might click on when you see 28 references to love in 1 John 4? What kind of “wow” might come over you as you see Jesus restore Peter in the gospel of John using different words for love? And then the final, FINAL question: What does this cause you to want to do? Action that results from personal, self-discovered epiphany will have lasting impact.
Bible Engagement vs. Theology
I used to consider these two disciplines mutually exclusive and as a Bible dude, I was proud of holding theology at arm’s length. But the two really do need to mingle. It takes Bible engagement (the effort formerly known as “Bible study”) to build theology. It takes theology to put it together. Theology, is the summation of the Bible’s recurring themes. To even understand the gospel at its most rudimentary level requires a pinch of theology. The earliest biblical record of the gospel explanation (Galatians 1:4, the first chapter of the likely first New Testament book written) includes a theological nuance to explain the gospel. Even the word “gospel” is a theological term.
Theology without Bible exploration is simply a form of philosophy. Bible exploration without theology is set of trees without the woods. To add one more metaphor, think of it like a bridge: Bible exploration sets the pillars and supports in place; theology is the connecting deck. You need both to get from one side to the other.
Discussion vs. Engagement: Trust Scripture to Deliver the “Wow!”
We should examine the content of our Bible offerings. Do we spend more time in our small groups discussing each other’s opinions on issues or digging out what God is actually saying? In our short window of stewardship of teens’ lives, are we displaying a trust that God’s Word will do what it says it will do (give wisdom, rebuke, bring to salvation, correct, transform)? Or do teens see us putting the Bible through hoops trying to make it relevant, which of course communicates that we don’t hold it as relevant.
In Conclusion
If you feel like you’re getting a Lucy reaction from your students to your overtures to exploring the Bible, maybe it’s time to evaluate two things: 1) their perception of what you’re offering, and; 2) what you’re offering.
At InWord we are ridiculously committed to helping youth workers and teens experience God’s Word. Our small-group resources, teen devos, and writings all point to Jesus-finding, life-changing experiences.
Want Some Help?
If you need a place to start, or would like a kick start to Holy Wow Bible study, click here.
Looking for small-group Bible engagement? Check out our catalog, or our InWord 2.0 line.
Looking for teen devos that deliver on deep, but quick, Bible interaction? Check out our “Bite-Sized Chunks of God’s Word” here.
Check out Barna’s latest research on teens and Bible study here (Top Ten Findings on Teens and the Bible).