Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

Engagement with the Bible is the single most important factor in the spiritual health of a congregation.

Sure, studies have shown other key ingredients: leadership, service, hospitality, community. But reading scripture emerges as a vital element in spiritual renewal.

As Episcopalians, we’re all too often content with Sunday morning lectionary readings as our full dose of scripture for the week. And we certainly share a wise-spread disdain for Bible thumpers—for those who use the Bible as a weapon, not a tool.

But what if we became Bible thumb-ers? That is, what if we committed to being people who read scripture, who put our hands on and in the Bible, familiar enough with the books to thumb through and find a pertinent passage? 

How would we change? God only knows. 

That, in itself, makes it worth a try. 

Several resources exist to help people establish a regular practice of reading scripture. The Bible Challenge by Episcopal priest Marek Zabriskie is one popular tool. The book and resources guide a reader through the entire Bible in the course of a year. Another resource is The Story. It rearranges scripture into chronological order, weaving the Bible into one sweeping narrative. 

Some congregations have thriving Bible studies, and some do a bang-up job with Sunday School formation. 

But I fear all too many find scripture passé. Through scripture, God speaks to us, in Jesus’ time and still today. We only have to be willing to open the Bible, thumb through, and discover.