Habits of Enhancement: Reading Scripture

Reading Scripture has been a central part of Christian life for a long, long time. But it was not always something that could be done in the home. Reading Scripture in the home is a relatively recent innovation, partly due to Martin Luther and a combination of other factors, including the invention of the printing press.

Prior to this, Scripture reading was something left to the religious educated to do, the elites. But the common people were to do more than just passively receive the words of Scripture. The words of Scripture were heard (not quietly read) and then modeled in lived life. The process of hearing Scripture and then being shaped by it is a sacred thing.

This is how we want to understand the importance of reading Scripture as we think about being families who worship, as we have been taking a look at what worship is (see posts here, here, and here), and how we can be families who worship. The book inspiring these thoughts, Family Worship, holds reading Scripture highly as part of being a family who worships.

Reading Scripture itself does not make a worshiping family. Reading Scripture is another "habit of enhancement" for the purpose of inspiring lives of worship and devotion to God that are lived and experienced by others in our actions and interactions.

When we spend time reading Scripture as a family, we want to read material from Scripture that will serve to enhance our understanding of God, our devotion to God, and our discipleship to Jesus. This might mean that not all parts of Scripture are necessary to be read, at least in our times of family reading. There's no reason to think we must master all of what's in the Bible. This was never the case for the early Church, and really, it has never been the case for Christianity in the past 2,000 years, aside from those select individuals who have 1) had access to an entire Bible from which to read, 2) the ability and time to read all of it. Aside from such individuals, the church as a whole has been a church of selective reading. And this is just fine.

What's important is why we read, how we understand what we read, and what we plan to do with what we read.

_____________________________________

Why do we read? And how do we read? What will we do with what we read?

Ancient church "fathers" -- the pastors, leaders, and theologians of the first few centuries of the church -- regularly taught and advocated "spiritual" reading of Scripture. They weren't reading for information or getting stuck trying to answer questions that maybe the Bible is not asking; they were reading for the sake of spiritual understanding. "Spiritual" does not mean some vague idea of "spirituality" but, rather, communion with and likeness to God. The primary question was always: "How does this Scripture reveal the living God and shape who we are as people made in the image of God?" 

This is why we read.

The early church also read Scripture in community. This was primarily because there was no other option. There were no personal copies of Scripture sitting on an end table in the living room. However, there is more to it than necessity.

Reading in community meant that they were shaped together, they were accountable, and they lived what they read. In a sense, they sought to be "living Scripture" for one another and others in the world. As they sought to understand God through Scripture, they looked to one another's lives. Not to see what another sister or brother thought about this or that passage. They looked to one another to know and understand how their lives interpreted the text.

And this reading in community also kept them from going too far afield in their understanding of Scripture and God. One person might misunderstand part of Scripture, but seldom will an entire community of faith, tied to historic Christianity.

So, you who are hesitant to begin reading Scripture together with your family, you're off the hook if you are nervous about thinking you have to be able to read through Leviticus or something and not able to understand it. If you have the time, resources, and interest to sit and read through the entire Bible, that's great! But we don't want to let this become the expectation or litmus test for what "really" reading the Bible is all about. And you're free to read and live Scripture, without the burden of getting it "right." You are free to read, to look for how it points us to Jesus as you read in the community of your home (and local church) and to be living interpretations of Scripture to and for one another.

Why is it important? Generations of Christians before us witness to the importance of reading Scripture for forming our lives to be lives offered to God in worship and discipleship. It's about formation of the soul. Scripture is not an end to itself. It is a means to an end.

That end is Jesus, whom we worship.

_______________________________________

Some practical stuff...

What should we read?

       Maybe "should" is not the best word. There's nothing you should read, thinking that if you don't read it you're worse off. But, there are parts of Scripture that will certainly be more helpful in enhancing your lives of worship together. Here are some:

• The gospels. These are the best place to start. Using a good Bible will connect you to other parts of the Old Testament as Jesus or the gospel writers refer to them.
• The Psalms. 
• Important stories from the Old Testament:
• Creation stories (Genesis 1-2)
• The Flood story (Genesis 6-9)
• Moses and the Exodus (Exodus 1-20)

These are only suggestions. By no means limit yourselves to these. 

How is it best to read?

1.  Have a plan. Don't just open up to anything. You can select together what you want to read. For example, decide you will read through one of the gospels together. And then break it up into parts (don't follow the chapter divisions in the Bible, but follow the natural story line. There is one--listen for it, and don't let the chapter divisions throw you off).
2. It's best to read out loud, and slowly. Don't hurry through. 
3. Take time to pause, ask for questions or thoughts, and even re-read parts that seem really important. 
4. Read enthusiastically. Pretend like you're a dynamic reader for Audible. :-) Take turns reading, according to reading ability. 
5. Listen closely. Absorb the words.

After you read...

       After you read can be just as important as the reading itself. Remember, the point is not to have the best, most accurate, or "right" understanding. The point is for our lives to be formed by what's read. This does not mean your Scripture reading time needs to turn into a full-blown Bible study. (I wonder if we've lost something by turning the Bible into something we must "study" rather than something we read and hear and are formed by. Bible study has its place, but there is more to Scripture and more to reading and learning from Scripture than this.) 

Some questions to guide reflection...

How does this Scripture lead us to a closer understanding of God? How does this Scripture help give us eyes to see the need for Jesus in the world? How does it encourage, challenge, or equip us for our life of faith and to be people who offer ourselves to God and to others in worship?

You can use the Apostle's Creed, the Nicene Creed, or the early church's "Rule of Faith" as a guide for your family reading. These creeds can give us direction in our reading, understanding, and living of Scripture for the purpose of worshipful lives. Click on this link for more information on this.

Most importantly...Make sure you take time to do this. Don't hurry through it. It can actually be a very nice and peaceful "down time" at the end of the day, or a time to begin the day. Give a good 15 minutes for this. Move things aside...it's that important.

Remember, the purpose is to be shaped into families who worship. Along with prayer, Scripture reading are "habits of enhancement" that, when done regularly, bring us closer to God and one another, and result in lives offered to God and others in worship.