Scripture Engagement

Visual Arts

The Life of Jesus Mafa

A set of African illustrations of the Gospel

Vie de Jesus Mafa (Life of Jesus Mafa) was an initiative undertaken in the 1970s to help teach the gospel in Northern Cameroon. French Catholic missionary François Vidil worked with Mafa Christian communities in Cameroon to create an enormous catalogue…

RichardOctober 28, 2009

Understanding Scripture

Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary

Old Testament

John H Walton (2009)

Many today find the Old Testament a closed book. The cultural issues seem insurmountable and we are easily baffled by that which seems obscure. Furthermore, without knowledge of the ancient culture we can easily impose our own culture on the…

RichardOctober 22, 2009

Bible Storytelling Evangelism

Bible Storying for Church Planting

Daniel Sanchez, J. O. Terry, LaNette Thompson (2008)

Adaptability on the part of the Bible storyer is absolutely essential if such efforts are to result in church starting. This adaptability must address the presentation of the stories, the number of stories that are utilized, the story sets that…

RichardOctober 16, 2009

Bible Storytelling Discipleship Evangelism

Basic Bible Storying

Preparing and presenting Bible stories for evangelism, discipleship, training and ministry

J. O. Terry (2009)

Bible Storying is the intentional and uninterrupted sharing of God's Word primarily as stories. These stories are usually supplemented with culturally appropriate learning exercises that are listener sensitive. The stories may be told as part of a strategy of telling…

RichardOctober 16, 2009

Children

Godly Play

Godly Play is an interactive and imaginative method of presenting Bible stories, parables and lessons about religious traditions, using engaging three-dimensional materials and a variety of creative activities. Through a structured programme of storytelling, reflection and creative expression, it invites…

RichardOctober 5, 2009

Audio Digital Film and Video Literacy Orality Visual Arts

Scripture in an Accessible Form

The Most Common Avenue to Increased Scripture Engagement

T. Wayne Dye (2009)

The choice of medium can make a difference, and better artistic quality enhances any communication. However, the most important quality is how relevant the message seems to be to the lives of its hearers. If a hearer (or reader or…

RichardOctober 3, 2009

Bible Reading

More Precious than Gold

Read the Bible in one or two years

Robert Murray McCheyne (2008)

God reveals himself to us in Scripture. As we read the Bible daily, he gradually works on our thinking, our will and our emotions so we can love him 'with all our mind, our strength, our soul, our heart'. The…

RichardSeptember 29, 2009

Research

Taking the pulse: Is the Bible alive and well in the Church today?

Congregation members also feel that there is scope for improving the role the Bible plays in Church services. Many feel their understanding of the passages read by preachers during sermons would increase if preachers were better at contextualising the material…

RichardSeptember 29, 2009

Bible Translation Culture Language Issues

The Vernacular Treasure: A Century of Mother-Tongue Bible Translation

Harriet Hill (2006)

Bible translators realized that translated Scriptures sitting in warehouses fell short of their goal. Their real goal was that receptors use these Scriptures to draw closer to God. UBS refers to this goal as Scripture engagement; SIL and Wycliffe refer…

RichardSeptember 25, 2009

Literacy

There’s More to Reading than Meets the Eye

Lyndal Webb (2009)

There is more to reading the words on the page than meets the eye. In order for the Bible to be read with comprehension and understanding, resulting in an appropriate response to God’s communication, the reader must be equipped with…

RichardSeptember 23, 2009