The Scripture Practice
How do we read Scripture in the age of scrolling and skimming?
The library we call “the Bible” can connect us to God and change who we are, but distraction, hurry, and confusion can hinder our experience with these ancient texts. Rediscover how to engage Scripture as an apprentice to Jesus.
What to expect
Each Practice comes with four video sessions, weekly exercises and readings, and additional resources to help your group create life-changing daily rhythms as you apprentice under Jesus together. The sessions are about 30 minutes long and include time for group discussion.
Our Practices work well for small groups or for running course-style with a larger group, but they can also be modified for a churchwide Sunday teaching series, small cohorts, and many other contexts.
Preview Session 01Week by Week
-
Learn why following Jesus and immersing our minds in Scripture are inseparable and how to read with a heart posture attuned to his presence.
Practice: Begin reading Scripture daily.
-
The digital age teaches us to read quickly and move on, but the library of Scripture was created for slow, prayerful reflection so that God’s thoughts inhabit our minds completely.
Practice: Meditate on Scripture through the practice of Lectio Divina.
-
The library of Scripture isn’t easy to understand. The process of learning what the text says — to the original audience and to us today — helps us listen to God and obey whatever he says.
Practice: Choose a passage or theme from Scripture to study closely.
-
In the age of easy access to information, we’ve lost something crucial: the practice of storing truth deep in our bodies, so that we can anchor ourselves to an “inner library” of passages throughout the day.
Practice: Memorize a passage of Scripture.
Recommended Resources
-
The Companion Guide
Each session will use the Scripture Practice Companion Guide. We created this guide to help you and your group build new daily rhythms into your lives.
The Guide includes weekly Reach Exercises, assigned readings and podcast episodes, and reflection questions. You can purchase a beautiful printed version, or download the digital guide for free when you sign up to run the Practice.
-
Recommended Reading
The recommended reading for the Scripture Practice is Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading by Eugene Peterson.
-
The Lectio Bible
The Lectio Bible was designed for a distraction-free reading experience to help you approach the Bible slowly, prayerfully, and attuned to the Spirit’s voice. We’ve also created four reading plan options to accompany it. Order your copy today.
-
Rule of Life Podcast
The Scripture season of the Rule of Life podcast, made with help from our friends at BibleProject, features John Mark joined by Dr. Tim Mackie, Hakeem Bradley, and Dr. Brittany Kim.