Newsletter | Scripture Engagement in IFES

At the IFES Bible Study Consultation last February, research reports showed that one of the weakest areas of Scripture engagement in most IFES regions was “personal Bible study.”

In response to this a small working group came up with an idea to help: Use social media to encourage students to get into Scripture on their own on a regular basis. The hope was that having an “instant Bible study” on a student’s Smartphone, email, or Facebook page each day might inspire them to be more regular in their personal Bible study. This project was named “Thirsty.”

Four staff from the IFES region of North America volunteered to take on Thirsty as a pilot project for a year. Our goal by next June is to have 500 regular users. Thirsty delivers a passage of Scripture each day along with three inductive questions to a blog site, Facebook page, email inboxes, and Smartphones via a text message. The passages go consecutively through books of the Bible. The study questions are written by a multi-ethnic, multi-national group of staff and students. Thirsty users can interact with each other about the daily study on the blog site or Facebook page.

Take a look for yourself: http://thirsty.ifesworld.org/ A video presenting the Thirsty project can be found at http://vimeo.com/28412649/.

Since Thirsty was launched Sept 1 there are about 250 regular users, and more than 3000 people from over 60 countries have visited the blog page. We don’t know how many of the users are new to regular personal Bible study or whether these are regular Scripture users switching to using Thirsty. We’ve received enthusiastic feedback from some of the regular users who really appreciate the way the inductive questions help them think more deeply about the passage and apply it to their lives.

A full evaluation of the Thirsty pilot project is scheduled for early 2012. At that time we will also consider how Thirsty could be shared and expanded among other IFES movements who may be interested.

Bob G., InterVarsity/USA
For more information contact: Elizabeth.english (at) intervarsity.org

Other New Projects Using the Internet to Strengthen Personal Bible Study:
_WordUp: 99 days of reading psalms. Cf. https://www.facebook.com/groups/wordup.nz/ The documents on the facebook page include some very creative videos on Bible study.

_Reading through the Bible in one year. A facebook group started by a Danish student.
Cf. http://www.facebook.com/groups/222475794471032/

IFES is committed to Scripture as God’s Word to us. We want students to read and study the Bible. Why? Please pause for a moment and think about why you read the Bible. What are your expectations as you do so?

Reading the Bible is not an end in itself. It is not about fulfilling a Christian duty for the sake of having done so. It is also not primarily about collecting information and facts (and then getting bored with Bible passages we think we already know).

As we seek to strengthen Scripture engagement in IFES our ultimate aim is not to see more students reading and studying the Bible. Yes, we want to see that happen, but for the sake of something greater. In God’s written word, students meet Jesus Christ, the Living Word – and get to know and trust him. Through God’s word, students grow in their love for God and for others, they receive grace and hope, they learn to see our world and themselves differently, they are challenged to place all of life under the Lordship of Christ. Scripture engagement is not an end in itself. Its ultimate aim is a transformative encounter with the living God. It is seeing God through his word shape us (individually and collectively) into the image of Christ.

The place of Scripture engagement in the Living Stones vision of IFES reflects this well: it is one of three core commitments which are to “surround and support” every aspect of IFES life. (See the Living Stones document: http://www.ifesworld.org/about/vision.) Scripture engagement is not one strategic priority set next to others; it is not an area of ministry which can be isolated from other things we are doing. It is integral to everything we do. This involves, for example, going through the six strategic priorities of the Living Stones vision asking questions like: How does Scripture shape our understanding, practice, and the content of evangelism? Which role does it play in strengthening leadership and formacion? How can we help students engage the university and their own field of studies through a biblical lens? And so on.

Why engage Scripture? How does Scripture engagement fit into the bigger picture of IFES student ministry? I encourage you to reflect on these questions with regard to your own life and ministry. One (of many) Bible passages worth meditating as you think about this is 2. Timothy 3:14-17.

Sabine Kalthoff