From Lee Spitzer: In response to my publishing Dr. Turlington's article, Rev. Gordon Braun from FBC So. Plainfield shared this reflection from his church's September newsletter.

I recently came across a survey concerning Biblical knowledge among Americans today. The results that most saddened me most were the responses of the high school students. The vast majority couldn’t name all four Gospels, or more than one of the first five books of the Old Testament, and weren’t sure what the difference was between the New Testament and the Old Testament. There are many reasons why we as a nation have become so biblically illiterate, but what concerns me more is how we can stem the tide and start to become more knowledgeable about the Bible here at FBCSP. As Christians we believe that we know God through the Word and the Lord’s Table, and the best way to learn about and know the Living Word–Jesus–is by reading and studying the written word, the Bible.

When preachers base their sermons on the Lectionary, the advantage is that much of the Bible is covered over the course of three years, and the readings follow the Church Year. The disadvantage is that always preaching from the Lectionary limits the time you can spend in depth in one part of the Bible. This summer we’ve been looking at what the Book of James has been saying to us about to how to live as citizens of the Kingdom of God, and we will be studying Galatians after we finish James, before Advent begins. Galatians is the book which really explains the freedom that we have in Christ–freedom being a key concept for Baptist Christians.

As the fall schedule begins, I would like to encourage you to spend more time with the Bible, whether reading it at home or joining a Bible study group here at church. There are several options for you, and if there isn’t one when you are available, volunteer to host one, and I’ll be glad to lead it for you, or find someone who can. It would be great to have an evening Bible Study available for those folks who work during the day. My prayer is that we all come to a greater and deeper knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ as we get to know the Bible better this fall.