Ryan Foley writes about a survey done in the USA regarding the discipline of reading, studying, and meditating on the Bible. (The Christian Post 13 October 2023) Sadly, 53% of Evangelicals, 44% of Afro-American Protestants, 36% of other Protestants, and 21% of Catholics read the Bible once a week. In another study, 74% who attended Online church services and only 32 percent who went in-person use the Bible just once a week. In the last days, Amos prophesied famine for the Word of God. (Amos 8:11) It is not about the availability, but interest in feeding the Word of God.
No hunger: If a person does not eat anything and is dehydrated, may die within three to five days. This survey shows a majority of them have their spiritual food, the Word of God just once a week. Probably, that too is read from the pulpit. Sadly, people do not have a hunger for spiritual food.
No interest: For many the Bible is not interesting or exciting, instead boring. Exciting teachers make any subject interesting. If Bible teachers including the pastors teach without interest, and spiritual authority (like Pharisees), the hearers would get bored and even lose the appetite to read the Scripture.
No faith: Studying the Bible for many is a ritual. Born in Christian families, they see reading the Bible as reciting mantras, an essential tradition, and should be done without engagement of mind, soul, or spirit. Sadly, even teachers of the Bible give such an impression by doing shoddy work.
No healthy food: Those who are on a regular diet of junk food, do not like healthy food. Reject such healthy food. Paul warns Timothy that a time will come when people will not like or prefer or desire healthy spiritual food, and sound doctrine. Instead, they will gather preachers who would give them junk food of their desire that will suit their itching ears. (II Timothy 4:3,4)
Online participants: Those who attend online services are better than in-person participants. Probably, the younger generation is hungrier for the Word of God.
Do I hunger for the Word of God?