According to research, 85 percent of U.S. households own a Bible, and there are about 4.3 Bibles in the average American home. But since the pandemic, 26 million people have mostly or completely stopped reading the Bible. The Scriptures are designed to transform us into our Creator's image and fill us with the fullness of life God always intended for us. So why are so many people who have access to a Bible choosing not to engage with it? Could it be that our picture of God stands in the way of our desire to read the Bible? Everyone has a picture of God, but could the picture you have of who God is, be the very thing standing in the way of you engaging with His words? As we move into this week's next step, let's look at our picture of God and how that can drive us towards or away from engaging with the Bible.

For Adult Homes & Groups

1. Icebreaker: How many Bibles do you have around your house including apps? 

2. When you think of God, what image comes to mind? (eg. loving father, overbearing boss, absent parent, etc.)

3. Pick one of the following verses and read it together: Isaiah 43:1-5, Isaiah 49:14-16, Isaiah 30:15-18, Matthew 10:29-33, or Romans 5:6-9. Use these questions to think about the verse you just read:

a. What does this tell you about God?

b. What does this tell you about yourself or the world around you?

c. How will you live this out?

4. Paul tells Timothy, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) How can you use the questions from above to meditate on Scripture this week?

5. If you don’t already have a Bible reading plan, pick one of the Gospels and read a chapter a day for the next 30 days. Use those three simple questions from above to meditate on what you read each day.

For Families with Kids

1. Read Isaiah 55:10-11. What does God promise about His Word using this metaphor?

2. Though His work is not always obvious, God’s Word is always at work in our hearts when we read/listen/share it. Our faith grows through God’s Word like flower bulbs in the ground that remain hidden in the winter, but then bud and blossom in the spring. What flowers are you looking forward to seeing this spring? What do you hope God’s Word will cause to blossom in your faith? Pray for it and then read your Bible each day!

3. Make it a goal to read the Bible as a family every day for at least 10 minutes to help water the seeds of faith in your hearts.