Americans who consistently read and apply the Bible report greater levels of hope and resilience, according to American Bible Society’s 12th annual State of the Bible report. The study shows that those who interact on a regular basis with the God of the Bible see their lives change for the better. Overall scores of Human Flourishing have risen to or exceeded the pre-pandemic levels.
[Read the Bible Gateway Blog post, Scripture Engagement is Healthy for You]
The Human Flourishing Index was developed at Harvard University’s T. H. Chan School of Public Health focusing on six areas of human life:
- Happiness and Life Satisfaction
- Mental and Physical Health
- Meaning and Purpose
- Character and Virtue
- Close Social Relationships
- Financial and Material Stability
The first five categories are combined to attain the Human Flourishing Index score on a scale of 1 to 10. When financial stability is added to the mix, a separate Secure Flourishing score is created.
[Read the Bible Gateway Blog post, Don’t Merely Read the Bible—Engage With the Bible!]
Students of the Bible shouldn’t be surprised by these findings. The principle of character growth through hardship resounds through Scripture. “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow” (James 1:3 NLT). Jesus also promoted a particular sense of material stability when he said, “Do not be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body. After all, isn’t life worth more than food?” (Matthew 6:25 GNT). In fact, biblical principles connect well with a number of the Human Flourishing domains.
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Scripture Engaged people scored 19% higher than the Bible Disengaged on the five-domain Human Flourishing Index. In every one of those five areas, the scores of the Scripture Engaged significantly exceed those of the Bible Disengaged and the Movable Middle. Thus, regularly engaging the Bible helps people develop satisfying relationships, a growing character, general happiness, healthy habits, and above all a sense of meaning and purpose.
[Read the Bible Gateway Blog post, The Abide Bible: Engaging Scripture, Engaging God]
“To put it simply: the Bible’s message is not only spiritually transformative; it also transforms how we experience life on earth,” says John Farquhar Plake, PhD, director of ministry intelligence for American Bible Society. “There is restoration and healing in the Word of God, and we urgently need to point our hurting neighbors toward that life-changing truth.”
In partnership with the Taylor University Center for Scripture Engagement, American Bible Society, and ChurchSource, Bible Gateway invites you to sign up to receive the The Abide Bible Initiative free email devotional to help you develop a pattern of engaging with the Bible that fits your God-designed learning style. You’ll be introduced to five Bible reading plans based on the five Scripture engagement practices used in The Abide Bible:
- Contemplate. Follow the simple four-step practice of feasting on God’s Word by reading a passage, meditating on its meaning and application, praying, and finally sitting silently, abiding in God’s presence through the words of Scripture.
- Picture It. Place yourself in a biblical narrative as a bystander or participant in important events.
- Praying Scripture. Pattern your prayers after biblical texts, personalizing the prayer and gaining language for the thoughts and emotions you want to express.
- Engage Through Art. Consider a classic artwork—photograph, sculpture, painting—and let it deepen your meditations on scriptural truths.
- Journal. Focus and reflect on Scripture and its meaning for your life, opening yourself to God’s voice through the Holy Spirit.
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