Thanks for your reply, Tony. Personally, I believe that the answer is additive, not subtractive. Bible reading and other aspects of discipleship (prayer, meditation, fasting, etc.) should be one component of our teens’ spiritual lives to which are added service, worship, fellowship, and evangelism. Keeping a balance of these things in our ministry may help our teens see the whole picture of God as he reveals himself through His word, His worship, His world, and His people. (I couldn’t come up with another “W” on the fly there).

That’s a fair question, Terrell. I agree that in theory it’s impossible to truly read the Bible with an open heart and turn it into anything more than an adventure into the heart of God (and inviting His heart to journey into yours). Still, didn’t Jesus take issue with the Pharisees and other religious experts for their habits that put them around the Truths of God without letting those Truths penetrate them?

I’m drawing from that, as well my own experience in seeing people who know “church-speak” and can “Scripture-their-way” through a small group by spouting off verses they memorized, and yet have very little (if anything) to show in real transformation. I’d hate to see us encourage teenagers into a habit and not the Person of God, but I also fear us not teaching them anything and hope something just “organically happens.” I like your thought that it’s the end goal of helping them become rooted to produce fruit. Any tips on how we can best aim for that?

I know this is just one statement out of a whole article that I’m keying in on, but it made me stop and say, “what?” Overall, good article. I think one key to unlocking the Bible for a new generation (at least for those of us who are in faith movements that tend toward conservatism and legalism) is to get a better grip ourselves on the idea that the Bible leads us to worship the person of Jesus Christ, and is not itself an object of worship. This helps free us from the constant need to defend the Bible itself, which creates an environment where young people are afraid to ask hard questions about the word of God that they need answered, lest they be labeled as unspiritual or be the victim of overreaction from a parent or minister.