Biblical Literacy in a Culture of Instant Gratification
Nowadays, life is faster with Google answers, groceries, hot meals, Amazon packages, and much more delivered to us in a matter of seconds, minutes, or hours. The internet and technology have taken over our culture and completely altered the way we do life. Compared to generations before us, millennials and especially Gen Z are “digital natives,” having never known life without technology—the average youth spends an average of 9 hours a day with their eyes on a screen.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF TECHNOLOGY
But the ease that technology allows brings with it many consequences: we are now an impulse-driven society, craving instant gratification and reflexively reaching for quick rewards to cater to our every impulse and desire. Sadly, these tendencies have even permeated Christianity, affecting our appetites for God’s Word. It seems that many of us have lost the art of slowly and deeply studying God’s Word for transformation rather than micro doses of transactional truth.
Though podcasts, music, and YouTube Bible summaries are incredible resources at our fingertips, they can be a double-edged sword when it comes to understanding the Word of God. While those resources are not bad, they might enable Christians to skip the step of thinking for ourselves, wrestling with hard questions, and articulating truth concepts on our own. These are the very things that help us develop firm and mature faith! They cultivate in us the value of patience and the ability to think for ourselves. It sounds so simple, but when we do not automatically know an answer, we want it now and do not want to think of our own answer for fear of failure or being wrong. This idea of questions and critical thought can be a struggle. If we have big questions, we Google the answer or turn to a podcast with answers, most likely multi-tasking while we listen and not fully grasping the information given. In some ways, the biblical command to meditate on Scripture is made more of a challenge in our world today.
“Many of us have lost the art of slowly and deeply studying God’s Word for transformation rather than micro doses of transactional truth. ”
WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?
I believe one beginning solution to this problem is more expository teaching in our ministries and churches. I do believe that topical sermons have their place, but they make it harder for Christians to connect the dots and they can often miss the fullness of the narrative of Scripture. Success-driven human beings are not naturally drawn toward the process of wrestling with new or difficult information over a long period of time because it can be a long journey that is frustrating at times. But we must learn to sit and study and be okay with doubts and big questions because as they are formed and answers are solidified, that is where the steadfastness of our faith and the reliability of Christ and His Word become real and rooted. I believe a second solution to the problem happens in mentoring in smaller groups or one-on-one. There is a lot of value in a mentor sitting and studying the Word of God with a believer and expressing empathy and understanding as they begin to critically think about God’s Word.
Another challenge of the instant-gratification and fast paced culture is time. Christians live very transitory and fast paced lives where time for a personal relationship with Christ and communion with Him is not a priority. Christian culture uses the terms devotional or quiet time that many believers turn their noses up at because of the frequency yet ambiguity of the concept and what it means. Some of us were given 3-step processes to accomplish in 10 minutes, further contributing to that craving for instant gratification that continued into our young adult years. These micro doses of Scripture, like topical sermons, do lay a foundation, but they cannot sustain it when theology and big questions are at hand. Dru Johnson wrote, “Only when devotional time is situated within a matrix of Scripture study habits can it regain its power to transform our thinking and our communities.”
The time it takes to study in a deep way must first be modeled in a ministry and/or with a mentor. It is a sacrifice to allow longer periods of time in our programs for deeper study of Scripture alone or in small groups, but when believers do it with others and see its power, we will be more inclined to do it on our own. I would propose that ministry leaders would do well to go back to the basics and not assume people already know how to study Scripture—leaders can teach and use inductive methods themselves, pointing out vocabulary and grammar and repetitive themes and cross references. In a sense, Christian leaders or mentors could help laypeople by pulling back the curtain to how they prepare for lessons in their office and bring that to the pulpit or to their lesson so that believers can learn that method of thinking and meditating of Scripture as well.
“We must learn to sit and study and be okay with doubts and big questions because as they are formed and answers are solidified, that is where the steadfastness of our faith and the reliability of Christ and His Word become real and rooted.”
Overall, we as Christians are to “Let the Word of Christ dwell in [us] richly” (Col. 3:16a). In a world where the concept of dwelling seems impossible and exhausting, we must become creative to fight for biblical literacy and fluency so that our lives and hearts are transformed and our faith and hope are rooted in what is true.
IMPORTANT NOTE
Journeywomen articles are intended to serve as a springboard for continued study in the context of your local church. While we carefully select writers each week, articles shared on the Journeywomen website do not imply Journeywomen's endorsement of all writings and positions of the authors or any other resources mentioned.
