uncoverleaders 7 1367420242 http://uncover.americanbible.org/subscribed Thank you for signing up for the Lead Where You are Journey. Your email address has been added and you should receive a confirmation shortly. In your desire to help others hear God’s Word for themselves, don’t forget that God has a word just for you. Jesus said, “People need every word that God has spoken” (Matthew 4:4b).  That means you! To help you reset, we have developed “Lead Where You Are” a Bible engagement journey just for you. Spend the next seven days in this Scripture-based journey geared to helping you examine your own Bible engagement practices. It even includes a link to sermon outlines for sharing and extending this commitment with others. Subscribed Thank you for signing up for the Lead Where You are Journey. Your email address has been added and you should receive a confirmation shortly. In your desire to help others hear God’s Word for themselves, don’t forget that God has a word just for you. Jesus said, “People need every word that God has spoken” (Matthew 4:4b).  That means you! To help you reset, we have developed “Lead Where You Are” a Bible engagement journey just for you. Spend the next seven days in this Scripture-based journey geared to helping you examine your own Bible engagement practices. It even includes a link to sermon outlines for sharing and extending this commitment with others. Download the PDF Journey » Download the Sermon Outlines » 1366634455 http://uncover.americanbible.org/proof Fact. Reflection on Scripture is the most powerful spiritual practice to help people move forward in their love for God and others. Proof. The first proof was written more than 2,500 years ago when a Jewish leader penned these words: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11) This leader had overwhelming evidence that taking God’s sacred words to heart would curb sinful attitudes and behaviors. But it’s 2013. And in today’s world, we — even church leaders — need a fresh reminder of Scripture’s power to transform us. Over the past five years, several studies have been conducted on Scripture engagement and its potential to strengthen one’s relationship with God. Two stand out. One was conducted in 2008 by Lifeway Research in which 2,500 Protestant Church attendees were followed for a year to determine what helped their faith grow. Brad J. Wagonner clearly identified the catalyst: The daily discipline of reading. In fact, daily Bible engagement was the No. 1 predictor of spiritual maturation, wrote Wagonner in his book, The Shape of Faith to Come. Willow Creek Association confirms this finding with its research from the REVEAL survey. Over a period of four years, it polled more than 1,500 churches representing more than 400,000 church attendees at various stages in their spiritual journeys. Scripture reflection, the REVEAL survey found, is the No. 1 way to help people grow in their love for Christ. “When it comes to spiritual growth, nothing beats the Bible,” wrote Cally Parkinson and Greg Hawkins in their book, Move. The churches involved in the study ranged in size from under 100 to more than 5,000 and represented all 50 states. They were both denominational and non-denominational and represented a wide range of styles, including contemporary, Pentecostal, Catholic, traditional and mainline. Parkinson and Hawkins explain that key findings in the REVEAL survey suggest people fall along a spiritual continuum, from exploring Christ to being Christ-centered—and many things advance our walks with God along that continuum. “But of all the personal spiritual practices—prayer, confession, tithing, journaling, solitude, serving or worship‐we find that one stands out,” Parkinson and Hawkins state. “Scripture reflection—more than any other practice—moves people forward in their love for God and love for others.”   Reflection on Scripture is much more influential than any other spiritual practice by a statistically significant and wide margin, Parkinson and Hawkins state. “For those who would say they are Christ-centered or working to stay close to Christ, Scripture reflection is twice as catalytic as any other factor. This means it has twice the power of any other spiritual practice to accelerate growth in spiritually mature people.” What’s the implication for church leaders? Quite simply, they need to do more than suggest that congregants read their Bibles regularly. They need to teach that this is a necessity. “Everything in REVEAL points to the need for us to shake things up—to create a ‘new normal’ for the church—one that doesn’t include people sleep-walking through decades of church attendance as Bibles collect dust in church pews,” Parkinson and Hawkins write in Move.  Can churches that embed the Bible in everything become the norm, rather than the exception? they ask in Move. “Absolutely... but we have learned that a shock to the system may be required. É Current church expectations and standing operating procedures will need to be upended to make it happen.”  American Bible Society believes it is essential that church leaders KNOW the spiritual condition of those they serve. We strongly recommend you consider an assessment of where your attendees are spiritually to establish a baseline of their Bible engagement. For more information on this visit REVEAL. Proof Fact. Reflection on Scripture is the most powerful spiritual practice to help people move forward in their love for God and others. Proof. The first proof was written more than 2,500 years ago when a Jewish leader penned these words: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11) This leader had overwhelming evidence that taking God’s sacred words to heart would curb sinful attitudes and behaviors. But it’s 2013. And in today’s world, we — even church leaders — need a fresh reminder of Scripture’s power to transform us. Over the past five years, several studies have been conducted on Scripture engagement and its potential to strengthen one’s relationship with God. Two stand out. One was conducted in 2008 by Lifeway Research in which 2,500 Protestant Church attendees were followed for a year to determine what helped their faith grow. Brad J. Wagonner clearly identified the catalyst: The daily discipline of reading. In fact, daily Bible engagement was the No. 1 predictor of spiritual maturation, wrote Wagonner in his book, The Shape of Faith to Come. Willow Creek Association confirms this finding with its research from the REVEAL survey. Over a period of four years, it polled more than 1,500 churches representing more than 400,000 church attendees at various stages in their spiritual journeys. Scripture reflection, the REVEAL survey found, is the No. 1 way to help people grow in their love for Christ. “When it comes to spiritual growth, nothing beats the Bible,” wrote Cally Parkinson and Greg Hawkins in their book, Move. The churches involved in the study ranged in size from under 100 to more than 5,000 and represented all 50 states. They were both denominational and non-denominational and represented a wide range of styles, including contemporary, Pentecostal, Catholic, traditional and mainline. Parkinson and Hawkins explain that key findings in the REVEAL survey suggest people fall along a spiritual continuum, from exploring Christ to being Christ-centered—and many things advance our walks with God along that continuum. “But of all the personal spiritual practices—prayer, confession, tithing, journaling, solitude, serving or worship‐we find that one stands out,” Parkinson and Hawkins state. “Scripture reflection—more than any other practice—moves people forward in their love for God and love for others.”   Reflection on Scripture is much more influential than any other spiritual practice by a statistically significant and wide margin, Parkinson and Hawkins state. “For those who would say they are Christ-centered or working to stay close to Christ, Scripture reflection is twice as catalytic as any other factor. This means it has twice the power of any other spiritual practice to accelerate growth in spiritually mature people.” What’s the implication for church leaders? Quite simply, they need to do more than suggest that congregants read their Bibles regularly. They need to teach that this is a necessity. “Everything in REVEAL points to the need for us to shake things up—to create a ‘new normal’ for the church—one that doesn’t include people sleep-walking through decades of church attendance as Bibles collect dust in church pews,” Parkinson and Hawkins write in Move.  Can churches that embed the Bible in everything become the norm, rather than the exception? they ask in Move. “Absolutely... but we have learned that a shock to the system may be required. É Current church expectations and standing operating procedures will need to be upended to make it happen.”  American Bible Society believes it is essential that church leaders KNOW the spiritual condition of those they serve. We strongly recommend you consider an assessment of where your attendees are spiritually to establish a baseline of their Bible engagement. For more information on this visit REVEAL. “If churches could do only one thing to help people at all levels of spiritual maturity grow in their relationship with Christ, their choice is clear. They would inspire, encourage, and equip their people to read the Bible — specifically, to reflect on Scripture for meaning in their lives. The numbers say most churches are missing the mark — because only one out of five congregants reflects on Scripture every day.” (Move, p 19)  1366633771 http://uncover.americanbible.org/about Uncover the Word™ is a national Scripture engagement initiative that seeks to be a catalyst for revolutionary Bible engagement that produces personal and corporate/church transformation which empowers world change for God’s glory. Uncover the Word™ fulfills this mission by: Convening leaders to activate their networks for revolutionary Scripture engagement Serving the church and equipping them to engage in the Bible daily Advocating for individuals to reconsider the Bible’s message as relevant for their lives Measuring the impact of our collective efforts The Forum of Bible Agencies — North America (FOBA-NA) led the call for Uncover the Word to become a flagship national campaign, inviting organizations and churches to commit to this national Bible engagement renewal initiative. This movement is made up of Bible agencies, churches and passionate Christ followers, dedicated to building up daily practices of Scripture engagement, releasing Christ-like character and compassion in all of us. We believe that the Word of God, alive and active, is God’s appointed means by which the Kingdom grows. The living Word — Jesus, the Christ — is at work reconciling alienated and spiritually desolate individuals, families, communities to God and to each other. Leading researchers all agree: the Bible’s influence in Western culture and in our churches is rapidly declining. Amidst a technological and cultural sea change, the Bible’s overarching story of redemption is being drowned out. And each new generation is accelerating this trend; we are losing our children and our children’s children. The Church is falling short of what God has called us to be, a bright and living witness uncovering the life-giving hope, redemptive promises, and transformative power in our Christian Scriptures. Uncover the Word comes at this ‘stake in the ground’ moment. If you have a passion to catalyze a viral, contagious movement of daily practices of Scripture engagement that overflow into ministry and mission, get involved with the Uncover The Word community. This community will benefit from the shared resources of the movement: Cutting edge research Best practices/Strategies / best practices / paradigms / processes to embed the Bible into everything Digitized translations in heart languages Proven Bible engagement resources that can be customized for various traditions and audiences and delivered using digital channels. Today, we determine to turn this tide and Uncover the Word. We declare our trust in God’s Word to accomplish all that God desires. God's kingdom comes. Today, it begins with us. About Uncover the Word™ Uncover the Word™ is a national Scripture engagement initiative that seeks to be a catalyst for revolutionary Bible engagement that produces personal and corporate/church transformation which empowers world change for God’s glory. Uncover the Word™ fulfills this mission by: Convening leaders to activate their networks for revolutionary Scripture engagement Serving the church and equipping them to engage in the Bible daily Advocating for individuals to reconsider the Bible’s message as relevant for their lives Measuring the impact of our collective efforts The Forum of Bible Agencies — North America (FOBA-NA) led the call for Uncover the Word to become a flagship national campaign, inviting organizations and churches to commit to this national Bible engagement renewal initiative. This movement is made up of Bible agencies, churches and passionate Christ followers, dedicated to building up daily practices of Scripture engagement, releasing Christ-like character and compassion in all of us. We believe that the Word of God, alive and active, is God’s appointed means by which the Kingdom grows. The living Word — Jesus, the Christ — is at work reconciling alienated and spiritually desolate individuals, families, communities to God and to each other. Leading researchers all agree: the Bible’s influence in Western culture and in our churches is rapidly declining. Amidst a technological and cultural sea change, the Bible’s overarching story of redemption is being drowned out. And each new generation is accelerating this trend; we are losing our children and our children’s children. The Church is falling short of what God has called us to be, a bright and living witness uncovering the life-giving hope, redemptive promises, and transformative power in our Christian Scriptures. Uncover the Word comes at this ‘stake in the ground’ moment. If you have a passion to catalyze a viral, contagious movement of daily practices of Scripture engagement that overflow into ministry and mission, get involved with the Uncover The Word community. This community will benefit from the shared resources of the movement: Cutting edge research Best practices/Strategies / best practices / paradigms / processes to embed the Bible into everything Digitized translations in heart languages Proven Bible engagement resources that can be customized for various traditions and audiences and delivered using digital channels. Today, we determine to turn this tide and Uncover the Word. We declare our trust in God’s Word to accomplish all that God desires. God's kingdom comes. Today, it begins with us. Get Our Newsletter Stay connected. Sign up to receive the monthly Uncover Exchange e-newsletter which highlights powerful Bible engagement tools, eye-opening research, and helpful tips from other church leaders. 1367420242 http://uncover.americanbible.org/partners Uncover the Word is a collaborative effort of many organizations that have made it a priority to help refocus attention on the importance of daily Bible engagement. If your organization is interested in getting involved, please contact us at info@uncovertheword.com. Our Partners Uncover the Word is a collaborative effort of many organizations that have made it a priority to help refocus attention on the importance of daily Bible engagement. If your organization is interested in getting involved, please contact us at info@uncovertheword.com. 1366632564 http://uncover.americanbible.org/reengage Uncover the Word™ aggregates powerful resources for increasing Bible engagement and spiritual growth. Here are a few to get you started. Together, we can begin to engage others in God’s Word, reverse the trend, and change lives. Re-engage Uncover the Word™ aggregates powerful resources for increasing Bible engagement and spiritual growth. Here are a few to get you started. Together, we can begin to engage others in God’s Word, reverse the trend, and change lives. Where’s Your Chair Early this January, Bill Hybels focused a weekend message on the spiritual practice of Scripture Engagement. We are providing you as TGLS host site leaders this compelling video clip for your use in a weekend service. Now is the Time: Acts Coming Pentecost 2013, a 30-day journey through the book of Acts. This journey will include tracks for adults, youth and children. This new suite of free resources and companion materials will include Reading Planners, Discussion Guides and Sermon Outlines. What on Earth Am I Here For? Lead your Church in an experience that will answer the most fundamental question everyone faces in life ‐ What on Earth Am I Here For? This Church campaign features an all-new 6 session video and workbook from Pastor Rick Warren that is designed to unite and ignite small groups in your Church. 40 Days in the Word 40 Days in the Word is a 6-week, church-wide spiritual growth campaign that teaches you to Learn the Word, Love the Word, and Live the Word. This resource includes materials for churches, small groups, and individuals. Brick by Brick Brick by Brick is a 40-day journey through the book of Nehemiah that will inspire your church to take action in your city. Learn how to restore your city through prayer and God’s Word. This resource includes materials for churches, small groups, and individuals. Financial Stewardship Suite God knows the importance of money in our lives, and he knows our need to handle it wisely. He has provided insight for earning, spending, avoiding debt, saving, and living with eternity in mind. This resource includes materials for churches, small groups, and individuals. The Least of These The Least of These is a 40-day Scripture journey to explore what the Bible says about poverty and justice. This resource includes materials for churches, small groups, and individuals. YouVersion® YouVersion is an application for mobile phones and a website that provides versions of the Bible in many languages, reading plans, a bookmark feature, and more. This resource is designed for individuals. Daypack The DayPack app enables you to create customized Scripture Journeys and share with your congregation, small groups and friends. Scripture Engagement Bookmarks Easy to follow instructions for six different Scripture Engagement methods in a printer-friendly format. This resource is designed to be used by small groups and individuals. Hope Changes Everything Hope Changes Everything is a web ministry that shows users that there is power and healing in the Word of God. This resource is designed for individuals. 1366632288 http://uncover.americanbible.org/reset In your desire to help others hear God’s Word for themselves, don’t forget that God has a word just for you. Jesus said, “People need every word that God has spoken” (Matthew 4:4b).  That means you! To help you reset, we have developed “Lead Where You Are” a Bible engagement journey just for you. Spend the next seven days in this Scripture-based journey geared to helping you examine your own Bible engagement practices. It even includes a link to sermon outlines for sharing and extending this commitment with others. Start Your Email Lead Where You Are Journey Now Reset In your desire to help others hear God’s Word for themselves, don’t forget that God has a word just for you. Jesus said, “People need every word that God has spoken” (Matthew 4:4b).  That means you! To help you reset, we have developed “Lead Where You Are” a Bible engagement journey just for you. Spend the next seven days in this Scripture-based journey geared to helping you examine your own Bible engagement practices. It even includes a link to sermon outlines for sharing and extending this commitment with others. Start Your Email Lead Where You Are Journey Now Download the PDF Journey » Download the Sermon Outlines » 1366623524 http://uncover.americanbible.org/rethink Sometimes the answers we need as church leaders are found in the hearts of our people — not a book, or conference or peer. Get to know where your people are in their spiritual journey (including their Bible engagement), as well as direction for future ministry decisions. Find Out More » Rethink Sometimes the answers we need as church leaders are found in the hearts of our people — not a book, or conference or peer. Get to know where your people are in their spiritual journey (including their Bible engagement), as well as direction for future ministry decisions. Find Out More » “You can’t lead your people until you know where they are spiritually. And nothing will assess that as specifically and comprehensively as REVEAL.” — Texas “If you have the guts to know where your people are, go for it.” — Georgia “This is a powerful tool to ensure your church creates Christ-centered believers.” — Ohio 1366621203