Date
10-2020
Department
Rawlings School of Divinity
Degree
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Chair
Jacob Dunlow
Keywords
Bible, Methodology, Engagement
Disciplines
Christianity | Religion
Recommended Citation
Stephens, Robert Milton, "The Impact of a Lectio Divina Bible Reading Methodology in the Lives of a Sample of Congregants at Crestview Baptist Church" (2020). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2701.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/2701
Abstract
Consistent Bible engagement is an indispensable spiritual discipline in the life of growing Christians. Many who profess they are Christian will also unashamedly state that they are too busy or have no time to read the Bible at all. Pastors who take upon the mantle of leadership within the local church must seek ways to be intentional about mobilizing their congregations to engage with Scripture in order to address this alarming trend. This thesis project desires to offer the local church a practical suggestion for getting their congregation to engage with the Bible in addition to times of corporate gathering. This research project will gauge the effectiveness of bringing Lectio Divina as a daily Bible engagement practice into the lives of the adult congregation and measuring the change in an individual’s spiritual growth to address this problem. The desired outcome of this thesis project is to increase the number of adults who have developed a daily habit of engaging with God's Word. The outcome of this project will not be to assess one's overall knowledge of the Bible or to increase biblical literacy. The goal will be to improve the skills needed for adults to confidently engage with God's Words in order to have a daily encounter with the living God. This project includes a daily Bible reading plan, a devotional, and a Bible engagement methodology that will better equip adults for daily Bible reading.
