THE BIBLE MONTH PILOT PROJECT REPORT

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1 THE BIBLE MONTH PILOT PROJECT REPORT (MARCH, 2015) INTRODUCTION God s word is open and available to everybody and what we should be doing is giving people the opportunity to find it for themselves. (Bible Month Facilitator) The primary aim of the Bible Month pilot project was to improve biblical literacy within the Methodist Church. 1 It did so by equipping teams of preachers to lead a Bible Month, a series of four Sunday sermons and four small-group meetings focusing on a single biblical book. 2 Philippians was the biblical book chosen for the pilot. A secondary aim was to help preachers grow in confidence and skill in preparing and preaching through a single biblical book. The preachers involved were invited to attend a weekend residential where they had the opportunity to engage more deeply with Philippians reflect on preaching and group facilitation, and begin planning the Bible Month within their circuits. Four Bible Month teams two in the London District and two in the Darlington District were involved in the project, with each team delivering a Bible Month in a participating church. The Bible Month pilot involved a series of planning meetings (beginning October 2013), Bible Month vision days (April and June 2014), a residential event for preachers (July 2014), and the delivery of four Bible Months (October to December 2014).The evaluation took place following the completion of each of the Bible Months. 3 BACKGROUND The Methodist Church holds to the centrality of Scripture as a means of grace, a place where readers and hearers encounter the living God. 4 In his notes on the New Testament, John Wesley pointed to the centrality of Scripture in his description of the Bible as, the fountain of heavenly wisdom, which they who are able to taste prefer to all writings of men, 1 Biblical literacy includes both knowledge of the Bible and the skills of interpreting it and applying it today. For further discussion, see Margaret Killingray Encouraging Biblical Literacy (Cambridge: Grove Books, 1997), pp. 3-5, and David Wood, Let the Bible Live: Report of the North Yorkshire Dales Biblical Literacy Project (Durham: CODEC, 2013), pp (available at final David_Wood.pdf) 2 For reasons explained below, one of the Bible Month teams expanded the month to include five Sundays and five small-group meetings. 3 Many thanks to Dr Hamish Leese, Research Officer for the Methodist Church, for the key role he played in helping to evaluate the Bible Month. Hamish provided feedback on the questionnaire, took part in the focus groups and interviews, and provided guidance on the use of the data in this report. 4 For the importance of the means of grace within the theology of John Wesley, see Randy L. Maddox, Responsible Grace: John Wesley s Practical Theology (Nashville, Tennessee: Kingswood Books, 1994), pp For John Wesley s sermon on the means of grace, see The Discipleship & Ministries Cluster of the Connexional Team Methodist Church House, 25 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5JR Helpdesk: Registered charity number

2 however wise or learned or holy. 5 More recently, the Methodist Church Report A Lamp to my Feet and a Light to my Path affirmed that, The Bible... is the primary witness to God s self-revelation, above all in Christ, within the formative events of the life of God s people, pointing the Church of today to the present activity of God. 6 Despite the significance that the Methodist Church gives to the Bible, many Christians rarely read or engage with it. 7 Such a development has taken place within a broader decline in biblical literary within society, documented by the National Biblical Literacy Survey undertaken by CODEC in The more recent North Yorkshire Dales Biblical Literacy Survey, which began in December 2010, found similar levels of disengagement within a rural circuit of the Methodist Church. 9 Clearly, people within society including Christians can find the Bible a closed book. 10 Surveys have also suggested that - among Christians there is a desire to engage Scripture more deeply and fruitfully. Research among the Missing Generation (2011), year olds, found that engaging with the Bible was one of the key qualities valued in small groups. 11 Those who have participated in the Disciple Bible Study course in the UK have also spoken of the transformative effects of reading through the Bible. 12 Given the importance of Scripture to spiritual formation, and the struggle many Christians have to engage Scripture, the church needs to explore ways of helping Christians grow in frequency and confidence in reading the Bible. The North Yorkshire Dales Biblical Literacy Project found that one of the most successful ways of encouraging Christians in this area was through leading a preaching series based on a biblical book or character. The preaching series ran over four Sunday within a local church, and included small group meetings to encourage Methodists to engage with Scripture For a helpful summary of Wesley s teaching on the primacy of Scripture, see Thomas C. Oden, John Wesley s Teachings, vol 1: God and Providence (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012), pp (Peterborough: Methodist Publishing House, 1998), p. 34. The report is also available at 7 Statistics for the Methodist church are difficult to find, but the general decline of Bible reading among Christians has been noted for example in Killingray, Encouraging Biblical Literacy, pp.3-7 and Wood, Let the Bible Live, pp A helpful discussion of the tendency within Methodist churches to favour inspirational moments over integrative or narrative readings of the Bible is also found in Paul Kybird, Believing or Belonging the dilemma of Methodist identity, Methodist Sacramental Fellowship, A recent (2011) report on Bible reading among evangelical Christians shows that those aged are less likely to regularly read the Bible than older Christians, and it is likely that such a tendency is also found among other Christians; see 8 For a Briefing sheet with the key findings, see The results showed that half of the British population see the Bible as irrelevant to their lives, a figure increasing to 70% among those aged between 16 and 24. The survey reveals that the Bible is seen as difficult to understand, boring, and associated with professional religious people. For a further recent report detailing the loss of biblical literacy, see the Bible Society s Report Pass it On (2013) at 9 See Let the Bible Live, pp For a similar trend within the American context, see The State of the Bible 2013 report produced by the Bible society at For a summary of the findings, including a helpful series of graphs, see See pp In America, a recent survey of Bible engagement also found that 61% of Americans wished to read the Bible more frequently; The State of the Bible 2013 Report, p. 19 (see footnote 2). 12 For recent commendations, and interviews with participants, see Recent research in the USA involving over 1000 churches has also revealed the importance of the Bible to discipleship, with the authors of a key report concluding that, If Churches could do only one thing to help people at all levels of spiritual maturity grow in their relationship with Christ... [they] would inspire, encourage, and equip their people to read the Bible specifically, to reflect on Scripture for meaning in their lives, Greg L. Hawkins and Cally Parkinson, Move: What 1,000 Churches Reveal about Spiritual Growth (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2011), p The preaching series is described as the heart of the project in the project report (Let the Bible Live, p. 23). The facilitator of the project, Rev David Wood, confirmed in a telephone interview that this was the most effective part of the project in Page 2 of 25

3 It was this model that was adopted for the Bible Month project. The Bible Month would focus on a biblical book over four weeks through Sunday sermons and small group meetings. The aim was to help people within the church to actively engage with the Bible through modelling and encouraging an in-depth engagement with a single biblical book. The preachers involved in the pilot were equipped to run the Bible Month through attending a residential that allowed them to develop their knowledge of Scripture and their skills in preaching. 14 OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT The project began in autumn 2013 with a series of planning groups that aimed to clarify the aims and methodology of the Bible Month approach. 15 The planning group decided to build on the work of the North Yorkshire Dales Biblical Literacy Project, and particularly its insight that running a preaching series based on a biblical book was one of the most effective ways to develop biblical literacy within churches. The Bible Month pilot was funded as a project by the Discipleship & Ministries Learning Network (DMLN), with the funding covering the training and travel expenses of the Bible Month facilitators in each region. Two regions within the DMLN agreed to be involved in the pilot project, London and the North East. The Coordinators of the DMLN in each region were granted approval by District Chairs to pursue the project and began to explore which circuits might wish to be involved. 16 Vision days were held in London (April 2014) and in the North East (June 2014), with a number of local preachers, Superintendents and presbyters attending each day. Each vision day explained the purpose of the vision month, introduced the focus on Philippians, and allowed participants to raise queries and offer comments on the development of the project. Following the vision day, the Coordinators of the DMLN in London and the North East continued to engage with interested circuits two in each region and four churches (two in London; two in the North East) agreed to participate in the project. 17 A residential training event took place at Cliff College in June As well as the speakers and facilitators present, ten preachers attended nine local preachers and one presbyter and explored the book of Philippians as well as reflecting on Imaginative Preaching and beginning to plan the Bible Month within their own circuits. 18 The Bible Month itself took place in October to December 2014, though the dates of the Bible Month differed from church to church. The evaluation of the Bible Month pilot took improving biblical literacy. Let the Bible Live also offers a range of other ways to promote biblical literary within church and society, such as through Bible road shows, running Beer and Bible groups, and leading study days. 14 While members of the church involved in the pilot are described as participants in this report, those who led the Bible Month in each region - whether as part of a team or alone are described as the Bible Month facilitators. 15 Key initial conversation partners in helping to develop the project include Dr Paul Kybird, former Training and Development Officer in the London District, and Rev Dr Pete Phillips, Director of CODEC. Members of early planning groups included Dr Tony Moodie, Revd Dr Chris Blake, Tricia Mitchell and Sue Miller. 16 The Coordinator of the DMLN in the North East Region is Tricia Mitchel; the Coordinator of the DMLN in the London region is the Revd Dr Joanne Cox-Darling. 17 A local preacher from the Durham District of the Methodist Church, part of the North East Region of the DLMN, also attended the residential with hopes or running a Bible Month in Primarily due to the timing of the planned Bible Month, that region has not been included within the pilot. 18 For an overview of the conference programme, including a description of the speakers/facilitators who contributed to the event, see appendix A. An evaluation of the residential also took place, and revealed that the majority of those who attended found the event hugely valuable (though there was one significant critique of the event), and this result was confirmed during later interviews with those who had attended. A copy of the residential evaluation is available on request from Ed Mackenzie. Page 3 of 25

4 place in the months following, with Ed Mackenzie and Hamish Leese working through the data collected. DESCRIPTION OF CHURCHES The four churches all differed in a number of ways, but a brief description will give some insight into the different contexts in which the Bible Month pilot took place. 19 Church A is in a suburban area of the London District with a predominantly white population and low levels of socioeconomic deprivation. It has 115 members and an average Sunday attendance of 113 (2014 figures). The Bible Month in this church was led by the Superintendent Minister. Although local preachers had initially agreed to be involved, they withdrew from the project prior to the residential. The Superintendent, however, agreed to run the Bible Month as the sole member of the team. The Bible Month took place over four weeks, beginning the week of the 6 th October and ending Sunday 2 nd November. The small groups took place prior to the Sunday service each week. Two small groups within the church ran as part of the Bible Month, one on a Tuesday afternoon and another on a Wednesday evening, with both groups focusing on the same material; different approaches to the Bible (and to Philippians). Church B, in the Darlington District, is within a more ethnically diverse area than others in the District, and diverse levels of socioeconomic deprivation are found around the church. It has a membership of 106 and an average Sunday attendance of 67 (2014 figures), Two experienced local preachers led the Bible month, which took place over four weeks in October and November, with a week break in between the four weeks (12 Oct, 19 Oct, 2 nd Nov, 9 th Nov). Rather than take place during the week, the small group replaced the Sunday evening service for the duration of the pilot. The focus on the small group was on themes based on Philippians that emerged from the morning service. Church C, again in the Darlington District, is in a largely white area of the District with moderate levels of socioeconomic deprivation. It has a membership of 30 and an average Sunday attendance of 38 (2014 figures). The pilot was led by two experienced local preachers and took place over four weeks in November (2 nd 26 th November), with the small group taking place on the Wednesday evening following each Sunday service. The planning group also decided to run an introductory session on the Bible Month several weeks before it formally began. This introduced some of the historical context of Philippians, while also explaining to members of the church the purpose of the Bible Month. The small group meeting focused on skills of reading Philippians. Church D, in the London District, is within a densely populated and ethnically diverse area of London with moderate to high levels of deprivation. It has a membership of 26 and an average Sunday attendance of Information on membership and attendance figures, as well as the social context, have been taken from Methodist Statistics for Mission, especially Details of each area are taken from the 2011 Census. Details of church membership and average Sunday attendance are from the 2014 Statistics for Mission data. Thanks to Dr Hamish Leese for help in gathering this data. Page 4 of 25

5 This Bible Month was led by a team of five; a Superintendent, a presbyter, and three local preachers. While the local preachers, two of whom had recently come onto the plan, had all attended the Residential, the Superintendent and the presbyter had been unable to attend. 21 The Bible Month took place over five weeks, and five churches were involved. The intent was to make the Bible Month a circuit, rather than a single church, event. This meant that each facilitator planned and preached the same sermon in each of the five churches. The small group, however, was run in just one of the churches Church D and it was this church that formed the focus of the pilot evaluation. 22 The small group also took place in the week following the Sunday sermon, with a focus on understanding Philippians, and particularly its relevance for the lives of members within the church. EVALUATION: PROCESS The evaluation of the Bible Month pilots took place between November 2014 and March Quantitative data were gathered from questionnaires which were sent to each of the participating churches. Members of the Bible Month team in each region distributed and gathered in these questionnaires at the end of the Bible Month. The questionnaire included a series of questions focusing on whether following a Bible month affected biblical literacy, and also sought to distinguish those members of the church that attended on Sundays from those members of the church that attended the small groups as well. 23 In total, 61 questionnaires were received from churches involved in the project (21 questionnaires from Church A, 12 questionnaires from Church B, 20 questionnaires from Church C, and 8 questionnaires from Church D). Of those who responded to questionnaires, the majority had attended a small group at least once. Qualitative data on the experience of participants within the churches were also gathered through focus groups with members of each of the Bible Month small groups, usually in the week following their final session. Questions focused on the value of the Bible Month, and especially the way in which the small group shaped the experience of the Bible Month for its participants. 24 Qualitative data on the experience and insights of the facilitators of each Bible Month were gathered in interviews with each of the Bible Month teams. 25 Apart from two of the five members of the delivery team in Church D, each facilitator within the pilot took part in the interviews. 20 Statistics for Mission only received attendance figures for 2 Sundays rather than the usual 4 Sundays for the month in which Statistics are gathered (October 2014). The standard approach of averaging out the numbers of each Sunday over the month would give a figure of 26, but the figure of 51 is reached when the weeks for which figures were submitted are averaged out. This figure seems to be more accurate since it is consistent with the number of questionnaires which were requested for the Church D (60 questionnaires). 21 The Superintendent had another commitment at the time, but subsequently met with Ed Mackenzie to discuss the Bible Month and also received feedback about the month from the local preachers. The presbyter who did not attend the residential was on Sabbatical at the time. 22 Questionnaires were sent to every church within the circuit, but the only questionnaires that were returned were those associated with the pilot church (i.e., where the small group also took place). 23 See appendix B for a copy of the questionnaire. 24 See appendix C for illustrative/indicative interview questions (Questions for Focus Groups). Each focus group session and each interview with facilitators was recorded, and a full transcript subsequently produced. 25 See appendix C for illustrative/indicative interview questions (Questions for Bible Month Teams). Page 5 of 25

6 EVALUATION: OUTCOMES The Bible Month improved biblical literacy within the participating Methodist Churches. This was the primary aim of the Bible Month pilot project, and so as far as the short-term evaluation can determine this aim has been broadly met. The questionnaire revealed that 61% respondents strongly agreed or agreed that they had been encouraged to read Scripture more frequently, with 33% respondents neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and only 6% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing. The Bible Month has encouraged me to read the Bible more frequently: 4% Neither nor 33% 39% 2% 22% A majority of the respondents (56%) also agreed or strongly agreed that they had a better understanding of how the Bible fits together. Due to the phrasing of the question, it is also possible that some of those who neither agreed nor disagreed (41%) were frequent Bible readers. Only 3% of respondents disagreed with the statement. The Bible Month has given me a better understanding of how the Bible fits together: 3% Neither nor 41% 0% 41% 15% 59% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that they felt better equipped to read books of the Bible, with only 2% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing. While the 39% who neither agreed nor disagreed may represent Christians already biblically literate, those small groups that focused on developing skills and different approaches to the Bible were more likely to agree or strongly agree with this statement In Church A which focused on different approaches for reading the Bible 15 out of 18 respondents (83%) agreed or strongly agreed with the statement (3 neither agreed nor disagreed), while in Church C which had a similar focus on skills 10 out of 17 respondents (59%) agreed or strongly agreed with the statement (7 neither agreed nor disagreed). In contrast, 2 respondents (19%) in Church B agreed or strongly agreed with the statement (9 respondents neither agreed nor disagreed), while in Church D 3 respondents (60%) agreed or strongly agreed (1 neither agreed nor disagreed, and 1 strongly disagreed). Page 6 of 25

7 I now feel better equipped to read books of the Bible: 0% 2% Neither nor 39% 37% 22% Perhaps the best indicator from the questionnaire of the value of the Bible Month was the finding that 80% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that they would like the church to hold another Bible Month in the future. I would like the church to hold another Bible Month in the future: Neither nor 13% 7% 39% 41% 0% Comments on the questionnaire also supported the value of the Bible Month. One participant mentioned that they felt their soul was being fed. Another noted how, people saw the Bible in a different way, while one respondent asked for more, in depth, Bible study services. Feedback from the focus groups also pointed to the way in which the Bible Month helped participants engage more deeply with the Bible. One person explained that, since this series, I do read the Bible differently, while another commented, I do, definitely, now read it differently, and expect more. Others described the Bible Month as a good format and very helpful. The facilitators in each region agreed that the Bible Month had helped develop biblical literacy within the churches involved. One noted that the desire to learn has started and people are interested and people want to learn, and that that the Bible Month model is definitely something I ll take and use everywhere, whatever happens to the project. Another commented, everyone was very receptive and enjoyed the services, with one facilitator overhearing the comment, I read the Bible now! While there was an admission by one of the facilitators that it was, hard to evaluate the success of the Bible project, they also spoke of the Bible Month as key way in which Scripture could become central once again in the life and ministry of the church. 27 One of the reasons for the success of the Bible Month in increasing biblical literacy was its focus on the whole of Philippians, which allowed participants to get to know its themes and 27 For comments on how the model might be shaped for the future, see below. Page 7 of 25

8 context in greater depth than preaching on a single segment of the text would allow. The greater understanding of the text as a whole led to a greater understanding of the meaning and relevance of each part of the book. As one participant noted, the value of the Bible Month was the, focus and the follow up through the understanding from week to week. 84% of the respondents also strongly agreed or agreed that it was helpful to study the same biblical book (Philippians) over the Bible Month. 28 The Bible Month helped preachers grow in confidence and skill in preparing and preaching through a single biblical book. This was the secondary aim of the Bible Month project, and interviews with the preachers following the Bible Month found that this aim had also been achieved. One facilitator noted that, following the Bible month, they would, be more inclined to think about how I present a message in the future and how best to engage the congregation through doing that, while another explained that it had been very beneficial personally. One facilitator had now begun to explore how to include the Bible more in prayers, to make it overt in my preaching, and recognised that perhaps they had been taking the Bible reading for granted. The comments of the sole facilitator of the Bible Month in Church A were also significant. Despite the high commitment and prior preparation required for this, the Superintendent explained that, it s been wonderful to be engaged in something which is actually having an impact. As noted earlier, initial feedback on the residential event was predominantly positive, but interviewing facilitators after the Bible Month also provided an opportunity to reflect on the event. One facilitator felt that the residential could have given greater clarity regarding the goals of the project, commenting that, there wasn t actually a great deal of structure around what we were supposed to do. Another noted that it would have been helpful to, spend more time on the actual Bible study and methods. There was, however, overall appreciation for the residential. As one facilitator commented, the residential was, extremely valuable to get us thinking about this, while another explained, I don t think we could have done it without [the residential]. The residential, then, was important in equipping the facilitators to lead the Bible Month, helping them engage with Philippians, deepen their skills in preaching, and begin their planning. Working together as a team to develop the Bible Month, however, was also important in shaping the experience of the facilitators, 29 as was their experience in actually delivering the month. The small group meetings helped people engage with the Bible in a deeper way. The questionnaires revealed that the whole congregation benefited from the Bible Month, and this is reflected in the finding that even those who did not attend a small group gave answers indicating that they had benefited from the Bible Month solely through the Sunday respondents strongly agreed, 19 respondents agreed, 7 neither agreed nor disagreed, and only 2 disagreed. 29 The team dynamic did not of course apply to Church A. Its one-person facilitator, however, also spoke of the value of leading the Bible Month for their own ministry, noting that it nurtured a, sense of relationship through the ministry that most of the time you don t get as a presbyter. Page 8 of 25

9 sermons. 30 As one participant noted, I think the sermons work as a standalone; they re just strengthened by the extra study groups. It also clear, however, that those who came along to the small group meetings benefited in a greater way from what was offered. Asked whether the small group allowed participants to go deeper with the Bible, 92% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed. The Small Group setting allowed me to go deeper with the Bible: Neither nor 3% 5% 42% 50% 0% Asked if they had appreciated the extra time spent studying the Bible in the small group, 94% agreed or strongly agreed, with 6% neither agreeing or disagreeing. I have appreciated the extra time spent studying the Bible in the small group: Neither 0% nor 6% 35% 59% 0% 76% of respondents also agreed or strongly agreed that the small group had given them a better understanding of how to approach the Bible, with only 3% of respondents (one person!) strongly disagreeing. The small group has given me a better understanding of how to approach the Bible: 30 Of those who returned questionnaires but did not attend small groups, 48% agreed or strongly agreed that they had gained a better understanding of the Bible (8% disagreed or strongly disagreed); 72% agreed or strongly agreed that it was helpful to study a single book (only 4% disagreed or strongly disagreed); and, 68% agreed or strongly agreed that they would like another Bible Month (12% disagreed or strongly disagreed). Page 9 of 25

10 Neither nor 21% 0% 35% 41% 3% Since a measure of biblical literary is the degree to which people regularly read the Bible, it was significant that 79% of small group participants agreed or strongly agreed that they now planned to read the Bible more frequently. 31 I plan to read the Bible more frequently due to my time in the small group: Neither nor 15% 3% 55% 3% 24% In a final question focusing on whether participants would appreciate the chance to meet in a similar group in the future, 85% of the participants strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, suggesting the viability of such a model for the future. I would appreciate the chance to meet in a similar group in the future: Neither nor 9% 6% 0% 32% 53% The questionnaire also allowed people to offer general comments on the Bible Month, and small groups were often mentioned. The small group was particularly interesting and hit 31 Those who neither agreed nor disagreed, or who disagreed or strongly disagreed, may have already been frequent readers of the Bible. One respondent in the questionnaire, for example, noted that, I always read the Bible a lot. I don t think the Small Group has given me a better understanding of how to approach the Bible. My faith in God is strong, I can t see how I can have a better approach. Page 10 of 25

11 the mark on a number of occasions, one participant noted. Another commented that it was good to have the opportunity for discussion. Small groups were also mentioned in response to the question of what worked well. Comments included; having the weekday groups helped to focus on the topics/readings, linking service themes to studies, and different approaches of reading/looking over passages each week. Two critical remarks on small groups focused on their content. One response questioned whether a particular small group was sufficiently focused or related to Philippians, while another noted that, the group was more a brief explanation of some methods of study rather than the study itself. One unexpected theme that emerged was the relationship between studying the bible and confidence in sharing faith. Although this was not a link the researchers explicitly explored, a number within the small group shared how knowing the Bible better also made them more willing to think about ways in which they could share their faith. Focus groups also provided an opportunity to discuss the value of small groups, and the overall response was again positive. One participant noted that the questions explored in the small group, made [the Bible] very much alive rather than something that was written a long time ago by people that are long dead, another explained that, being able to sit down and really discuss things that were personal and mattered to you was really good, really helpful. Each focus group also commented specifically on how the small group had been designed and run in their church. 32 Most of those who attended the small group were those who belonged or had belonged to other small groups within the church, although this was not true for all. The delivery of the Bible Month required continuity of content and delivery. The Bible Month focused on continuity of content through its concentration on a single biblical book, but also required a delivery team to work together closely in order to ensure continuity of delivery throughout the month. Each facilitator strove to be present at each of the Bible Month small group(s), as well as deciding with the wider deliver group how they would contribute to the Sunday sermons. Asked whether the size of the delivery team had ensured continuity of the Month, participants recognized that this was an important issue and generally agreed that they were well served by their delivery teams. As one person noted, you do need a leader who will keep the group all contributing and who will do thorough research. Even if leadership should change for the Sunday Service, the consensus view was well expressed by one participant s comment that, you would still need someone there as continuity within the group. Another person noted that all of the delivery group were involved in the preparation and delivery and that was particularly helpful. Members of the delivery groups also spoke of the importance of ensuring continuity. One team member noted the value of a small planning group, since if you expand the group too much it s difficult to maintain the theme. Whatever the size of the delivery group which ranged from one (!) to five there was agreement that maintaining the continuity across the Bible Month was important for its success. The Bible Month required a great deal of commitment from the delivery team. Given the need to meet and plan together, the Bible Month required a great deal of commitment from the delivery team. Members of the participating churches generally 32 The significance of different approaches to the group will be explored below. Page 11 of 25

12 recognised the commitment required for the Bible Month, with comments on the questionnaire expressing thanks for those who participated. Discussions with the delivery groups also revealed the cost of commitment. A member of one delivery team admitted that they had found it very demanding, in terms of time, energy, and the preparation. Another noted that, it worked well, but it s hard. The demands on the local preachers were particularly marked, since the local preachers were all involved for each of the four Sundays as well as the small groups. Two local preachers led the Bible Month in church C, while another two local preachers led it in church D. Both were involved in preparing Sermons and in facilitating the small group. In Church D, each of the five facilitators took a Bible Month sermon to five churches within the circuit, as well as attending the small group in the pilot church. In church A, the Superintendent led the month as the sole facilitator, which required a good deal of preparation for the whole month. In each church, facilitators committed a great deal of time and preparation in the running of the Bible Month. EVALUATION: PROCESSES Size of the Team As mentioned earlier, the size of the team differed among the churches. In church A, one facilitator (a Superintendent) was involved in leading the month, while in church D a group of five (a Superintendent, a presbyter, and three local preachers) worked together. The two Bible Months in the North East in church B and church C were led by two local preachers in each location. The data gathered revealed that the range of sizes all worked reasonably well. The larger team of five, however, needed to work harder on preserving continuity week by week, while the most continuity was guaranteed by having the single leader. A member of one of the teams in the North East, in a team of two, noted that, it becomes easier the smaller the planning group, and if you expand the group too much it s difficult to maintain the theme. Another facilitator spoke of the need for a good team player mentality when selecting preachers for the Bible Month. Length of the Bible Month Participants and facilitators generally agreed that the four-week or, in one case, five-week format worked well for the Bible Month. As one participant noted, a month is definitely good because I think a lot of people say, Right I m definitely going to be there, while another commented, you could maybe stretch it to six, but I think four works very well. The demands on organising and delivering a Bible Month also make the four-week period a realistic prospect for Bible Month teams. As one facilitator put it, it is demanding, so I think four weeks is right. Timing of the small group Session In three of the four churches involved, the small group meeting took place during the week, but in one church (church B) the small group replaced the Sunday evening service. Within that region, the reasons were logistical, since there was a range of other meetings on during the week and it was hoped that there would be better attendance at the Sunday evening. Page 12 of 25

13 The drawback to that decision was that some of those attending the small group missed the evening service. As one participant noted explaining their regret that the evening service had been temporarily replaced I find this evening service, very, very special. It s very, very peaceful and it wasn t our normal evening service and I think that s why I didn t enjoy it. In the pilot, then, holding the small group meeting during the week worked better than replacing the evening service with the small group. The other variable between groups was that while three of the groups timed their small group meeting to follow the Sunday service, one church (church A) had the small group in the week preceding the Sunday service. The rationale of this decision was that the discussion within the small group could then contribute to planning the Sunday sermon, and this seemed to work very well within the context. Since this Bible Month was led by the Superintendent Minister, it was possible for them to shape the Sunday sermon through reflecting on the small group comments. The same church had two small groups during the week one in the afternoon and one during the evening in order to draw as many interested participants into the month as possible. Participants in the Bible Month in church A were asked whether it would work having the small group following the Sunday service, while participants in the three other churches were asked about having the small group preceding the Sunday service. Respondents tended to prefer the pattern their church had adopted, and could see its advantages, but were happy to acknowledge the validity of the alternative approach. The research did show, however, that the church which held the small group held prior to the Sunday service tended to score higher on the questions of whether they were better equipped to read the Bible. This could also be, however, due to the focus of the meeting in church A (see below) or to the particular gifting of the Superintendent leading that Bible Month. The Content of the small group Meeting The focus of the small group within the Bible Month differed in each church. The residential event gave some guidelines for leading small groups, but left the focus of the small group up to each planning group. The suggestion was that while some small groups might be more traditional Bible studies focusing on Philippians, others could focus on exploring different ways to read Philippians, as well as other biblical books. Church A focused on helping participants use different approaches to the Bible, such as Lectio Divina, 33 comparing translations, and writing out short passages. This was warmly welcomed by the group, and participants who were involved recognised the value of exploring different approaches even if each of the styles did not suit them personally. As one participant noted, it s one thing to encourage people to read the Bible, but it s another thing, you have to give them the tools to work with. The leader of the Bible Month also noted the importance of sharing different approaches with the group; if you want to encourage people to develop biblical literacy, you ve got to give them a variety of different ways of enabling them to do that. In church B, the small group discussion focused on themes more than the text of Philippians itself. As one of the facilitators noted, In the evenings we tried to reflect more on the themes that the morning had raised and how we could apply them to our situation here. While there was an appreciation by some of the focus that this provided, others expressed a 33 For a short guide to Lectio Divina, see Page 13 of 25

14 desire for more on Philippians itself. One participant noted, I would have liked more emphasis on the background to [Philippians] I didn t think there was sufficient detailed information. The facilitators and participants also both explained that the technology did not work sufficiently well during the small group session, and this affected the experience of those who attended. In church C, there was a focus on developing skills to read the Bible well, with a particular emphasis placed on Philippians. Sessions covered issues such as Lectio Divina, the use of translations, and using commentaries and Bible Study notes. There was also an earlier meeting prior to the Bible Month formally beginning that explained the historical context to Philippians. While the early meeting was praised by all members of the focus group, the focus on skills for reading the Bible was not unanimously welcomed, with one participant suggesting that a session on Lectio Divina which included a lengthy period of silent reflection led to a fall in numbers the following week. On the other hand, others appreciated the focus on Bible reading skills, with one participant noting, it gave you an idea of how to study, really, rather than just reading it, and another commenting that they had, a better understanding of how to read the passages in the Bible, and understand them better. In church D, the small group focused on themes within Philippians and how they might connect to the lives of participants. As one of the facilitators put it, The focus of our Bible Studies was very much experiential, and involved, people bringing their own experiences and sharing stories. This did involve engaging with Philippians including discussing issues of historical context but also raised broader issues of life through this engagement. Those who were part of the focus group appreciated this approach, with one member commenting that It draws you right in because nobody is really getting at you, and another explaining that the Bible studies, made him [Paul] so real, like he was really here, because it was so well done and the way we were discussing. The facilitators also produced helpful discussion guides for each session, which participants greatly valued. LEARNING FROM THE BIBLE MONTH POSITIVES: Methodists wish to engage in a deeper way with the Bible. The feedback to the project points to a desire among many Methodists to read the Bible more frequently and to reflect on it more deeply. Engaging with the Bible is a key way to develop and mature in faith, as well as to grow in confidence in sharing faith with others. The Bible Month is a workable model for helping Methodists grow in their knowledge and understanding of the Bible. The Bible Month model is a simple idea that can easily be integrated within the life of a church, and the consistency of working through a single biblical book was appreciated by facilitators and participants. 34 As well as helping participants engage with the book as a whole, the Bible Month modelled the importance of thinking about the context of passages within Scripture. 34 The Bible Month model is one example of developing an intentional programme that David Wood suggests is part of the way forward for developing biblical literacy, since as Wood notes biblical literacy does not happen by osmosis! Let the Bible Live, p. 43. Page 14 of 25

15 Engaging with a particular book of the Bible helps Christians grow in their knowledge and understanding of the Bible as a whole. While every Sunday service should be an opportunity for engaging with Scripture, there is a risk that congregants lose a sense of the coherence of the Bible when only short passages from different parts of the canon are addressed week-by-week. 35 The more readers can place texts within their literary and historical context, the greater their understanding and engagement with the Bible. The Bible month allows in-depth engagement on one biblical book over a month, an engagement that can help all within the church engage with Scripture. Good team work is essential for running a Bible Month. The Bible Month pilot was fortunate in gathering together gifted and committed people who were willing and able to work well in teams. The importance of good team work was a theme raised across the focus groups, and points to the strategic importance of working well together. While the Bible Month could be led by a gifted individual as it was in church A the future development of the Bible Month is more likely to require teams working together. It may be that further work could be done on models of co-operative leadership, particularly between clergy and laity. CHALLENGES: Children and young people need to be integrated into any future development of the Bible Month. The Bible Month pilot, perhaps to its disadvantage, did not explore how to incorporate children and young people into the Bible Month experience. This was discussed with the different delivery groups, and there was agreement that the future development of the Bible Month should explore possible ways to involve Children and Youth, including the possible use of the Navigate resource. 36 There are financial challenges, and a significant time commitment, required for running a Bible Month well. The principal financial commitment for the pilot was the residential event, which involved costs of accommodation, speakers and travel. 37 The future development of the Bible Month will need to explore how best to equip and train future preachers in this event without the same costs involved in the pilot, even if some financial support may be required. This could mean drawing in ecumenical and parachurch partners, as well as working with staff in the DMLN. Circuit Superintendents have an important role in approving Bible Months. Setting up the Bible Month Pilot in each region involved negotiations with the District Chairs, and later - Circuit Superintendents. As they are responsible for the preaching plan, Superintendents have ultimate oversight for allowing a Bible Month to run in a church, and so it is not surprising that Superintendents were part of the delivery team in two of the four pilot churches. The future development of the Bible Month will need to work on exploring 35 The same point has been noted by Biblica as part of their rationale for the Community Bible Experience resource. They describe the three reasons for a decline in biblical engaging as reading the Bible out of context, reading the Bible in fragments, and reading the Bible in isolation ( The Bible Month addresses each of these problems over a limited time-frame, but the Community Bible Experience an innovative approach to reading through the New Testament over 8 weeks is also an excellent resource for responding to this issue (and could be used as a follow-up to a Bible Month) Navigate involves five interactive sessions which help young people engage with the Bible. 37 The facilitators involved in the pilot had their costs fully covered. Page 15 of 25

16 how best to involve Superintendents, alongside other church leaders, in the development of the Month. Inviting new people into small groups remains a challenge. Feedback from the groups suggested that most of those who attended the Bible Month small groups were members of other small groups, or had been members of such groups in the past. While the Sunday services also work as a stand alone Bible Month, there is a need to do further work on how to incorporate people into (short-term) small groups involved in an initiative like the Bible Month. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE BIBLE MONTH One of the most striking and consistent comments in the evaluation was the desire of those participating within the Bible Month, as well as the Bible Month facilitators, to continue with the format in the future. There was widespread agreement that the format worked and that the church should help churches engage with a Bible Month on a regular basis. The key recommendation emerging from the pilot project is that the Methodist Church develops resources for an annual Bible Month each year. The focus during the pilot was on Philippians, but each future Bible Month could focus on a different biblical book, or perhaps explore other ways of focused bible exploration (such as through a focus on biblical characters or biblical themes). The pilot project shows that a month long focus works well, but also that the delivery teams can vary in size. A second recommendation is that a planning group is formed to develop the Bible Month format for the future. Key questions for the planning group to explore would include the following areas: Focus and Content. What should the next biblical book be promoted? Could a Bible Month focus on biblical themes or characters? Should the small group focus on skills for reading the Bible, or present opportunities to explore the biblical book more deeply or both? Timing. When should the Bible Month be promoted? When should it begin? Should it take place in a particular month, a particular season (autumn/winter), or whenever it suited the circuit or church? Resourcing and Equipping. How should the Bible Month be resourced and equipped within the Methodist Church? Should events be held regionally or nationally? How should churches select or nominate facilitators for the Bible Month (or should they be selfselecting)? What funding is required for this? How could quality control be ensured? Bible Month Partners. What other ecumenical, para-church groups, or charities could we involve in the development of the Bible Month? Could LWPT alongside the DMLN put on training days for future facilitators? Could ROOTS produce a Bible Month resource on behalf of the church? Could the Bible Society provide help in developing resources for small groups to learn more about engaging with the Bible? Would other denominations be interested in this initiative? Promotion. How would the Bible Month best be promoted throughout the Methodist Connexion? Should postcards and posters be produced, or should promotion take place Page 16 of 25