We came across a fascinating statistic the other day. The average American home has 4.4 Bibles! Should we read this number as “glass-half-full” or “glass-half-empty”? we wondered.

4.4 is a lot, and arguably points to a promising potential for families to immerse themselves in the Word of God. What’s more, according to Barna, “67.8% of American adults or about 172 million adults are ‘Bible curious,’ meaning they want to learn more about Scripture.” And the fact that Fr. Mike Schmitz’s “The Bible in a Year” podcast is ranked #1 in the nation is profoundly encouraging.   
 
But from the “half-empty” perspective, we also know that the Scriptures often collect dust on a high shelf. Barna’s “State of the Bible 2020” report revealed this: “35% of Americans say they never read the Bible, which is up from 25% at the report’s inception in 2011. 60% of Americans read the Bible less than five times per year.” What’s more, Bible engagement actually fell during 2020, when you might think many of us had more time to delve into the Word. Only 9% of adults say they use the Bible daily. 
 
This is the first week of the month, when we focus on Faith Life, or Level 1 of your Trinity House. We’re also three weeks into Lent, a season imbued with the biblical readings that guide us ever closer to the cross and resurrection. So, how do we make the Bible come alive in our Trinity Houses?

How do we avoid being “an average American home” with 4 or 5 dusty Bibles, but instead become a vibrant hub of study, of probing and being nourished by the Word of God? If St. Jerome is right—that “ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ”—then how do we cultivate homes that are not ignorant of Christ? 
 
To get these questions right is to give our children a gift that can unfold throughout their lives. What’s more, the social science research underscores the lifelong impact. In focusing on the role of fathers, for example, Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix summarized the research: “If a man’s children see him read the Scriptures, they are more likely to remain in the faith.”
 
We were both blessed to grow up in homes where our parents modeled a reverence and love for the Word of God. A photo of Soren’s great-uncle’s Bible above speaks volumes, as does this reminiscence of his great-grandmother’s Bible. But we also recognize that it takes more than family memories to make the Scriptures come alive in our screen-saturated, distraction-filled lives.
 
We’d love to hear practical ways that your family is integrating Scripture into your daily life. Send us your ideas at contact@trinityhousecommunity.org, since we’d like to add practical ideas to the online toolkit in the coming week. As we’ve reflected on our home, these are the practical ideas that we’ve found to work:

1. Lead by example. Don’t overthink it. Take at least 5 minutes a day with the Word, and this practice will set the tone for your children and your home.

2. Unite the dinner table with Scripture. Your time at the dinner table—or other meals—is your time to weave in an insight from the Word. Maybe it’s something that struck you during your morning devotions.

3. Bring out the Bible at bedtime. Reading aloud from scripture can be a powerful bedtime ritual that blesses both you and your child.

4. Old-school memorization. Committing scripture to memory—whether it’s you, your kids, or the whole family together—can be a powerful way to integrate the Word of God with your life.

5. Carry a small Bible. We all panic a little when we realize we forgot our smartphone, but imagine having that kind of attachment to God’s Word. Carrying a pocket Bible can open up moments of engagement with scripture throughout the day.

Recently, we were talking with Scott Bolinder, a friend of ours who heads up the Institute for Bible Reading. “We have more Bibles than ever,” the Institute notes, “yet there is a massive connection problem.” The way forward, he continues, is “to help people become immersed in the Bible’s life-changing story so they can faithfully live the story in their lives today.” The “Bible’s great drama of restoration and new life” must become “the story of our lives too.” 

Immersion in the drama of restoration and new life! That’s a fitting goal for every Trinity House—that our Bible, instead of gathering dust, would be the catalyst for spiritual growth in our family that God intended it to be.