The Problem

We live in a culture of spiritual fast food. Just like that British teenager who ate nothing but chicken nuggets for 15 years and nearly died from malnutrition, the American church has been surviving on spiritual junk—feel-good messages that make us comfortable but don't actually nourish our souls.

The statistics are sobering: only 6% of Americans have a biblical worldview. Only 37% of pastors do. We've created a therapeutic version of Christianity that's more about making us feel better than making us like Jesus.

The Invitation

What if we approached Scripture not as a collection of inspirational quotes for our Instagram stories, but as God's actual revelation of himself? What if we did the hard work of understanding what the text meant to its original audience before we asked what it means to us?

A Different Way

Instead of asking: "What does this verse mean to me?"
Try asking: "What does this verse mean?"

The difference is profound. One makes us the authority over Scripture; the other makes Scripture the authority over us.

Take Jeremiah 29:11—"For I know the plans I have for you..." This wasn't written to you. It was written to Jewish exiles in Babylon who would be there for 70 years. But here's what's beautiful: it reveals God's faithfulness to his people even in the darkest seasons. That's a truth we can lean into.

The Practice

This week, try this simple discipline:

Read with Context
When you encounter a familiar verse, read the chapter around it. Ask:

• Who wrote this?

• Who was the original audience?

• What was happening when this was written?

• How does this reveal God's character?

Choose Growth Over Comfort
Instead of gravitating toward teaching that simply affirms what you already believe, seek out resources that challenge you to think more deeply about Scripture. Growth happens at the edge of our comfort zone.

The Vision

Imagine a church full of people who actually know what they believe and why. People who can engage thoughtfully with skeptics not because they have all the answers, but because they have confidence in God's Word. People whose faith can weather the storms of life because it's built on the solid foundation of Scripture, not the shifting sand of cultural Christianity.

This is what maturity looks like. This is the invitation before us.

A Prayer

Jesus, I confess that I've often approached your Word looking for what I want to hear rather than what you want to say. Give me the humility to submit to Scripture's authority and the diligence to do the hard work of understanding. Transform my mind through your truth so that my faith becomes unshakeable and my witness becomes undeniable. Amen.

For Reflection

• How has the "chicken nugget Christianity" of our culture shaped your own approach to faith?

• What would change in your life if you truly believed that Scripture is God's primary way of revealing himself to you?

• What's one area where you've been avoiding the hard work of biblical understanding?