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Bible Word Association Quiz - 9.15.2024 Bulletin
Bible Word Association Quiz
So for this bulletin, I wanted to do something a little different. You've surely seen a "word association list" at some point, whether just for fun or for some kind of psychology project. It's the classic "What is the first thing you think about when I say ......" trick. I had the thought to try something like that for today's bulletin. Yet I don't believe this is merely a "Fun" exercise, but it could actually be useful.
Consider for a moment the world in which we find ourselves. Biblical literacy is at an all-time low. You may just be surprised at how uninformed people actually are about "Basic" Bible concepts and truths these days. I've mentioned in previous articles how some people actually think Joan of Arc was the wife of Noah, who built The Ark. This is not just some isolated incident that makes for a good headline: a lot of people well and truly have no idea what the Bible actually says these days. We tend to think of only remote islands like North Sentinel Island as having people who have never heard the truth. Yet we should not forget that even in our cozy 21st century America, there is an astonishingly high number of people who do not know the truth. I suspect a significant part of this is because a lot of people take for granted that we have such ready access to Bibles these days. They've gotten lazy with actually seeking it out and learning about God. They forget that just a few hundred years ago, a significant portion of the world was illiterate and depended on educated individuals to teach them what Bibles say. Or, they forget that many nations and even religious entities such as the Catholic church prohibited individuals to have access to Bibles precisely because they wanted to squash the people's ability to read and learn for themself. And in 21st century America (particularly in the Bible belt as we are), they simply take for granted that there's a church on every street corner, and you have all the time in the world to go to any one of your choice and learn about God at your leisure.
So what does this have to do with a word association quiz? I think it prudent for Christians not only to be ready at any moment to give a defense (1 Peter 3:15), but if you can, be able to do so concisely. Some people out there won't give you more than 10 seconds to "make your pitch" so to speak. A lot of people don't want to have any religion at all, either because they claim atheism, or because they say "I got myself right with Jesus long ago, and that's all I need to do." The rare time you do get someone actually willing to listen, you may have to make the most of the small window you get. This list is by no means exhaustive, and i would encourage you to consider a few more "keywords" to think about, and see what is the first thing you think of when you hear them. But, here's a decent start.
1: God
2: The Church
3: Baptism
4: Sin
5: Kingdom of Heaven
6: Pope
7: Denomination
8: Creation
9: 1,000 Year Reign
10: Christian
Again, this is a list of 10 words that are related to Christian doctrine. What is the first thing you think for each one? Now take it to the next step: what could you say about each word/topic in 30 seconds or less? Chances are if someone is only willing to give you 30 seconds, they aren't very open to receiving any significant amount of God's Word. But I still believe that it is possible to say something profound about God's Truth in 30 seconds or less. Consider just a few "one-liners" Jesus. "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." (John 8:7). "The baptism of John, was it from Heaven or from men? Answer Me." (Mark 11:30). "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10). "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9). For every long "Sermon on the mount" from Jesus or "Midnight marathon" from Paul, there are many short, brief answers in the Bible as well. A seasoned Christian must always be ready to give an answer, and being able to give either a long-winded defense or a short, brief and concise one would be a considerable skill to master.
DY
- Glad_Tidings_9.15.2024_PDF.pdf (4.08 MB)
