Challenges to anticipate in one-to-one Bible reading

While apparently my Aussie brethren have been proficient in one-to-one Bible reading (121BR) for decades, many of us Yankees are still discovering it. Though I grew up in a conservative, Bible-believing church and even attended Bible College, I had never seen or experienced or even heard of 121BR until after I had been in pastoral ministry for several years (and even then, I did not understand it properly). How I finally encountered 121BR is probably another story for another day. Yet now that I have a few years of regular 121BR under my belt, I can testify that it is a fun, spiritually-edifying, relationship-building discipleship exercise that I heartily recommend to all Christians everywhere.

That being said, there are certain challenges to anticipate in doing 121BR, especially if this is a newer endeavor for you. Below are three challenges to prepare for, as well as some recommended helps, for whatever they’re worth:

1. Awkwardness

This is a challenge I’ve encountered every time I’ve commenced a new 121BR relationship. People in the circles in which I run are familiar with sermons and Sunday school lessons and Bible studies, but have mostly never heard of 121BR. As there is with any brand-new, unfamiliar activity, there will be, to one degree or another, a good bit of uncertainty and clumsiness in starting out. And this awkwardness can make for some weird, painful moments.

Suggested help

I’d recommend you be up front that 121BR will probably be a bit awkward at the beginning. I’ve learned to include a little preface about this in every one of our first meetings together. Maybe liken it to dancing; at first, it will feel weird and you may even step on one another’s toes. But keep at it, give it a few weeks, and eventually the awkwardness will disappear and you’ll find you’re enjoying yourself.

2. Bizarre Bible Interpretations

Depending on the context in which you minister, education, levels of previous Bible knowledge, and even personality types, you’ll likely hear some very strange interpretations of Scripture offered in 121BR. These are almost always completely divorced from the context of the passage you’re reading together, and are sometimes even heretical. I’ve found this to be especially true if the other person has grown up in a situation where a so-called “devotional” method of interpretation reigned. This is where warm, pithy, spiritual thoughts on topics such as prayer or evangelism are derived from every Bible passage, even if the passage has absolutely nothing to do with prayer or evangelism.

Suggested help

I’d recommend, unless the suggestion of the other person is rank heresy (and then it must be addressed), to simply ignore strange interpretations at the beginning of the 121BR relationship. Over time and with much modeling of how to properly read the Bible, the other person will hopefully learn how to do likewise through experience. Learning how to properly read the Bible is in some ways similar to a toddler learning how to walk. The toddler will fall down frequently at first, and what that toddler most needs is not a continual berating from his parents, but loving encouragement. Over time, your 121BR relationship will grow and you’ll gain credibility, and then you can then gently correct aberrant observations and point to more accurate understandings of God’s word.

3. Boredom

This is perhaps the most dangerous and spiritually-deadening challenge to anticipate in 121BR, one which must be urgently addressed as soon as possible. What if the other person finds the 121BR experience simply boring? What if it feels more like suffering through a grammar exam than communion with God? What if, after you’ve read and discussed and prayed through the passage, the other person feels as if it was basically a waste of time and that next time they certainly won’t skip the football game? This common problem must be resolved immediately, otherwise 121BR will quickly become as popular as visiting the dentist.

Suggested help

I have a few ideas here, none of which are magic potions but some of which may help. First, begin with your own heart. Are you allowing Scripture to confront and shape you? Are you being honest and transparent before God and the other person? Are you talking about this in your 121BR meetings? If you are aloof from the Bible and don’t talk about ways it’s personally challenging you, the experience will likely feel dry and academic. Second, make sure you’re combining 121BR with earnest prayer. Theologically we understand that unless God’s Spirit works, our efforts at obedience will be meaningless. So beg God, individually and together, that He would give you grace to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. Third, reconsider if the book you’re discussing is the most helpful for the relationship. Does understanding the book require more previous scriptural or cultural knowledge than the other person is able to provide? If so, maybe try something like the Gospels of John or Mark or the Epistle to the Philippians. Lastly, certainly don’t jump to this first but do consider the possibility that the other person’s boredom is actually a spiritual problem from which they need to repent. Our flesh will always be opposed to God and his word and will always encourage us to prefer ping-pong to honest, prayerful, repenting 121BR. This is a temptation all Christians will face until they see Jesus. Realize this and consider that perhaps the boredom is simply a manifestation of sinful flesh you need to preserve through.

Well, those are three challenges I’ve encountered to 121BR and some suggestions I’ve found helpful. Now I’m curious. What other challenges to 121BR should we anticipate? And what might be some good ways of overcoming them?