Where are Your Bibles?

I had a frightening experience today as I taught my Sunday school class. 

We ran out of Bibles. 

I happen to know that every single one of those students owns a Bible because we are blessed to live in a country where we are allowed to own Bibles and where the vast majority of people have enough money to purchase at least one Bible.

Only one student in the class of ten brought his Bible to church with him.  The rest forgot.

Yes, there are Bibles in the classroom for those who don't own one or who forget to bring theirs along.  We all forget sometimes.  But 90% of the class?  Every time?

Every time.

This was not just a weird coincidence.  I hand out Bibles to the majority of the students every time I teach.  And it's not just happening in my Sunday school class.

I taught as a special speaker at the youth Bible study for the last four weeks.  Every week I arrived early so that I would have time to scrounge through the church to find enough Bibles for every student to have one because not one student ever brought a Bible to Bible study.  Even most of the leaders neglected to bring their Bibles!

What is happening?!

I'll tell you what's happening.  The enemy is launching a campaign of Biblical illiteracy.  And he's winning an awful lot of battles. 

The father of lies doesn't want us to know the truth.  He doesn't want us to read and study God's Word.  He doesn't want us to use our swords.  He wants us to be ignorant so that we are unable to counter false teachings.  He wants to steal the abundant life that God offers.

Photo credit: https://www.needpix.com/photo/723322/bible-study-bible-hand-child-open-bible-study-student-word-holy

In my first year of college, a theology professor taught me something that I hope I will never forget.  This is what he said: 

"When you are listening to a pastor or teacher preach or teach from the Bible, have your Bible open in front of you and follow along.  False teachers are successful because no one bothers to check what they are saying and so they are easily able to twist Scripture to their advantage and deceive their listeners.  Always bring your Bible.  Always follow along."

I have been blessed with parents who bought me a Bible at a young age.  In fact, I don't think I've ever bought my own Bible.  They just keep replacing mine when they get old and worn.  My parents sent me to Sunday school and other church programs that taught me to read and understand the Bible.  They helped me memorize verses and introduced me to pastors and others who could answer my hard questions.

Why aren't parents doing that today?  Why aren't the parents of my Sunday school students making sure their children have their Bibles on a Sunday morning?  Is it because they are 10-12 years old and should be able to do it themselves?  Is age a good reason to quit parenting?  Sure, it's not a good idea to do everything for them at that age, but you still have a responsibility to make sure the children are fulfilling their responsibilities.

I know, I know.  I should not dare to lecture parents when I have no idea what it is to be one.  My point is, these same children get to school with their homework, backpack, gym clothes, and lunches intact on the vast majority of days.  Why is Sunday the day they are allowed to just forget?

We are in a battle for the children of our communities.  Why aren't we giving them their swords?  Why aren't we bringing our own swords along?