Church Bulletin
About ten years ago audio books became all the rage. The question was asked – is it better to read a book or listen to it being read? Studies have shown that the brain reacts differently to the processes involved in reading and listening. Reading basically means more work – you have to “fill in the gaps” with your own mind. You have to imagine the tone, picture the environment, follow the plot, and consider deeper meanings. This may involve reading a passage several times to make sure you are grasping the story or the teaching. When you listen to someone reading a narrative or explaining principles many of these things are done for you – of course you still need to apply yourself. When you watch a movie even more work is done through visualisation – though once again, the mind must be engaged.
Both reading and listening are in fact necessary ways of learning and both provide enjoyable yet different experiences. Both have been sanctioned by God as a way of coming to the knowledge of truth. It is important that we don’t substitute one for the other. In today’s world of mass information we have access to an enormous and ever growing amount of material. This can be a good thing, but it also presents some dangers. Firstly, we can end up listening to every man and his dog without much discretion; we take in as much that is bad as well as what is good. Secondly it cultivates laziness being easier to download material rather than engage in personal Bible study. It is critical in the Christian life that we learn to meditate and allow God to speak to us through His Word (Psalm 1).
At the same time God has appointed teachers to help us to understand and apply truth. This is one of the purposes of the gathered church – God’s people coming together to sit under the ministry of His Word. We cannot therefore adopt an isolationist and individualistic approach to scripture as though reading it on our own is sufficient. The www has also made a lot of useful material much more accessible. One of the conveniences we have today is that we can listen to sermons and lectures when we cannot read. It also means for the spiritually hungry they can add to the ministry received at church. I don’t think it is a question of which is better – reading or listening? We must do both. Let me suggest some guide lines:
A. Do not substitute daily Bible meditation for internet messages.
B. Take care who and what you listen to.
C. Try to balance downloading messages by reading good books.
Andrew