I believe many Christians want something better.
They are tired of the same old Bible teaching that focuses on trite sayings or rudimentary instructions like:
God wants you to do the right things. You don't. You should. Amen.
They are suspicious of intentions, lack of understanding, and denominational biases. They want meatier and more substantial instruction — rather than feel-good and moralistic bromides. They are not interested in "Bible lite." They are interested in Scripture because they want to grow and mature. And they want to be capable of gleaning truth for themselves. For them, good sermons are well thought-out and executed teaching of not only the Scriptures' message, but instruction on how to study and apply the Bible for themselves.
As a result they want to get more out of their own Bible reading.
According to LifeWay Research, 57% of protestant church-goers found the Bible hard to understand on their own. But they value the Bible's importance in their lives. They have a nagging feeling that there's something missing in their understanding of the Bible. They are not satisfied with business as usual.
But at the same time they are convinced that getting more does not mean getting extra-biblical messages from God. They've seen the confusion this approach causes and want a more stable and reliable "Word from the Lord" by reading Scripture. They want deeper biblical understanding, rather than subjective nudges.
They are frustrated that all they get from the Bible is confirmation of theological or denominational views. Conversely, they are also aware that the Bible confirms theological or denominational positions for others who oppose these views. They sense something must be off, and they are convinced it's not the Bible's fault.
But at the same time, they aren't willing to throw their hands up in the air and just give up. They are determined to know the real God and His Will. And they want to be able to glean truth from the only true standard of truth without needing an advanced degree.
Last, there are some Christians who are feeling bored with the Bible, and are ashamed that they feel this way. "Isn’t there more than being familiar with Bible stories and a bunch of do’s and don’ts?" They suspect that they are not supposed to feel this way. So they are faced with the dilemma of either feeling guilty or playing pretend.
It's time to help these Christians who are hungry to grow. It's time to break the shackles many believers are under. And it's time to announce freedom to let God's Word be our true guide and standard.
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