Why is this a priority for Scripture Union?

Engaging children, young people and families in the Bible is at the heart of Scripture Union, both in terms of practice, and in terms of our aims, belief and working principles.

Scripture Union national movements have centred their ministries around encouraging people to be transformed by God’s Big Story. So, adapting and finding new ways to do this is always a priority.

In the past, Scripture Union has hosted global consultations to look at what is happening around the world, facilitate the sharing of best practice, and to consider new approaches to reach children, young people and families in appropriate ways.

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The 2022 Bible Engagement Consultation

A new international Bible engagement consultation was launched in March 2022, specifically to assess the way Scripture Union teams around the world nurture disciples and engage children and young people in the Bible.

More than 100 representatives from 60 different Scripture Union Movements came together to take part in the three-week online discussion programme, from 14 March - 1 April 2022. The consultation aimed to bring together thought leaders, seasoned practitioners, and young influencers, who spent time listening, reflecting, evaluating, and preparing for the future.

Ahead of the 2022 consultation, a baseline survey was commissioned in 2020 to assess the status of Bible engagement and look at new approaches and channels to reach children and young people today. The survey was sent to all the SU National Movements and there were 239 individual respondents to the survey, representing a broad range of countries, paid staff, volunteers and board members.

Drawing on this recent learning, the consultation aimed to explore fresh ways of working, to, discuss different approaches, and to develop new resources to engage children, young people, and families in exploring the Bible.

Scripture Union International’s director, Monika Kuschmierz, said, “The world is changing rapidly, so engaging with the Bible must be reimagined in the light of shifting cultures, developing trends and a volatile yet highly knowledgeable new generation of children and young people.”

The 2022 consultation explored how Scripture Union maintains and develops its unique and creative cutting edge in Bible engagement that continues to transform thousands of young lives across many different cultures and countries. Finding, recommendations and other outcomes from the consultation will be published in the coming months.