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Hearing the Word vs. Reading the Word

Discussion in '2005 Archive' started by Gregory Perry Sr., May 30, 2005.

  1. Gregory Perry Sr.

    Gregory Perry Sr. Active Member

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    Brothers and Sisters...I have a question and desire some opinions about it.
    Like many of you I lead a fairly hectic life and my work as a Route Salesman involves me being "on the road" for long periods of time each day.I have found it difficult at best to be consistent with any scheduled daily time of Bible reading with the work schedule I have to keep.Also,I'm not usually very clear-minded early in the morning as I'm more of a night person.Over the course of the last year I acquired a set of Bible tapes with Alexander Scourby narrating the King James Bible.In the last eight months I have listened to the entire New Testament at least four complete times and frequently pull out a random tape to listen to from day to day as well.I acquired the Old Testament this past Christmas as well and I'm currently nearly through it for the first time.I have listened(and been blessed by)to more Bible in the last year than I had collectively in the previous 5 years.What a blessing.I still do some reading but I find that the hearing of the Word is far more engaging and beneficial to me.And I've almost worn out the rewind button on the tape deck in my truck...lol!I'm NOT suggesting that anybody should replace Bible reading with tapes...but this has been a huge blessing to me...and with the exception of memory work...I find it much easier for me to "absorb" the Word using this method.What do ya'll think about this?

    Greg Sr.
     
  2. Deacon

    Deacon Well-Known Member
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    So are you an Alex Scourby KJV only listener?
    That could be a problem ;)

    Seriously, before the advent of the printing press most believers could only hear the word of God as presented by their pastor during fellowships.

    Personally, I rarely spend time listening as you do but have been blessed each time I have.
    I like listening in versions that I'm not so familiar with (NIV). When I'm done listening I run home and look up the verses I have questions about in my own favorite version.

    Rob
     
  3. billreber

    billreber New Member

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    Go for it!

    I am a delivery druver for NAPA Auto Parts, and I, too, have little time to "sit and read" the Bible. My truck does not have a tape player, so I am limited to listening to Christian radio. But is I had a tape player, you better believe i would listen to the Bible on tape.

    Bill
     
  4. exscentric

    exscentric Well-Known Member
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    FYI there is a cdrom version (not kjv, however) that you can buy for cheap that you can do into mp3. Actually the audio tapes could be if you get the right software and hook a tape deck up to the puter, though it is rather slow going :)
     
  5. Gold Dragon

    Gold Dragon Well-Known Member

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    I wouldn't have a problem if someone completely relied on audio for their scripture. As Deacon mentioned, until the advent of the printing press, hearing was the primary means of biblical transmission for a vast majority of Christians.

    And then there is the idea of multiple intelligences. People learn better in different ways. Some are very strong reading learners. Others need to write things out. Others need to hear it. Some need to speak it aloud. Some learn well when it is presented in a picture/graph/diagram. Others learn well when it is presented in a musical or physical/tangible context. Others need to dialogue with someone about it.

    Most of us learn well in a unique variety of these different intelligences.

    My wife is in education and being forced to edit all of her essays in teacher's college a few things stuck through osmisis. [​IMG]

    Multiple Intelligences
     
  6. Artimaeus

    Artimaeus Active Member

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    Alexander Scourby is a great reader. Very pleasant to listen to.Combine that with the subject matter and you have the best reading the best.

    As a former school teacher, I was well aware that different kids learned in different ways. However, it is not possible for a teacher with 25-40 students to cater the classes to even those eight styles that Dr. Gardner classified. Even those eight classes are too broad. Each child is unique and to provide the best education possible it would be necessary to individualize each lesson for each student. Public education will always be forced to shoot for the happy medium and cover the most material in the most efficient manner. As a special education teacher I developed an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for each student. It turned out that SIX was the ideal number of students to work with. Eight was quite workable but, as administrators are fond of doing, it soon became 10 then 12 or 13 and these numbers are not feasible. Until society is willing to spend the big bucks necessary to trim that student/teacher ratio down quite a bit, education will be as inefficient as a doctor prescribing the same thing to the average of the entire waiting room.
     
  7. Gold Dragon

    Gold Dragon Well-Known Member

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    Until then, it is still possible to incorporate a variety methods to cater to some of the more common learning methods. Yes, it isn't feasible in both time and finances to cater to every student's unique learning abilities, but a recognition of multiple intelligences moves us in that direction.
     
  8. APuritanMindset

    APuritanMindset New Member

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    I've actually been thinking about this a lot recently. Not necessarily the same situation, but listening to the Bible vs. reading it. Every morning, I call my girlfriend up around 7am and we read a chapter of the Bible together over the phone since she lives a distance away and it's imposible for us to see each other every morning. And, usually I do the reading and she listens to me read to her. Hearing the words out loud makes it easier to remember what the story or chapter was about. When you read silently, the mind has a tendency to only absorb that which it chooses while, when you hear somethig, you tend to remember things that normally wouldn't even stick out, at least that is Auni and I's experience.

    Keep listening to it. You're not violating any Scripture in doing that, although I would exhort you to read and study deeper to work the brain in a different way. Afterall, God gave us brains for a reason, that being He wants us to use them and be a thinking people.
     
  9. Gregory Perry Sr.

    Gregory Perry Sr. Active Member

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    WOW...Thanks everybody for your great responses!I was almost scared that I might be laying myself out for some criticism but this has been enlightening thus far.I personally believe that I may have been an ADD or ADHD kid when I was in school(long before they knew anything about that stuff).When I was a student if you fell behind you generally just stayed that way.I'm 50 now and I have struggled with learning most of my life.It hasn't gotten any easier as I've gotten older but I've managed to survive.I've beaten MYSELF up over my own inconsistencies for years but I know that God has something for me to do so I press on toward that mark.The verse that says "Faith cometh by hearing,and hearing by the Word of God" has been a key to much blessing for me in recent years.I do read a lot..I love books and have a sizable personal library that includes many christian books as well as my other favorite topic,maritime,aviation and military history.I know I do retain some of what I read but the avenue of hearing has been such a blessing to me.I also LOVE to hear great preaching and I collect and listen to as many good preaching tapes as I can get my hands on.As for in-depth studying..I'm not real good at that but I do have some good resources to help me when I do dig deeper such as a Strongs concordance and a Vines Expository Dictionary as well as good old Websters.Although I don't do Greek I've also found that Strongs and my copy of George Ricker Berry's Interlinear Greek-English New Testament have been helpful as well.
    By the way...since I am unashamedly a KJV guy I'll stick to my preference of Scourby's tapes.As a reader he also seems to get the tone and inflection of the passages right too....and no...I don't think HE is inspired...but it is obvious from hearing him speak that he took great care in how he narrarated the blessed old Book he was reading from.
    Thanks again for all your responses and I look forward to reading more.

    Greg Sr.
     
  10. KenH

    KenH Well-Known Member

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    I like to read at the same time while listening.
     
  11. Gregory Perry Sr.

    Gregory Perry Sr. Active Member

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    Ken...That would be good too....but most of the time when I'm listening,I'm doing 70mph down an Interstate somewhere....might earn me a quick trip to the promised land...lol!

    Greg Sr.
     
  12. Gold Dragon

    Gold Dragon Well-Known Member

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    I've found books on CD to be invaluable for those long road trips.
     
  13. Gregory Perry Sr.

    Gregory Perry Sr. Active Member

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    Gold...thats not a bad idea...but I think I'll stick with my Bible and preaching tapes since I don't want to be tempted to using that time for anything else.Still...I may have to look and see what is available.I wonder if anybody has put any of A.W.Tozer's works on tape or CD?Anybody know?I try to be careful about what I listen too.

    Greg Sr.
     
  14. KenH

    KenH Well-Known Member

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  15. CYBERDOVE

    CYBERDOVE New Member

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    Wow I have the same CDs, there is nothing like on a beautiful day sitting on the bench during my meal or break and have the WORD of GOD being read to you!!!. My girlfriend went out and bought the CDs also after hearing me rave about them; they are a blessing.----------Sheila [​IMG]
     
  16. BruceB

    BruceB New Member

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    Some of A.W.Tozer's sermons are available on cassette tape from Christian Publications in Camp Hill PA. I purchased one while up there a few months back. The quality is not too good - the recordings are very old - but they are cheap (about $2.00 each) - if you turn them up load you can hear them. I like the idea of the Bible on CD also - I am waiting for the entire HCSB to come out later this year (NT out now). Bruce
     
  17. Artimaeus

    Artimaeus Active Member

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    The ideal lesson , of course, would be to incorporate several modalities AT THE SAME TIME. To merely switch methods would take away from reaching the most students. For instance, I could have the students read a passage OR I could have someone read the passage OUT LOUD while the rest read silently OR I could have someone read out loud while the rest are reading silently AND have visual illustrations in the form of pictures, graphics, drawings, etc. AND when possible have something for them to touch. This takes up about the same time and doesn't take away from any methods but reinforces each student is a variety of ways.
     
  18. TexasSky

    TexasSky Guest

    The whole bible is out on tape in many forms. My Aunt went blind a few years ago, and uses the tapes to do her bible study. She says she loves it.
     
  19. Gold Dragon

    Gold Dragon Well-Known Member

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    The ideal lesson , of course, would be to incorporate several modalities AT THE SAME TIME. To merely switch methods would take away from reaching the most students. For instance, I could have the students read a passage OR I could have someone read the passage OUT LOUD while the rest read silently OR I could have someone read out loud while the rest are reading silently AND have visual illustrations in the form of pictures, graphics, drawings, etc. AND when possible have something for them to touch. This takes up about the same time and doesn't take away from any methods but reinforces each student is a variety of ways. </font>[/QUOTE]Sounds good to me. [​IMG]
     
  20. richard n koustas

    richard n koustas New Member

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    you can also download several different versions at audible.com (for a fee). I have them stored on a palm pilot, i can listen on headphones or plug it in to my car stereo.
     
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