Come, Let Us Praise the Lord: A New Way of Reading the Bible Together

Before a new medicine is shared with the world, it is first tested on a small group. Only after its benefits are seen does it become available for everyone. In much the same way, “Come, Let Us Praise the Lord” has been a kind of experiment. For the past five years, we’ve been trying out a new way of reading the Bible together. What started with just 35 people has now grown into a community of 350, drawn from many different churches and traditions.

We began with a simple longing: to rediscover the Bible in a fresh way. Too often, we have treated it as something to be read only in ceremonies, or we have used it to defend the doctrines we inherited. Every denomination has its own lens, its own favorite verses, its own claim to being “right.” Somewhere along the way, the Bible became less of a living Word and more of a weapon in debates.

But the Bible was never meant for that. It is a gift—a great heritage passed down to us, filled with stories, songs, wisdom, and faith that shaped countless generations before us. When we set aside our prejudices and read it simply to hear its voice, something beautiful happens. We begin to see its power, its unity, and its life-giving depth.

That is what we do in “Come, Let Us Praise the Lord.” Together, we open the Scriptures with just two simple questions: What does it say? and What was the world in which it was first spoken? We deliberately set aside our assumptions and doctrinal divides, not because they don’t matter, but because we want the Bible itself to speak.

And the result? People who once might have argued endlessly now sit side by side, reading, listening, and learning together. We’ve seen friendships grow, hearts change, and communities come closer to God. This simple way of reading has made our faith feel more honest, more united, more relevant, and so much richer.

Now we feel ready to share this experience more widely. What worked in a small circle can work in bigger ones too. The church today doesn’t need more arguments or more walls—it needs more humility. It needs to gather, open the Bible together, and listen again with fresh ears and open hearts

If 350 ordinary people from different traditions can do this week after week in “Come, Let Us Praise the Lord,” just imagine what could happen if churches everywhere did the same. We would discover again who we truly are—not defenders of denominations, but seekers of truth. Not divided by traditions, but united by the living Word of God.

This is our hope and our invitation: that we may all become what we were meant to be—children of the same heritage, people of the Book, people of the Word.

Keeping our mind clean and open for a fruitful life

The parable of the sower is ultimately about how we can make our lives truly fruitful — producing something of lasting value for God, for others, and for ourselves. In the story, the seed is the same in every case: it represents the Word of God, truth, or life-giving wisdom. The difference lies in the kind of soil the seed falls upon — which symbolizes the condition of our hearts and minds.

The four kinds of fields in the parable represent four different states of mind:

1. The Path – This is the hard, trampled ground where the seed never even sinks in. It represents a mind that is constantly distracted, busy, or indifferent. Truth can be heard, but it makes no impression because the person’s attention is elsewhere, and the message is quickly snatched away.

2. The Rocky Ground – Some people have a mind of rock. They believe they already know all there is to know, leaving no room for deeper understanding. Such people may respond positively to new truth at first, but without humility or a willingness to grow, their enthusiasm withers when challenges come.

3. The Thorny Ground – This field is overrun with weeds and thorn bushes, representing a mind filled with unwanted and destructive thoughts and feelings — such as greed, bitterness, fear, or resentment. Even when truth takes root, these thorns compete for space and choke it before it can bear fruit.

4. The Good Soil – This is the open, humble, and attentive mind. It listens carefully, receives truth eagerly, and nurtures it patiently. This person puts the truth into practice, allowing it to grow and produce a harvest — not just for themselves but for many others.

The parable invites each of us to examine the “soil” of our own hearts. Are we hardened, resistant, or distracted? Are we proud and unwilling to learn? Are we letting negative and harmful thoughts overgrow our minds? Or are we cultivating a receptive, disciplined, and loving heart that allows God’s truth to grow abundantly?

In the end, the parable is less about the seed and more about the soil. We cannot change the nature of the seed — but we can prepare our soil. And when we do, our lives will overflow with the fruit of love, peace, and goodness.