Anyone fancy touring the Bible?

The two churches of Kemsing and Woodlands in Kent are going on an ambitious journey together in 2014. We're going on a Bible tour.

Here's the plan: Read the whole Bible through 2014, in step with one another. In that sense, it's a communal read-through. (We're not actually going to come together each day to read, at least not in any way that's organised for the whole church).

It's not a new idea. Robert Murray M'Cheyne (1813-1843) pastored St Peter's church in Dundee. He devised a similar scheme of his congregation - one that many individual Christians still use to read through the Bible in a year. He wrote:

It has long been in my mind to prepare a scheme of Scripture reading, in which as many as were made willing by God might agree, so that the whole Bible might be read once by you in the year, and all might be feeding in the same portion of the green pasture at the same time.

Here are 5 benefits we're hoping and praying for as a church:

• We get to read the Bible in order. The Bible is a library of 66 books, by many human authors, yet also one book, with the Holy Spirit as a common author. Often (at church or home) we read out of order. Heard in order, its overall message is clearer.
• We get to read the Bible in its entirety. We are all prone to be selective, preferring the familiar to the strange, and the agreeable to the challenging. Here’s a chance to read everything, including the parts we might naturally skip over.
• We get to read the Bible today. Maybe there are parts of the Bible we read some years ago, but have since forgotten. Many Christians would say they have wanted to read right through the Bible for some time, but have never got round to it.
• We get to read the Bible together. We can encourage one another in our reading, talking about it, and discussing what we find confusing. We can encourage one another in life, supporting and praying for each other knowing which portions of the Bible they are reading.
• We get to read the Bible at home. The Bible is our daily bread, which we need to walk with God through daily life. We need it daily, not just on Sundays. The Bible is also a big book. Once a week is not enough to breathe it all and grow in our faith.

I've been personally really encouraged by how many of our church family want to be a part of this. People from all our congregations, in all wings of the church, are keen to do it together. We have 4 mid-week groups for Bible study and prayer, and all 4 want to tie their group times into making this live. Almost all of our 10.30 services will preach from the passages for the day; as will some of our 8am and 9.15 services. We're going to tie our Lent study course into it as well - more details on that later. Some people have bought new Bibles ready - so that they have ones that are more portable / scribbable / accessible, or whatever it is they need.

Two things for readers of this blog.

1. Would you pray for us? It's an ambitious project for us as a church. The potential benefits to our church life are unimaginable. I don't know what impact it will have on us, but if we read, mark, learn and inwardly digest - then put into practice - great blessing could come from unleashing the living and enduring Word of God. Pray we'd all persevere. Pray God would grant each person insight. Pray it would strengthen our fellowship together. Pray it would start habits of daily Bible reading that will last people a lifetime.
2. Would you like to join us? Having produced resources that will help our two churches with this, I'd be thrilled if other people in other places wanted to join in too. I've attached the booklet that we're giving out to everyone who wants to join in. It contains the readings for each day, and some other pages with tips and background information to help people get the most from this.

Attachment: Daily Reading Plan (PDF - 5.81 MB)