As part of the ELCA Book of Faith initiative, Calvary Lutheran Church encouraged members and friends to read the Bible in a year.  Thirty people signed up and began to follow a schedule of about three chapters a day to read the Bible in one year.  This sparked wonderful conversations in the halls about what we were reading in the Bible.  Not everyone finished reading the whole Bible, but the point is more to foster a habit of daily reading God’s word.  For one of our members, reading the whole Bible was a huge accomplishment, as this was only the third book he had read all the way through in his adult life.  Well, if you’re only going to read three books, this is a good one!

How to Use this Reading Guide

The readings are chosen so that the days leading up to Sunday (Thursday through Saturday) prepare us for the Sunday readings. The days flowing out from Sunday (Monday through Wednesday) reflect upon the Sunday readings,

Getting Started

Pray:  Begin by praying for God’s Spirit to lead you.

Search:  As you read, note key words and phrases. Ask: What can I learn from these faithful storytellers, prophets, and apostles.

Confess:  What do these words lead me to believe and confess—about God and myself?

Thank:  In times when you receive new strength, hope, or insight—and in times when understanding is clouded and insights are few—give thanks to God for the opportunity to encounter Scripture.

Live:  Luther said, “No one understands Scripture unless it is brought home to them, that is unless they experience it.” Bring your experience with Scripture into your life experiences—at work, at play, at school with family, friends, and neighbors.

Excerpts from: Lutheran Study Bible