Lutheran Resources

To read the entire bible twice a year.

A quick word of explanation. Many of you already have a pattern for Bible reading that works well for you. I don’t want to interfere with that. If not, or you are open to a new challenge, the attached program is an aggressive plan to read through the Bible two complete times in one year. I have been following this schedule for a few years now and have found it to be very helpful.

Why two times in a year?! The old church fathers used to suggest a wide reading of the Bible. That means reading A LOT at a time, entire books in one setting, for example. This gives constant exposure to all parts of the Scriptures more frequently. I found that encountering, for instance, 1 Samuel or Galatians only once per calendar year was not enough. I wanted more; this plan was it. This is what we need today, as the world and the devil press their agenda into our conscience more and more. We need more and more of the Bible!

There are no shortage of reading plans for once per year. I think that is a minimum. It’s a good start. If you don’t have a plan for reading through the Bible once per year, you should start right away. The Portals of Prayer are simply not enough. They make a decent supplement, but should NEVER take the place of sustained, attentive Bible reading.

However, if you read at a normal pace, without reflection or interruption, most days will take 20-30 minutes to complete the reading. Then you could get through twice in a year! It really is not bad, especially in comparison with how much time we “invest” in the TV or computer or the so called “news.” Give it a shot.

If you’d like a little more motivation, check out this excellent talk by my friend Pastor Andrew Packer, entitled “Read Your Bible.”

~ Pastor Melius

Church Year Calendar

Download a PDF with the 2024 dates of feast days, mid-week services, and liturgical colors for the year.
We use the One-Year Lectionary.