The Bible Challenge
Starting October 7th, Christians from across our diocese will begin their journey to reach the goal of reading the Bible in one year as part of an initiative called The Bible Challenge. All clergy and congregations in the Diocese of Kentucky are invited to join. Your goal may be the same, to read the Bible in a year, or you may choose something that works better for you (see options in the "How it Works" section below). The decision is yours - are you up for the challenge?
About the Bible Challenge
The Bible Challenge is an initiative by the Center for Biblical Studies (CBS) designed to encourage more people to engage with Scripture and practice regular reading, prayer and meditation. The Bible Challenge began after Christmas 2010, when the Rev. Marek P. Zabriskie, rector of St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, decided to re-read the Bible over the course of a year, something he hadn’t done for a long time. He invited a few church members to join him, and the number of individuals committed to reading the Bible in 2011 soon grew to over 270.
This experience led Zabreskie to found The Bible Challenge and the Center for Biblical Studies to encourage others to follow his example and dedicate 15-30 minutes each day to reading the Bible in one year. In 2012, individuals in over 1,000 churches in 19 dioceses across 14 different countries participated in The Bible Challenge.
During last summer’s 77th General Convention, the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies voted to pass C083: "Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, that every Episcopal diocese, cathedral, church and mission shall invite their entire membership and people beyond their church to read the entire Bible in 2013.” During our Diocesan Convention, Bishop White invited our Diocese to participate.
How it Works: A Flexible Challenge
For those willing to accept The Bible Challenge, CBS has put together a Monday through Saturday reading schedule that moves through the books of the Bible sequentially and includes three chapters from the Old Testaments, one chapter from the New Testament and one psalm each day.
If reading through the entire Bible in one year sounds too ambitious, there are other options available.
- Reading the New Testament throughout the year
- Reading through the psalter during Lent or Advent
- Reading the Gospel of Mark in a slow, meditative fashion
- Reading Eugene Petersen's The Message or Zondervan's The Story, two modern language retellings of the Bible
