When I first saw the syllabus for my Intro to New Testament class at seminary, I wasn’t sure what to think. The reading list listed only one book (the professor’s own, obviously). For the rest of the class, we just needed to read the New Testament three times through by the end of the semester. There would be a final exam—full of short-answer questions whose answers would be taken directly from the biblical text. But the professor assured us that if we listened in lectures and read the Bible, the exam would be easy. As a student with a tendency to over-prepare for every test, I wasn’t so sure!
Ten years later, I have forgotten many of the specifics I learned in that class. I’ve lost my lecture notes that called out specific historical facts and literary devices. But I am still reading the Bible, passage by passage, cover to cover. And immersing myself in the Bible has changed my spiritual life for the better.
More than any other study or practice, I found my footing in scripture through Morning Prayer. Which I have explained to Episcopal-curious friends as “thirty minutes of basically all scripture.” The way I encounter the Bible in the Daily Office is more like my old professor’s approach to the Bible than the way student-Margaret expected to learn. The lectionary takes me through the Bible, book by book, not to prove a point but to follow the story. The worship service weaves together those Bible readings with songs and poems from scripture. Nearly every day, I end my prayers with some verse or phrase stuck in my head.
Unlike my classmates, I don’t have to use my Bible knowledge on a weekly basis to preach sermons or teach classes. In my regular layperson life, though, I do encounter questions about faith and the Bible. Most often these questions come from my kids, who are old enough now to ask hard questions about love and death and suffering. Lately I’ve also gotten questions from friends who are finding their way back to church, or curious about what Christian practice looks like for me.
In those conversations, I don’t turn to professor-approved answers. I tell the stories that are stuck in my head. I think about the words of hope and promise I’ve come to know so well, and the narratives of calling and repentance and return. I come to understand my own story anchored in the Story I read every day.
The RenewalWorks team’s research has found that “engagement with scripture is indeed one of the most effective catalyst for spiritual growth in congregations.” That deeper understanding of scripture is a gift for all of us—not limited to the folks with fancy collars and seminary training.
As the rhythm of the year turns toward slower summer days, is there room to add Bible immersion into your church’s life? Here’s some entry points for you and your congregation to try:
- Join the Good Book Club in spending A Summer With Paul. Starting on June 1, we’ll read together through three books of the Bible: 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, and Philippians. Visit goodbookclub.org to see the daily calendar of readings and sign up for updates. Discussion groups, study questions, and more coming soon!
- Pick up a Bible Challenge. Each volume has 50 days of bite-sized scripture, reflection, and prayer. Focus on one particular book of the Bible, or explore scripture on a given theme – from social justice to creation care.
- Begin (or begin again) a practice of daily prayer. There’s a reason our flagship devotional, Forward Day by Day, is small enough to fit in your pocket – it’s easy to take with you wherever you go. Subscribe today to get a daily scripture verse and meditation mailed directly to your home.
- If you’re looking for a deeper dive over the next several months or year, consider The Path: A Journey through the Bible. We even have a FREE downloadable curriculum to guide your study!
I hope one of these practices will bring you deeper into the Bible this year – no final exam required.
– Margaret Ellsworth, Content Marketing Manager
Revised from a post on Forward Today from September 2023.