"Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture,
to preaching and to teaching.
1 Timothy 4:13
The concept is pretty simple, start at Genesis 1:1 and keep reading aloud to the end of Revelation 22:21. Our church family starts reading at 8 am on Thursday and continually reads Scripture aloud in the Santuary 24/7.
The actual reading is split up into half hour shifts. The readers are allowed to sign up for multiple slots but no more than two half hour slots consecutively.
We encourage as many readers as possible trying to accommodate everyone (participation is key). The focus is worship - not speed! We even encourage children to read as long as a parent or adult is there with them.
We instruct every reader to prepare themselves to read.
Preparation includes:
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Showering and hygene, honor the Lord in all you do.
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Dress, look your best.
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Fasting is encouraged (ex. 1 meal a day, the entire time, a certain food or favorite indugence, TV, internet, other distractions).
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Time of prayer and confession (there is a prayer room setup at the church so every reader can spend time in prayer to prepare for their shift).
Establish a setting of Reverence and Awe:
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Complete silence in the sanctuary, the only words spoken are Scripture.
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Reader points to his stopping point and next person starts.
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No shoes in the Sanctuary.
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Scriptures are posted around the building.
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We want to be intentional and focused on God's Word.
Where did the idea come from?
Our pastor's oldest son, who was 12 at the time, came home from youth group and said that his youth minister had said that the entire Bible could be read in a little over 70 hours. You know how it works, youth minister looks up some crazy stat to boggle the student's minds. Well this boggled Randy's mind. Right there was the birth of our church family Bible Reading Challenge (BRC). Reading God's Word, out loud, from beginning to end.
How long does it actually take?
In the years we have been doing the BRC, our times have ranged from just over 70 hours to nearly 75 hours. Our focus is on the worship of reading Scripture, not speed.
If you have any questions about being a part of our Bible Reading Challenge or starting your own, please do not hesitate to contact the church.
"The Bible is worth all other books which have ever been printed."
~Patrick Henry
"A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education."
~Theodore Roosevelt
"Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face. "
~Ronald Reagan