One of the most important things churches can do is to encourage their people to read through the Bible in a Year in Chronological order. A great sample for you to print out and offer to print for your churches is a booklet or flyer that gives them a schedule on how to do this. The booklet only takes 2 pages of paper, printed front, and back sides and folded in half. It is the perfect size to fit into most Bibles and gives people a handy checklist to refer to for the next year.
Many churches today don’t print the supporting materials they need to print for their churches because it is too costly and too time-consuming. You can show them by printing this sample how quick and easy it is to give people supporting materials that will really help them grow in their Christian life.
Below are the images of the Read Through the Bible schedules, below them is the ZIP file that contains all the files to create them.
CLICK HERE to download the ZIP file that has all the images: Through the Bible Booklets and Handouts
What makes this reading schedule different is that it is in chronological order
This means that you read through the Bible in the order that events occurred, not just as they are listed in the Bible. I have an MA degree in History from the University of Colorado (as well as attending Fuller seminary) and though my studies emphasized the history of the church, I never did find out WHY the books in the Bible are in the order they are in and it is extremely confusing. You would never suspect the book of Job takes place early in the timeline of Genesis or have any idea where all the prophetic books fit into the historical books. The way they are now, without historical context, it’s easy to assume they are a group of angry guys ranting for no reason other than maybe God likes to yell at people. Once you know the real history, you understand nothing could be further from the truth. I suspect in the past, it was simply assumed you knew more about the real history of the events in the Bible than people do today
I suspect in the past, it was simply assumed you knew more about the real history and context of the events in the Bible than people do today, but regardless of why, the current order is confusing. You will be doing your churches a real service by giving them this reading plan.
One more thing—
Take time to use this plan yourself and read through the Bible this year in chronological order. If you are working with churches, it will help you understand them better.
It’s something I do every year and if you want my commentary on it, go to my church teaching blog: Until Full Light, www.untilfulllight.com
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