The Good News Bible Reading Program

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Miss a day? You can view a month at a glance by clicking on the HTML version of the commentary.

Year/Month	Bible Readings	Commentary
2007		View PDF		View HTML
Production Delay until further notice. We apologize for the current setback. Thank you for your patience.
March	Proverbs	570k
Feburary	No Readings
January	Proverbs 21 - 27	371k [Part 1]	288k [Part 2]
2006
December	Proverbs 10 - 20	371k [Part 1]	460k [Part 2]
October-November	Proverbs (Topical Readings)	280k		October	November
August-September	Proverbs 1- 9	462k
July	Song of Solomons	1.1mb [Part 1]	1.1mb [Part 2]
April-June	There are no April through June 2006 issues of the Bible Reading Program.

> Bible Reading Program Archives

What is the Bible Reading Program?

In our work of preaching God's truth and preparing Christ's Bride for His return, the United Church of God, an International Association is producing this Bible study program to involve the entire Church and any others interested in participating. The program is essentially a Bible reading program, in which we will read through the entire Bible, book by book.

Each month's issue provides a reading schedule and commentary on the passage or passages read. We cover the background, history and authorship of each book, discussing its time frame and major themes, the many intriguing people whose lives the Bible records for us, many of the doctrinal truths presented, interesting facts that bear on the readings, and the crucial lessons God wants us to learn. Participants are also sometimes directed to supplementary, though usually optional, reading material from Church publications. Additionally, there are occasional sermons, sermonettes and Bible studies to supplement the program.

Why the Bible Reading Program?

It is in the pages of the Bible that we find the "words of eternal life" (John 6:68). And indeed, every Christian should make it a goal to read the entirety of God's Word. Reading the Bible from cover to cover provides us with a broad familiarity and overview of the truth God has revealed. While we often stress the subject study method as the best way to understand what God has to say on a particular topic, the only way to be sure we know all that God has to say on any topic is to have read everything in the Bible. Consider that Jesus said the Holy Spirit would help bring Scripture to remembrance (John 14:26). Yet that requires us having heard or read it to start with. And, if we haven't read the whole of God's written revelation before, the time to start is now.

Of course, there is also a need for ministerial guidance in our study of Scripture (Nehemiah 8:8; Acts 8:30-31; Romans 10:14-15). And it is to that end that we provide the additional commentary and supplementary material.

However, just to actually have all participants reading the Bible—and reading it together—is the primary goal. Not only are some inspired to delve deeper and study into things they are covering, but the fact that members are reading the same verses each day engenders conversation over what's being read—helping bring shared understanding and greater unity to the Body of Christ.

In the hours before Christ's final suffering, Jesus prayed to His Father for all His followers, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth . . . that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me . . . that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me" (John 17:17-23).

The resurrected Jesus Christ now serves as the living, active Head of the Church of God (Ephesians 1:22). He will accomplish the work of unity He discussed with the Father by cleansing the Church "with the washing of water by the word." He will remove its spots and blemishes and present it to Himself-radiant, holy and blameless (5:26-27). It is in light of yielding to Christ's work of unifying His Church that we undertake the Bible Reading Program.

We hope you are excited about this program and will, if you haven't already, join it with enthusiasm. As we focus on reading the Bible and letting its words dwell richly in us (Colossians 3:16), God will be pleased. As we talk with one another in the fear of the Lord, bringing honor to His name, allowing Christ to complete the work in us, we can have confidence in the promise recorded in Malachi 3:16-17: "Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate upon His name. 'They shall be Mine,' says the LORD of hosts, 'on the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.'"

We also invite others to join with us in the program. Even if you do not attend with us, we welcome your participation. (For encouragement in this regard, please refer to our article "Isn't It About Time You Read the Book?," Good News, Jan.-Feb. 2002.)

Servants Needed!

While the BRP is an Internet-based program, this should, it is hoped, pose no problem for those without Web or e-mail access. We are asking that those who do have access to the Internet to provide copies of the monthly program for those who don't. If you have not already, please discuss this within your local congregation to see who needs what program and who can help whom. Pastors should coordinate this. Those who are not able to attend anywhere should contact the pastor for their area or the home office.