This schedule is different than any others I have found and follows a few specific criteria:
1) A semi-chronological order. I used several existing lists to help order the books, but ultimately made the decision that best helped my format. The Old Testament books are ordered as follows:
- Pre-Exile (Genesis-Kings, Hosea-Zephaniah, Chronicles, Isaiah)
- Wisdom (Proverbs-Song, Job)
- Exile Prophets (Jeremiah-Ezekiel)
- Post-Exile Jerusalem (Ezra, Haggai, Zachariah, Nehemiah, Malachi)
- Post-Exile Persia (Esther, Daniel)
The New Testament is mostly the traditional order, but I order the Gospels differently to allow for some specific text overlaps. I also put James before Hebrews to avoid needing to split Hebrews over 3 weeks.
2) Weekly portions taken from 4 sections of the Bible: Old Testament, NT Narrative (Gospels, Acts, Revelation), Epistles, and Psalms (with the New Testament sections and Psalms each being read three times). This is to help supplement unfamiliar passages with familiar passages, but also to help see how all Scripture is connected.
3) Weekly reading instead of daily reading. Skipping a day can often discourage someone from continuing their plan; and offering a weekly goal allows for some wiggle room while still requiring discipline to complete.
4) Completion in only 48 weeks. This is done for two reasons: EITHER to allow for more wiggle room (because getting 1 week behind is more devastating than 1 day behind) OR to allow for a specific Advent curriculum for the final 4 weeks of the year (which is something my family celebrates each year).
This plan is very intense, since a third of the Bible is read three times and only 48 weeks is given to complete the reading. This is done in order to allow some specific cross references (Genesis 3 and Romans 5, 2 Samuel 11 and Psalm 51, Exodus 12 and Luke 22, etc.), but I understand that it can be overwhelming.
I suggest that you read the Old Testament passage and one of the three additional passages thoroughly each week and skim the other two. Also, if you do get a week behind, you can focus on the Old Testament passages until you get caught up and read the others when they come around again.
I will be providing resources to help encourage you and to help you engage the texts more deeply. I will be posting an Audio Bible Spotify playlist (courtesy Faith Comes By Hearing ministries) and book/section introductory videos (courtesy The Bible Project).
If you have any other resources you think are pertinent, please post them in the comments and I will work them into the main body. I hope to add more the each page each year; but for this inaugural year, I will be keeping it pretty simple.
I hope that this site helps facilitate spiritual growth and not exasperation. I encourage you to post your thoughts each week in the comments to help others go deeper and grow stronger (and also, do not hesitate to email me directly at bryanemerson@gmail.com with any questions or concerns).
I look forward to reading the bible together in 2017!
Grace and Peace
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