Each year many of us make New Year's resolutions to be more regular in reading our Bibles, to come to a deeper understanding of His word.  A few of us got to talking and thought it would be helpful to have a thread where we can discuss our daily readings and help to be accountability partners for each other.  No finger pointing will be done if you don't read each day.  It is to be a place where we can (hopefully) read the same daily readings and have a place to discuss them.  Both the new believer and those who have been in the faith for a long time are all welcome.  We can learn from each other and offer encouragement when one of us struggles.

Each day, the daily reading will be posted (by someone) and afterwards any discussion can take place.    We have different backgrounds and can look at scriptures in different understandings so let each of us be respectful of the other person when sharing our viewpoints.

The New Year begins Friday so what better day to start!

We will start with the following reading plan and will follow a 5 day schedule.  The weekends can be used for catch up if needed.  You may read online or your own personal bible.  Online allows you to select which version you would like to read and it also has an audio option.

Daily readings will be posted the night before and the day of.  This will accomodate both those that would like to read at night and be able to discuss with us and those who would like to read in the daytime.

Survey Bible Reading Plan (61 Days)     COMPLETED

Biographical Reading Plan (121 Days)

Daily Readings:

Day 1    Adam and Eve       Genesis 1:26-2:17 and  Genesis 2:18-3:24

Well, I will be the first one to join in here!  Cynthia, I don't think that link for biblegateway.com works correctly.  When I click on it, it takes me back to this thread.  Anyway, I hope some others are interested too!

I'm joining.  Here's another link to BibleGateway.

BibleGateway.com Versions

That should take you to the available verisons and you can scroll down to English.  Unless of course you want some other language.  :)

ETA: Cynthia, did you look at BibleGateway's reading plans?  Might be kind of nice to stick with one site.  They have 4 one year plans.  Here's a link to that page.

BibleGateway Reading Plans

I'm in. I need help with accountability.

Thanks Lisa for the right links.

I found these plans on BibleGateway that sound good.  Some of them are shorter like 61 days and do it a little different than I would have thought about.

Survey Bible Reading Plan (61 Days)

Biographical Bible Reading Plan (121 Days)

Chronological Bible Reading Plan (61 Days)

If someone is newer to reading, the Survey plan would give a good basis to start on and then we could build from there.  Each person can choose their own version to read in as that is one of the options on the reading plan.

ETA:  I just went back to read some more on the Survey plan and you can pull up commentary for the daily reading.  I'm sure you can on the others also but that is an added feature that should be a help.

I have a Quest bible and love the extra info provided.

I don't think that I am familiar with that bible Troy.  I usually use either NKJV or NLT.  I need a really good study bible and have been looking at the new NLT that came out a couple of months ago.  I do have several different bible software programs though that I can use.

The Quest Bible

I'm in!  Thanks for starting this.  We are dealing with some serious junk in my immediate family right now and I really need this to help me keep focused on the HOPE, not the junk.

Sounds good to me.

Troy - that Bible looks awesome.  I think I may have seen it before and just glanced over it, without actually ever looking at it.  The hardcover is only $25.19 at Amazon, so I may have to get it. 

Cynthia - those three plans you posted a few posts up sound very interesting.  I checked them out, and they aren't reading the Bible fully, it just hits the highlights I think.  And like you said, we could build from there.  The Biographical Plan entices me the most, but I am willing to go with the flow.  Anything I start with is better than what I am doing now. 

I'm with you Kim.  I think the biographical one sounds good and it really covers a lot of people in the bible.

I think though that since we are starting this out that it would be good to go with the Survey Reading plan.  That way those who are just starting to study and read the bible for the new year won't feel like they are in over their heads.  Sometimes too we can all use a refresher on what we think we know.  At least that is my opinion.

What does everyone else think?

Very cool plans Cynthia.  I think the Survey Reading plan is a great place to start.  If the group is active and people want to continue on then we could just pick up next with the biographical plan.

As important as I think it is that we read through the entire Bible, I know that to do that following a one year plan can make for a lot of reading each day.  Having read a lot of material makes it harder to have meaningful discussions.  The survey plan hits every book and still keeps the daily reading manageable.

So that's my two cents.  Anything that gets me to actually read and think about scripture daily is going to be a good thing.

Anything that gets me to actually read and think about scripture daily is going to be a good thing.

I agree with that Lisa.  Probably over the last 3-4 years, I have bought several of the one year daily reading bibles.  I start out but then get bogged down in them.  The survey plan seems like it would help to keep you on track. Maybe focused a bit more, at least for me. I think He wants us to know His word and have it in our hearts and isn't worried if we actually make it all the way through the bible in a year. 

Nobody has said but do we want to do it on the weekends also?  The weekend could be catch up days if needed. 

Unless someone disagrees, I would say for now, let's do it M-F and use the weekend as catch up.  The plan isn't date specific, it just has day numbers.

I am in, I'll keep checking back to see what you all decide on.  I have to warn you ahead of time I may not be here every day b/c I'm so busy & when I am here it probably won't be until night after my kids are in bed, but one of my goals for 2010 is to read a daily devo. every morning before work so the daily reading you guys do here will be extra reinforcement for me....thanks for getting this together.

I also have to say Troy I'm glad you joined us, I'll like having a male's perspective, it always makes me think a little outside the box!  And Troy I'm orig. from IL...Moline :)

I agree with everything mentioned.  Considering the fact that I buy a new Bible every year and then NOT read it means I might need something a little on the lighter side to get me started, so the Survey Plan sounds perfect for me.  And I agree on keeping the weekends as catch up; that way we dont feel so overwhelmed with the possibility of getting too far behind.

I am really looking forward to getting started!

I think this is a great idea.  I'm going to try to keep up and read along, but don't be surprised if I lurk around the discussions.

Weekends for catch up is perfect.  Like you, Shayla, I appreciate having the men's perspective too and I'm glad Troy is here.  Men just see things differently (and I'm not meaning that in a bad way).

Chris, glad to see you are interested too.  Welcome.

i would love to do this!  i have already decided to read through the whole bible this year, i figure i have taken time to read so many books, but not the book that matters most!  so far i have nade it to genesis 9 and have discovered a few new things!

This looks like something I definitely need to join in on!!  The Survey Plan looks like a great place to start - and I like saving the weekends for catch-up.

Count me in!  Lisa bent my arm. 

but don't be surprised if I lurk around the discussions

Don't just lurk!  Jump in with both feet.  LOL! 

Speaking for myself, I am no expert so I think this will be a great place for us to learn and discuss.  I happen to be in a good place if we should happen to need a question answered that no one knows (work in a church office).

Sometimes when we are in class or church, we think our question might be too dumb and are afraid to ask.  Don't be afraid to ask questions here. Chances are, someone else wants to know the same thing.

To be honest this would be something new for me.  I had the required years of Sunday school years ago so I could make
my Confirmation.  There was very little actual learning done there.  I've never done any bible study or gone to any church
classes since and really, I'm hit or miss on Sunday mass now that the girls are no longer altar servers.  I feel as though
I should be doing something though and this is a good place to start.