Scripture Reading Plan for 2014

Many of you will remember that last year a number of bishops joined together in reading scripture throughout the year. Thanks to Bishop Ken Carter who has devised a reading plan for 2014, many will be sharing with us across the United Methodist Connection.   Below is the plan which I encourage you to follow.

1.      We will read a chapter of Luke and then Acts through the 2014 year, one chapter per week.  There are 24 chapters in Luke and 28 chapters in Acts; this will take us through 52 weeks of the year.   Noted New Testament scholar and professor at Candler School of Theology, Emory University,  Luke Timothy Johnson, is instructive as he teaches that the books of Luke and Acts were never intended to be read separately.  He further notes that the life of Jesus and the life of the church cannot be understood apart from each other.   Luke faithfully reported on the life and ministry of Jesus and how this life and ministry continued in the early church.  We can read Luke and Acts within the framework of how the life and ministry of Jesus is among us to this day and as a blueprint for what it means to make disciples for the transformation of the world.

I invite you to begin with Luke 1 the week of  January 5, Luke 2 on the week of January 12, Luke 3 the week of January 19, and onward.  We will note on each conference website the chapter being read each week. You may also click the link at the top of the page to see an overview of this year’s plan.

2.     Our hope is that you will invite at least one person to join you in this practice.  The more you engage this practice and the more you share in this practice with an accountability partner, the more likely you are to maintain this spiritual discipline.  I will be inviting our Conference Lay Leaders to partner with me in this practice.  You might invite a Sunday School class friend, someone in your covenant group, or anyone with whom you wish to share a life deepening experience.

As we seek to discover, connect, equip, and send leaders who shape congregations that offer Jesus Christ to a hurting world one neighborhood at a time, may we root and ground our lives in the these Holy Words.

*Thanks to Bishop Ken Carter for his leadership in this profound Spiritual Practice.