The Formative Work of Reading the Bible: Introductions and Suggestions

As a newer staff member of Discipleship Ministries, I want to introduce myself as I “take the baton” from my predecessor, Rev. Motoe Yamada Foor, who transitioned into a new position  at Discipleship Ministries last summer. Since 2024, Motoe has led an initiative inviting people to “Read a Chapter a Day” of scripture and to engage with others about what they were learning. This is an effort for people of any experience level with scripture. Whether you are new to reading the bible or an experienced teacher, you are invited to join us. I want to build on the significant foundation of Motoe’s invitation into scripture with a Fall 2026 initiative that invites people to continue reading in the New Testament. (The 2024 initiative focused on the gospel of John and the book of Acts. In 2025, participants read Romans and 1 and 2 Corinthians, letters written by the Apostle Paul.)  In the 2026 initiative, we will finish Paul’s writings in the New Testament, reading from Galatians through Philemon. As with any scripture, there can be challenging words or even parts that we would rather ignore. Through this initiative of reading scripture together—even if you read it alone, we’re providing opportunities to share your experiences with others. We pray that you are preparing to encounter God and God’s word in a new way through the “Read-a-Chapter-a-Day” project.

Reading the Bible as Wesleyans

As a child, I was taught to read the Bible to get to know God and God’s story, learning Bible stories and even memorizing verses. However, it wasn’t until I co-taught a Youth Disciple Bible Study as a college student that I first read scripture intentionally. Through teaching, I’ve learned what it means to engage in personal study intentionally. But what about scripture reading, when not a part of a planned “program” or teaching a class? I often experienced reading scripture in a haphazard way or as divine “fortune cookie,” opening the Bible to see what good word I could find. While it’s generally a good idea to read scripture in any way, I have learned that intentionality can invite an experience of scripture's depths that can (re)orient our lives in transformative ways.

Why do we put so much emphasis on reading scripture? The introduction to the Wesley Study Bible offers a good foundation for reading scripture as Wesleyans:

Doesn’t that sound like a wonderful goal? Reading scripture opens us to grow up, that is, mature, as disciples of Jesus Christ, as it forms our hearts, minds, and even our souls.

Reading Scripture as a “Practice”

Have you ever wanted to learn a skill, engage in physical exercise, or play a musical instrument? It requires practice. (You know the joke, “A tourist stopped a New Yorker and asked, ‘How do you get to Carnegie Hall?’ The New Yorker answered, ‘Practice, practice, practice.’”) So how do we “practice” reading scripture? Well, we read it with intention, consistency, and openness to connect with God.

In the last ten years, I “practiced” reading scripture in the way that I suggest in the “Read-a Chapter-a-Day initiative.” It can be tempting to read an assigned scripture and then scratch it off the list, moving on to other—even spiritual—things like prayer, or even scripture memory. But reading in the way I suggest below slows us down, engaging us with what we’re reading and opening us to hearing God’s voice, not just to process it intellectually.

Before I introduce the method, I want to offer a word of caution: do not lose sight of the agenda of “Read a Chapter a Day.” The goal is not to use a particular strategy or finish the assigned reading; it’s to be open to the transforming Word of God. The “Word of God” is a reference to Jesus, taken from what John, chapter 1, says, “In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…and the Word became flesh and lived among us” (John 1:1, 14 a[1]).

In other words, reading scripture is an opportunity to get to know God better, to encounter the story of Jesus, and to know the world in which Jesus walked. The Bible is history, but it’s also prayers, prophecy, worship guidance, and even personal correspondence. It’s got stories in which we cringe and wrestle, and it’s got words and ideas that captivate and inspire. All of it is pointing to a God who loved (and loves) us and is revealed through the person of Jesus Christ. Sometimes the words of scripture invite us to know something about our lives or current situation that God wants to say to us.

As you read a chapter of scripture a day, consider these five actions—“Five Suggestions for Surveying Scripture” — as you engage with scripture: Simmer, Speak, Study, Scribe, and Savor. These suggestions are not a formula; rather, they are different entry points for sitting down and slowing down with the Bible. Read more about each of these words on the website.

Engaging with the “Read-a-Chapter-a-Day " Initiative

The “Read-a-Chapter-a-Day” initiative is an individual opportunity that is also rooted in community. We will provide suggestions and opportunities to read scripture together, such as sharing reflections in our Facebook group or joining our weekly Zoom meeting held on Sunday evenings, 7-8 p.m., CDT, from September 13 to October 18. We also encourage you to “start local” and find a friend or a small group with whom you can share in this practice. We hope to highlight invitations for churches or ministries to join us in this, and we would love to see you be creative with this opportunity!

Reading scripture, a chapter at a time, is more than a goal; it’s what John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, would have called a “means of grace.” That means that as we engage in it, we get to know the fullness of God and God’s love even more. Will you join me as we “Read a Chapter a Day” from September 9 to October 19 this fall to Simmer, Speak, Study, Scribe, and Savor God’s word in our lives?

Next Steps:

• Read about the Read a Chapter a Day initiative here.
• Register here to be added to our email list.
• Share about this opportunity with others, inviting them to sign up and join you this fall.
• Check back to our website for more resources, including downloads for personal or group use, small group agendas, and information about the books of the bible that we’re reading!

Rev. Dr. Ashlee Alley Crawford is the Director of Adult Discipleship here at Discipleship Ministries. Reach out to her at [email protected].

[1] By the way, if reading scripture references is a new experience for you, here’s what “John 1:1, 14a” means:

• John—The name of the book of the Bible is always listed first in scripture references. Feel free to use the table of contents at the beginning of the Bible if you are unfamiliar with the sixty-six books of the Bible. Fun fact: There are thirty-nine “books” in what we call the Old Testament and twenty-seven in what we call the New Testament.
   
• John 1:—The chapter number is always listed before a colon in scripture references. Fun fact: there are a few books of the Bible that have only one chapter: Obadiah (Old Testament) and Philemon, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude (New Testament).
   
• John 1:1, 14a—After the colon, the next number is the verse(s). When there is a comma, as in this example, it indicates verses 1 and 14. The “a” means the first part of that verse. If there is a dash, (1-14a), it would mean verse 1 through verse 14a. Fun fact: verses weren’t added until the sixteenth century, after printing presses made the Bible more accessible.