Learn The Bible

Hi Life Church! Doing the Bible is the first of our Core Values at Life Church and in order to do the Bible we have to learn the Bible. This page contains some Bible resources (including reading plans) that we recommend. We especially want to call your attention to our Life Church 2018 Bible Reading Project. Join us as we read the Bible together!

Bible Versions

We strongly recommend that you read or listen to the Bible in a modern word for word translation such as one of the following:

• New International Version (NIV)
• English Standard Version (ESV)
• New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

For this Bible reading project, do not use the King James Version (KJV) since it uses outdated English that will get in the way of your understanding of the text. We also do not recommend using paraphrase, or idiomatic versions such (The Message, The Living Bible, etc.) since these make it harder to directly engage the words from the original languages. We do not recommend using the Amplified Bible since it can give the misleading impression that all of the potential meanings of various Biblical words are actually intended at any given point at which that word appears. Finally, you should never use the New World Translation by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (The Jehovah’s Witnesses). Here are some resources to help you better understand your Bible:

• The Bible Project: How To Read The Bible
• Dynamic and Formal Equivalence
• The Making of the Bible with Tim Mackie – YouTube
• Making of the Bible [Extended Version] Tim Mackie (The Bible Project) – YouTube

The One Year Bible Online

This Bible reading plan is the online version of the One Year Bibles available in print in various versions (NV, ESV, etc.). From this web site you can do your Bible reading on the standard plan (January 1 – December 31) or you can create a plan with a start date of your own choice. You can even order the One Year Bible in print!

The Bible Project

The Bible Project is an amazing resource that includes a dozens of excellently produced videos and study guides that will greatly enhance your understanding of the Bible. The site also includes a 1 year Bible reading plan that you can download.

• Read Scripture (a video introduction to the Bible Project’s plan for reading the Bible in 1 year)
• Read Scripture Reading Plan

The Bible Experience

Inspired by…The Bible Experience is an audio version of the Bible published by Zondervan. The script used is the Today’s New International Version (TNIV) Bible translation. The re-enactment was performed by a cast of more than 200 African-American actors, singers, musicians, poets, personalities, and clergy, including 3 Oscar winners, 5 Golden Globe winners, 7 Emmy winners, and 23 Grammy winners. Members of this cast include Blair Underwood as Jesus, Samuel L. Jackson and Paul Adefarasin as God, Kirk Franklin as Simon Peter, Angela Bassett, Dule Hill, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Denzel Washington and Pauletta Washington in the Song of Songs, LL Cool J as Samson, Eartha Kitt as the Serpent, Bishop T.D. Jakes as Abraham, and Bishop Eddie L. Long as Joel. The original music score was composed by Grammy award-winning producers and performed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

• The Bible Experience

Life Church 2019 Bible Reading Project

For 2019 Life Church will continue making use of the Bible Project’s 1 year Bible reading plan, while following it at a slower pace. We will take a month to cover each week of the Read Scripture Reading Plan. Here is how we’ll proceed:

Preparation Material

• How To Read The Bible

Bible Readings by Month

January 2018 – July 2019

See the Bible Reading Project Archive for previous months.

August 2019 (Bible Project Plan Week 20)

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 32: 8/4/2019 – 8/10/2019

• Read Jonah 1-4 
• Supplemental Material: Jonah

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 33: 8/11/2019 – 8/17/2019

• Read Micah 1-7 
• Supplemental Material: Micah

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 34: 8/18/2019 – 8/24/2019

• Read Nahum 
• Supplemental Material: Nahum
• Read Habakkuk 
• Supplemental Material: Habakkuk

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 35: 8/25/2019 – 8/31/2019

• Read Zephaniah 
• Supplemental Material: Zephaniah
• Read Job 1-3 
• Supplemental Material: Job (Read Scripture)

September 2019 (Bible Project Plan Week 21)

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 36: 9/1/2019 – 9/7/2019

• Read Job 4-11 
• Supplemental Material: Job (Wisdom)

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 37: 9/8/2019 – 9/14/2019

• Read Job 12-19 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 38: 9/15/2019 – 9/21/2019

• Read Job 20-28 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 39: 9/22/2019 – 9/28/2019

• Read Job 29-31 

October 2019 (Bible Project Plan Week 22)

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 40: 9/29/2019 – 10/5/2019

• Read Job 32-34 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 41: 10/6/2019 – 10/12/2019

• Read Job 35-39 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 42: 10/13/2019 – 10/19/2019

• Read Job 40-42 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 43: 10/20/2019 – 10/26/2019

• Read Psalms 1 – 2
• Supplemental Material: Psalms (Read Scripture)

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 44: 10/27/2019 – 11/2/2019

• Read Proverbs 1-6 
• Supplemental Material: Proverbs (Read Scripture)
• Supplemental Material: Proverbs (Wisdom)

Novmber 2019 (Bible Project Plan Week 23)

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 45: 11/3/2019 – 11/9/2019

• Read Proverbs 7-12 
• Read Psalm 1 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 46: 11/10/2019 – 11/16/2019

• Read Proverbs 13-18 
• Read Psalms 2-3 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 47: 11/17/2019 – 11/23/2019

• Read Proverbs 19-24 
• Read Psalms 4-5 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 48: 11/24/2019 – 11/30/2019

• Read Proverbs 25-27 
• Read Psalm 6 

December 2019 (Bible Project Plan Week 24)

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 49: 12/1/2019 – 12/7/2019

• Read Proverbs 28-31 
• Read Psalm 7 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 50: 12/8/2019 – 12/14/2019

• Read Ecclesiastes 1-12 
• Supplemental Material: Ecclesiastes (Read Scripture)
• Supplemental Material: Ecclesiastes (Wisdom)
• Read Psalms 8-10 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 51: 12/15/2019 – 12/21/2019

• Read Song of Songs 1-8 
• Supplemental Material: Song of Songs (Read Scripture)
• Read Psalms 11-12 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 52: 12/22/2019 – 12/28/2019

• Read Jeremiah 1-3 
• Supplemental Material: Jeremiah (Read Scripture)
• Read Psalm 13 

January 2020 (Bible Project Plan Week 25)

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 1: 12/29/2019 – 1/4/2020

• Read Jeremiah 4-9 
• Read Psalms 14-15 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 2: 1/5/2020 – 1/11/2020

• Read Jeremiah 10-17 
• Read Psalms 16-17 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 3: 1/12/2020 – 1/18/2020

• Read Jeremiah 18-22 
• Read Psalm 18 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 4: 1/19/2020 – 1/25/2020

• Read Jeremiah 23-25 
• Read Psalm 19 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 5: 1/26/2020 – 2/1/2020

• Read Jeremiah 26-29 
• Read Psalm 20 

February 2020 (Bible Project Plan Week 26)

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 6: 2/2/2020 – 2/8/2020

• Read Jeremiah 30-36 
• Read Psalm 21-22 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 6: 2/9/2020 – 2/15/2020

• Read Jeremiah 37-44 
• Read Psalm 23-24 

Other Plans

We will list other plans that we think you’ll find helpful, as we become aware of them.