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For this Bible reading project, do not use the King James Version (KJV) since it uses outdated English that will get in the way of your understanding of the text.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 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

More Bible Resources

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!

Bible Gateway

Other Resources

• • International Bible Society Daily Manna From The ‘Net
  • Resources From The Life Church Community Blog

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 – February 2020

See the Bible Reading Project Archive for previous months, and see the Learn The Bible Video Archive – YouTube for the related Bible Project videos.

March 2020 (Bible Project Plan Week 27)

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 10: 3/1/2020 – 3/7/2020

• Read Lamentations 1-3 
• Supplemental Material: Lamentations (Read Scripture)
• Read Psalm 28-29 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 10: 3/8/2020 – 3/14/2020

• Read Lamentations 4-5 
• Read Psalm 30 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 12: 3/15/2020 – 3/21/2020

• Read Ezekiel 1-8 
• Supplemental Material: Ezekiel (Read Scripture)
• Read Psalm 31-32 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 13: 3/22/2020 – 3/28/2020

• Read Ezekiel 9-15 
• Read Psalm 33-34 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 14: 3/29/2020 – 4/4/2020

• Read Ezekiel 16-21 
• Read Psalm 35-36 

April 2020 (Bible Project Plan Week 28)

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 15: 4/5/2020 – 4/11/2020

• Read Ezekiel 22-27 
• Supplemental Material: Ezekiel (Read Scripture)
• Read Psalm 37-38 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 16: 4/12/2020 – 4/18/2020

• Read Ezekiel 28-33 
• Read Psalm 39-40 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 17: 4/19/2020 – 4/25/2020

• Read Ezekiel 34-36 
• Read Psalm 41 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 18: 4/26/2020 – 5/2/2020

• Read Ezekiel 37-39 
• Read Psalm 42 

May 2020 (Bible Project Plan Week 29)

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 19: 5/3/2020 – 5/9/2020

• Read Ezekiel 40-48 
• Read Psalm 43-44 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 20: 5/10/2020 – 5/16/2020

• Read Ezra 1-7 
• Supplemental Material: Ezra – Nehemiah (Read Scripture)
• Read Psalm 45-46 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 21: 5/17/2020 – 5/23/2020

• Read Ezra 8-10 
• Read Psalm 47 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 22: 5/24/2020 – 5/30/2020

• Read Nehemiah 1-3 
• Read Psalm 48 

June 2020 (Bible Project Plan Week 30)

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 23: 5/31/2020 – 6/6/2020

• Read Nehemiah 4-9 
• Read Psalm 49-50 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 24: 6/7/2020 – 6/13/2020

• Read Nehemiah 10-13 
• Read Psalm 51-52 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 25: 6/14/2020 – 6/20/2020

• Read Esther 1-10 
• Supplemental Material: Esther (Read Scripture)
• Read Psalm 53-54 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 26: 6/21/2020 – 6/27/2020

• Read Daniel 1-3 
• Supplemental Material: Daniel (Read Scripture)
• Read Psalm 55 

July 2020 (Bible Project Plan Week 31)

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 27: 6/28/2020 – 7/4/2020

• Read Daniel 4-9 
• Read Psalm 56-57 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 28: 7/5/2020 – 7/11/2020

• Read Daniel 10-12 
• Read Psalm 58 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 29: 7/12/2020 – 7/18/2020

• Read Haggai 1-2 
• Supplemental Material: Haggai (Read Scripture)
• Read Psalm 59 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 30: 7/19/2020 – 7/25/2020

• Read Zechariah 1-8 
• Supplemental Material: Zechariah (Read Scripture)
• Read Psalm 60-61 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 31: 7/26/2020 – 8/1/2020

• Read Zechariah 9-14 
• Read Psalm 62 

August 2020 (Bible Project Plan Week 32)

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 32: 8/2/2020 – 8/8/2020

• Read Malachi 1-4 
• Supplemental Material: Malachi (Read Scripture)
• Read Psalm 63-64 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 33: 8/92020 – 8/15/2020

• Read 1 Chronicles 1-5 , 1 Chronicles 6-10 , 
• Supplemental Material: 1 & 2 Chronicles (Read Scripture)
• Read Psalm 65 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 34: 8/16/2020 – 8/22/2020

• Read 1 Chronicles 11-17
• Read Psalm 66-67 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 35: 8/23/2020 – 8/29/2020

• Read 1 Chronicles 18-24
• Read Psalm 68-69 

September 2020 (Bible Project Plan Week 33)

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 36: 8/30/2020 – 9/5/2020

• Read 1 Chronicles 25-28
• Read Psalm 70 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 37: 9/6/2020 – 9/12/2020

• Read 2 Chronicles 1-8
• Read Psalm 71-72 

Life Church Learn The Bible Week 38: 9/13/2020 – 9/19/2020

• Read 2 Chronicles 9-17
• Read Psalm 73-74