A fundamental principle of all cultures is that there is nothing as constant as change. As salt and light, Christians ought to play their part in that change. God is already at work in cultures. Christians need to enter the cultures and work for change from within. Jesus Christ commanded,

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)

Therefore, the Christian becomes an agent of change whether he likes it or not. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is tied to no one culture and allows the individual to transcend his own culture. This does not in any way imply that we must attempt to establish a “Christian culture.” It is not a call to a particular set of social relations or to a particular cultural bias. Rather, it leads to a specific culture being transformed by the work of grace within the hearts and lives of the Christians living within the culture. No cultural bias is untouched by the unconventional ideas of the gospel. This means that Christians must “learn to live spiritually transformed lives within the context of their community and culture” (Lingenfelter, Agents of Transformation).

A person’s life is not truly Christian unless it implies a radical change, both for the individual and the culture. The Christian organizes one’s life around the Word of God and obedience to the commands of the Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Therefore, we are not to make a new “Christian culture,” but rather, transform the existing culture.

You can use any reading plan you would like. However, you are encouraged to read the Bible based on where you are at in your spiritual journey. Pick a completion date that will challenge you. A fast pace gives a better overview. It also helps to make better use of your reading time. You are encouraged to skim through sections that are repetitive or exceptionally technical, particularly in the Old Testament. You can pay closer attention the next time through.

You could also download ReadingPlanner to make your own Bible reading plans.

Bible Team-Reading

Reading the Bible in community assists in understanding, rather than trying to figure things out on your own. Also, it provides accountability and encouragement to read on a consistent basis. This constant, direct exposure to the Bible is what leads to substantial spiritual growth.

Team-reading is a highly dynamic and different approach to reading the Bible. It involves a simple agreement with a small group to read the Bible, and simply report to each other what they’ve read.

The rules are simple. We meet once a week. We read verses that we’ve underlined or journaled in our reading for the week. Each of us has 15 minutes to review as much as he can – there’s never enough time for all the verses. Then we share requests and pray.

Meeting weekly helps keep us accountable to the commitment we’ve made. Underlining or journaling helps us concentrate better on what we’re reading and demonstrates our “homework” to each other. There is no obligation to teach – we just read aloud our selected passages to one another.

What If I Fall Behind?

The dates are a goal to challenge you. The purpose is to read the Bible for flow in the same way we might read any good book: whenever time offers itself. That way you will look at a free evening or Saturday morning as a “chance” to read, not as a requirement in order to meet the daily increment. We encourage you to read the Bible at your own personal pace.