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2009:
Year of the Bible
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2009: Year of the Bible is a great time for you to become more “fluent” in the language” of the Bible. To accomplish this goal, Hope has a five-point plan:
1. Buy a good study Bible - “Life Application Series” – New Living Translation (NLT) is recommended. This Bible is available in every Christian bookstore around town or at Hope’s own bookstore, Café Hope. Notebooks to organize your study materials throughout the Year of the Bible will be available for purchase at Café Hope as well.
2. Read the Bible. Two “reading tracks” are being used for 2009: a) The “New Testament Track” provides you with 365 daily Bible readings (listed in the weekly bulletins and online at www.hopewdm.org) to guide you through the entire New Testament plus the Psalms. b) The “Whole Bible Track” includes all of those readings plus 365 additional Old Testament readings to provide a path for you to read and study the entire Bible in one year.
3. Get a group. Real and lasting life change happens best in small groups, which is probably why the New Testament describes small group life as normative in the early Christian church. You can learn so much more in community with other Christians who are studying God’s Word – together – than you ever could simply reading it on your own.
4. Take a class.
a. If you are new to Bible reading, start with “The Alpha Course.” If you’ve already taken Alpha, we recommend that you next the “Introduction to the Bible” course.
b. If you’ve already read through the Bible before and/or have taken the courses above, it’s time for “Crossways,” a much more thorough two-year study of the Bible.
5. Worship weekly. Throughout the “Year of the Bible” in 2009, the sermons will focus on a portion of the daily Bible readings from the previous week. In other words, everything will be synched up for you — daily Bible readings (individual), small group Bible studies (groups), and weekly worship (congregation).
Are you in a small group or want to get into a small group?
Click on the Hope Campus you attend:
If you are currently in a small group, please register your group online at www.hopewdm.org/yob so we may provide resources and opportunities for your group as we study the Bible together in 2009. If you would like to register for Alpha, Introduction to the Bible, or Crossways courses, the Fall 2009 Catalog and Hope Web site will provide registration information. If you have questions, please go to www.hopewdm.org/connections and click on the Small Group newsletter for more in formation or contact Melissa Johnson-Matthews at smallgroups@hopewdm.org. Thank you!
