Dear Church Family, 

Let’s Read the Bible Through in 2025 at HRBC! This year, we are challenging our congregation to read the Bible using a chronological plan that follows the timeline of biblical events. Our goal remains the same: 100 members and friends of HRBC reading the Bible together. Will you be one of the 100? I hope you will join me in this enriching journey! 

Why is this challenge so important? Consider these recent findings: 

• Bible engagement (including Bible reading) has significantly declined in recent years. A 2020 study by the Barna Group and the American Bible Society reported that the percentage of U.S. adults who read the Bible daily dropped from 14% to 9% between 2019 and 2020. By 2021, only 3 in 10 adults read the Bible weekly, according to Barna data. 

• Locally, the Richmond-Petersburg region stands out, with 45% of residents reading the Bible weekly. While this is higher than the national average, it still highlights much room for growth. 

• Alarmingly, a 2022 report by the American Bible Society revealed the largest recorded one-year drop in Bible engagement, with 1 in 5 churchgoers admitting they never read the Bible. 

These trends should concern us. If Bible reading and study are key ways we hear from God and grow spiritually, we need to respond. After all, God’s Word is “alive and active” (Hebrews 4:12), “a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105), and “God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). 

To address this, we’re inviting you to participate in our 2025 churchwide Bible reading initiative, using a chronological reading plan. This format allows us to read Scripture as events unfold, offering a fresh perspective on God’s redemptive story. You can choose the “One Year Chronological Bible” (Amazon) or other plans like the ones available through the Blue Letter Bible, YouVersion, or The Bible Recap apps: 

• Blue Letter Bible Chronological Plan 

• YouVersion’s One Year Chronological Plan 

• https://www.thebiblerecap.com/  

Of course, you may also choose your own plan and version to read the Bible through. Many of you have been doing it for years, so just stick with what works!  

The HRBC Vision for Discipleship is “to develop fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.” Cultivating the habit of daily Bible reading is a foundational step in this process. To support you: 

1. Please let me know how I can assist with resources or be a help.  

2. If you’d like to sign up to be part of an official group like we did last year, just email me: Bob@hrbcrichmond.org. I will email you monthly to provide encouragement along with inspirations from my own reading.  

3. We will have optional quarterly discussion groups to share ideas and insights. If you sign up, we will reach out with further details. 

Let’s join together to increase Bible engagement in our church and families! By committing to read the Bible through in 2025, we can grow spiritually and support God’s vision for HRBC as we develop fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. 

In Christ’s care,