the    sides

This week we do something I’ve never done in student ministry before. We’re going to try to read most of the Bible in one year using Doug Fields “1-Minute Bible.”

What I Like About It:

1. It’s easy to keep up with - 1 minute a day is doable. If you forget for an entire week - that’s only 7 minutes of make-up work.

2. It connects students DAILY with God through His word. Could develop a habit.

3. Removes the biggest obstacles I hear students say are to reading the Bible: 1) don’t know what to read (where to start) and 2) don’t understand what I’ve read when I’ve read it.

4. Will provide a groundwork for our Life Group leaders to work off of.

5. Will help having our volunteer team reading the same thing, connecting with the same scriptures every week.

What I’m Nervous About:

1. New students…how do we get them involved and engaged?

2. Will we get bored with it?

3. Is this enough to keep ‘butts in the seats?’

Gerrard Fess said it best - “What you win them with is what you win them to.” While I completely agree with his sentiment, it does scare the bejeezus out of me to ultimately ’sell’ the youth ministry on - “We’re going to read the Bible in a whole year.” We’ll do service stuff and ski trips and some other cool things. We’re still going to laugh, be goofy and break things in the main auditorium but doing this for a whole year…I’d be lying to you if I said I wasn’t even the least bit nervous.

I think what I’m nervous about pails in comparison to the potential rewards of this. Should be one heck of ride.