Belleville churches launch Bible Reading campaign on Jan. 4

“The Bible is central to our faith,” said Pastor Jim Richter of Open Arms Lutheran Church, “but many people are intimidated by its scope and size. ‘The Story’ gives us a way to journey from Genesis to Revelation together in 15 weeks so everyone understands God’s story and how their story intersects with it.”
In a news release from Zondervan Publishers a new, nationwide Bible reading campaign is explained.
The Bible is the best-selling book in history, but how many people in Belleville are actually reading it? A Gallup survey reports the average American household has four Bibles. However, research by Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (2008) found that only 16% of Americans read the Bible every day.
Many of the churches in Belleville are coming together and hoping to reverse this trend. The pastors believe that “The Story,” a Zondervan best-seller, is a great tool to increase Biblical literacy, helping readers understand God’s story from Genesis to Revelation and how their own stories intersect with God’s. “The Story” consists of 31 chapters of carefully-selected scriptures sequenced in chronological order. “The Story” presents the word of God in an engaging format, reading like a novel.
“Our goal is that people in our congregations, as well as the city of Belleville, realize the incredible love God has for them and how their story is found in His story,” said Pastor Richter.
“The Story Church Campaign is a unique program providing exciting ways to engage in ‘The Story’ for children, teens and adults. The hope of the churches is that our entire community can be literally on the same page for 16 weeks – from the beginning of the new year until just after Christmas. Our churches plan to begin the experience on Jan. 4,” he said.
With thousands of participating churches nationwide, “The Story” is becoming a movement that is bringing wide-ranging benefits to local churches and communities. Many have reported a greater understanding of how God’s story reveals the reasons for the things that happen in a man’s story.
The following churches in the community invite the public to join them in experiencing “The Story”: Belleville Presbyterian, First United Methodist, Faith Assembly, and Open Arms Lutheran Church.
The public is advised to watch for posters and listings in local establishments and publications identifying where “The Story” discussion groups are gathering.
Those willing to host a “The Story” discussion group or those with questions are invited to contact Open Arms Lutheran Church and Daycare at (734) 699-5000.