We recommend the following one-year Bible reading plans ...

• Ideas from Justin Taylor and the Gospel Coalition 
• Ideas from the Crossway/ESV site
• The M’Cheyne Plan that goes with DA Carson’s Devotional (read DA Carson’s introduction to the M’Cheyne plan)
• The Kingdom Bible Reading Plan from former Bethlehem College & Seminary professor Jason DeRouchie
• TCT Pastor Coty Pinckney’s Unity of the Bible Plan. (See background).
• A reading plan for children with the Narrative Passages of the Bible by Bethlehem Seminary graduate Grant Winnes

Additional Note

• The Discipleship Journal Bible reading program, which Bethlehem had available in previous years, is offered online through The Navigators.

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.—Psalm 119:11

Memorization works on our hearts to instill faith, cultivate Christlike character, fight temptation, and enhances prayer and worship. Read more from our pastor emeritus, John Piper: Why Memorize Scripture? 

Consider these memory verse activities for the whole family.

Bethlehem’s Memory Verse Program

The “Fighter Verse” program was established under the conviction that Bible memory emphasis should be a church-wide initiative among all age groups for many reasons. 

The Scripture verses in this program were specifically chosen to help believers “fight the fight of faith.” Practically, they are verses we want our people to remember when they are facing a trial (illness, dying, suffering, etc.), temptation, or battling to strengthen or maintain their faith. 

Below are brief descriptions of the verse sets:

• Fighter Verses focus on the character and worth of our great God, encourage believers to battle against our fleshly desires, and remind believers of the hope of the gospel. Available in a two-ring binder with five sets of yearly verses.
• Fighter Verses—Extended Set is designed for those wishing to memorize longer passages of Scripture. Still structured as a five-year program, this set will walk you through memorizing large segments of or whole New Testament epistles, the Sermon on the Mount, etc.
• Foundation Verses are strategically chosen verses for children preschool–age 5 that are designed to lay a firm scriptural foundation of basic biblical truth to pave the way for a faith response.

Where to Find the Weekly Memory Verse

• at fighterverses.com
• in the church worship folder
• in the Weekly e-newsletter
• on the Memory Verse bookmark distributed each January (and available at each campus Welcome Desk/Information Booth)
• in the annual Global Partner Prayer Calendar distributed each Fall during Global Focus

Purchase Bible memory resources from the Bethlehem Bookstore or online through fighterverses.com.

• ESVStudyBible.com - If you have purchased an ESV Study Bible, this site allows you to access content online.
• Biblegateway.com - Read Scripture in dozens of translations in many languages; this site also includes reading plans, search tools, audio content, and other resources.
• BibleArc.com - Arcing is a Bible study technique that we encourage people to learn and use. This site will show you how.

At Bethlehem, we use the English Standard Version in all of our services. In this article, pastor emeritus John Piper explains why Bethlehem selected this translation for the church.