The One Year Chronological Study Bible is a truly unique combination of tools to transform your Bible reading and study. We call it The Five-Tool Bible because it employs five “tools” for a fresh reading experience. This Bible tells you the most important story of all time—the grand story of the Bible—like you’d expect it to be told: from beginning to end.
Watch video to learn more
According to the American Bible Society’s most recent “State of the Bible” report, the number of people disengaged with the Bible has seen a sharp increase. This continues the discouraging trend of people in America moving away from reading their Bibles. Why are people turning away from the Bible? How do we change this? What can bring people back to God’s Word? It’s not easy to find answers to these questions. But we are seeing hope.
Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience is helping people to reengage with Bible reading. By removing distractions like chapter and verse numbers, the Bible is put back into its narrative form. Readers can experience the Bible like the original audiences would have experienced it—as a collection of letters, poems, stories, and more that tell God’s beautiful story of love for the world he created.
Though the Bible engagement numbers can seem daunting, the individual stories of people reading Immerse and growing as communities of believers brings a spark of hope. A spark that can quickly spread as God transforms individuals and communities who are finding their place in God’s story.
Read Their Stories:
“I didn’t grow up in a church home. As a result, I’d never really had the time or energy to read the Bible on my own. It was very intimidating. What Immerse did for me was to make it accessible in so many ways. Short readings that were understandable stories. Any time I’ve been exposed to the Bible, it seems that it’s all these random verses that made sense in small bits, but it was hard to understand why. I’d heard names of people in the Bible but didn’t understand their part in God’s plan. Immerse was in modern language that literally immersed me in the stories of the Bible, which gave me a new perspective on all the people that I’ve learned about. Each week during our study, we would review the four questions included with the readings. I also was able to get to really know the women that I was studying with. I felt as if we were discipling each other, which I feel was Jesus’ intent. I would highly recommend this style of reading to anyone who wants to give it a try. You won’t be disappointed!”
“I worked through a few of the books with groups of guys at church. Six of us went through Messiah, and even though we all had read the NT before, using Immerse made it fresh. One guy remarked, ‘It’s like reading a play.’ We all enjoyed it so much and wanted to bring other guys in. So we split our group into three groups and invited other men to be a part of it as we went through more Immerse studies. Even reading the laws (in Beginnings) was exciting—way more than it had ever been for us!”
“My church has made it a yearly commitment to read one of the Immerse books in the fall. The first year we went through Messiah, and I was instantly hooked. I theoretically knew of the Bible as a story, but I had never experienced it in that way. Suddenly, people like Peter, John, and Paul all came to life for me. I started seeing them as fully fleshed-out people that grew and changed as the story progressed. This new insight was amazing, but it pales in comparison to what happened next. I was working at my church office, and I overheard two of our members talking. Normally I wouldn’t have even noticed, really, but their conversation caught my attention because I realized they were talking about that week’s Immerse reading, and just like me, they were starting to understand Paul as a more full person. All three of us, separately, sat down to read the Bible in a new way, and all three of us had encountered people like us in the story. That encounter built us up; we now understood our biblical heroes as humans, not unattainable symbols. More importantly, it also brought us together because we experienced this revelation as a community.”
“I would have called myself a Christian at any point in my life, but it wasn’t my faith, it was my parents’ faith. In sixth grade, I decided to make my faith my own. Acting on this, I thought it was time to read the entire Bible, but I didn’t know how to begin. In the past, I set out to read Matthew, but I couldn’t even finish that. Reading the Bible seemed unachievable. Then I found Immerse. The same stories are just formatted a little differently. You feel as if you are reading a novel. You can look at the bigger picture and not just the individual stories. Without the chapters and verses as distractions, I made it through the Bible in just over a year. Fast forward to now, I am in tenth grade. I am reading the New Testament again. I am reading with Immerse and annotating. Reading your Bible directly or reading with Immerse will provide the same information, but Immerse provides an easy way to look at the big picture and see the Bible as the unfolding story in which we all fit.”
Order Immerse: The Reading Bible
*Photos are not of the people who shared their story
There is so much suffering in our world that it can be hard to know how to respond. We are going to use the HelpFinder Bible to see how the Bible answers questions about suffering and how we can respond.
Taken from the HelpFinder Bible
Who among us does not suffer, bearing persistent pain and hurt? Sickness or disabilities, broken relationships, insufficient resources—these are all sources of pain and suffering. Some are by chance, like an auto accident that maims us or a disease that cripples or takes the life of a loved one. Some is by neglect, such as our failure to prepare for times of pressure. Some is by design, where we willingly take on enormous responsibilities in order to achieve some goal. Some are because of sin, where we willingly go against God’s commands and then must suffer the consequences. Whatever the source, we all feel the dark shadow of suffering. While the Bible never promises a life free from suffering, it does assure us that God is with us in our pain.
How do I stay close to God in times of suffering?
PSALM 126:5-6 | Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.
Recognize that suffering is not forever. In the dark hours of the night of suffering, it is hard to think of a morning of joy and gladness.
LAMENTATIONS 3:32-33 | Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.
Recognize that God does not want you to suffer and that his compassionate love and care will see you through it. A loving God does not enjoy the adversity and pain of life which must come your way.
MATTHEW 17:12 | “And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer.”
LUKE 24:26 | “Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?”
JOHN 3:16 | “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Recognize that Jesus himself suffered for you. He suffered the agonies of the cross, which embraced not only the incredible physical suffering but also the unthinkable suffering of bearing the sins of the entire world.
ROMANS 8:17-18 | And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
HEBREWS 2:18 | Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.
Recognize that suffering is not forever and will end when those who believe in Jesus are
welcomed into heaven.
How can I respond to the suffering of others?
1 CORINTHIANS 12:26 | If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
When one Christian suffers, it should hurt us all, for we are all members of Christ’s body—unified. If one part of our body hurts, sympathetic pain is sent throughout our entire body. So it should be in the body of Christ. If you know someone who is hurting, suffering along with that person can bring them comfort and hope.
GALATIANS 6:2 | Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
Seek to provide whatever practical support you can for a person who is suffering.
2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-4 | God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
Suffering enables you to comfort others. Wounded healers are more effective than healers who have never been wounded. Why? Because they have wrestled and agonized over the same questions, and they know they don’t have all the answers. Woundedness may appear to weaken you, but it actually makes you stronger.
Promises From God
PSALM 147:3 | He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.
2 CORINTHIANS 1:5 | For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with
his comfort through Christ.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23, NLT
Article from the Streetlights New Testament
A closed hand cannot receive a gift, no matter how great it is, how much the giver paid for it, or how powerfully the person receiving it might benefit. Therefore, closed hands and hearts can never receive God’s gift of eternal life and the eternal debt of sin paid.
So how will you respond to Romans 6:23?
If you sense you have a debt of sin that has never been paid and are convicted that your life needs an answer for the wrong you are a slave to, then come to Christ. Receive His gift of eternal life. He is merciful and generous, and He will not turn away anyone who humbly opens his or her heart to accept His life paid on behalf of their debt. He will free you from sin, death, and eternal condemnation. That is an incredible gift!
If you have received this gift, don’t forget what Christ has done. The gift still applies to us today, especially through the sin struggles we all face this side of heaven. God’s grace is sufficient for your past, present, and future. His gospel is the gift that keeps giving generously. You are no longer a slave to sin if you are in Christ!
Listen to Romans 6 from the Streetlights Bible
The Streetlights New Testament was created to cut through all the misconceptions about the Bible. To encourage you to listen to, read, and study it yourself with fresh ears and hearts. With a scan of a QR code readers can access the Streetlights audio New Testament and additional engaging content designed for youth. Learn more about Streetlights.
Brothers and sisters in Christ around the world are losing their livelihoods, families, homes, even their own lives because of their faith. It can be overwhelming to hear their stories. We might think, What can I do? When field leaders from The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) meet with persecuted Christians to bless and encourage them, they also inquire about unmet needs. Often, the first request of the persecuted is “Pray for us!” For many of them, the greatest gift they can receive is knowing they are being covered in prayer by their worldwide Christian family. That is something we can do, and The One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible can help guide us.
Each day begins with a prayer prompt that was written by a VOM team member. The prayer prompts cover a wide range of needs facing persecuted Christians today. Those needs may include basic physical provisions like food, shelter, or medical help after being attacked because of their faith; Bibles for Christians in nations where owning one could mean incarceration or death; and even transportation for front-line workers advancing God’s Kingdom on some of the world’s most dangerous mission fields.
And then there are the intangible but equally critical spiritual needs: courage for Christians to share the gospel with family members even though they could be disowned for doing so, strength for Christians who are imprisoned for their faith and don’t know if they will see their loved ones again, and wisdom for front-line workers seeking ways to get Bibles to Christians who are surrounded by people who are opposed to the gospel.
Following each prayer prompt is a daily reading from the New Living Translation that includes a portion from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs. In one year, you will read through the entire Bible while spending focused time praying for persecuted Christians around the world.
This Bible also includes six featured, full-color stories of people who boldly witness for Christ amid great danger. A fold-out map will help you visualize where our brothers and sisters are being persecuted for their faith and learn more about the locations where sharing the gospel is restricted or hostile.
Each month has a different prayer focus, such as front-line workers and praying for people in prison. A short description with more detail about the specific prayer theme for each month is also included in the Bible.
But it isn’t just about committing individual time to reading and prayer. It’s about coming together as the family of Christ to embrace those who are suffering. Would your church community dedicate a month or one Sunday a month to learning about and praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters? Could you carve out a time in each service to pray for a specific country, maybe even a specific situation? What a beautiful gift we can give to our persecuted brothers and sisters—to know we are consistently covering them in prayer. And what a gift to us that we can learn from their perseverance and commitment to sharing God’s Word no matter the cost.
Even though you may never travel to meet your persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in the jungles of Colombia, the Central Highlands of Vietnam, or the desert sands of Algeria, you can fellowship with them through prayer. As you study each daily Scripture reading, remember that the Bible was written by and for persecuted believers. Reading the Bible in this context should spur every believer on to follow Christ more faithfully, both individually and corporately.
When we pray for the persecuted and read their stories of courage, faithfulness, and obedience, we are united with them. As we allow their stories to inspire us to a deeper commitment to Christ and his Great Commission—no matter the cost and wherever God has placed us—the fellowship becomes mutual.
Will you join us in praying?
by Molly Jo Nyman
In our world of sound bites, scrolling, and skimming headlines, reading Scripture may seem like an idea destined to fail. And inviting people to read the entire Bible through in one year? Well, that seems even less likely to attract “followers.”
Yet right now, people around the world are committed to—and enjoying—regularly reading the Bible at a pace that takes them through the entirety of God’s Word in 365 days. Grace Fellowship of Kent, a church in the Seattle suburbs, serves as one example of how this goal can take root, grow, and bear great spiritual fruit in individuals, families, and communities.
According to church elder Kristopher Galvin, the idea started in late 2018. A man who had grown up in the church had moved away and then discovered The One Year Bible. He became an enthusiastic proponent for this reading program and had recommended it to his friends and family. When he moved back to Grace Fellowship of Kent years later, he pitched the idea to the elders.
The church website expresses well why the elders chose to elevate the goal:
God has provided such a great blessing in His Holy Word, the Bible. This unique and remarkable book describes and demonstrates His many immeasurable qualities and illuminates the only path to eternal life with Him, which is through His only Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. It gives meaning to history, context to our present life and hope for the future.
The Bible provides believers in Jesus with tools to live a life that is consistent with our faith and to share the good news of Jesus with others. The only way to realize those blessings is to read it, meditate upon it, and pray about it. These are some of the reasons that the folks at Grace Fellowship of Kent are reading through the whole Bible in one year.
It’s not a one-time “bucket list task” to complete the reading in a year. Better analogies would be eating and breathing—something to do every day. In our busy daily lives, it is so beneficial to have a daily schedule for exercising your mind and soul to “work out your salvation” (Philippians 2:12) and for “eating a healthy diet” (Deuteronomy 8:3). Like a precious letter from someone you are in love with, you will want to read it all, again and again.
Galvin shared, “We encourage people to follow The One Year Bible reading schedule, so we are all reading the same verses each week; usually about 20 minutes per day. This schedule includes daily selections from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs, so readers don’t get bogged down in just one book.”
If you’ve ever attempted to read through the Bible and lost your steam somewhere in the seemingly endless genealogies, you’ll understand the advantage of doing it this way!
Galvin added that community is also a key success factor. “When people see other people enjoying and succeeding with it, they realize they can do it. And by using the same schedule, we’re all ‘on the same page’ each day, which facilitates discussions and prayers in our small groups and during our Sunday worship service.”
The Bible reading emphasis in the church started with offering free One Year Bibles in the New International Version to start the reading program on January 1, 2019. Later, a young man suggested adding the New Living Translation (his favorite). After the elders researched, reviewed, and approved that translation, the young man gladly donated a stack of New Living Translation One Year Bibles.
Galvin said, “We also saw that other interesting formats like The One Year Pray for America and Pray for Life Bibles and the larger-print slimline NIV edition struck a chord with people. So now we are actually giving away more of those.”
The church continues to regularly provide One Year Bibles for free. Anyone who attends is encouraged to take one—or more—to give to friends as they invite them to join the Bible reading program. So far, the church has distributed a total number of copies equal to over 200% of its regular Sunday attendance!
Could you start a Bible reading program in your sphere of influence? With people everywhere hungry for Truth and with the power of prayer, you could be the next trendsetter who elevates the Word of God and its ability to create more faithful followers.
Learn more about One Year Bibles
Interesting Fact: About one-third of the church body at Grace Fellowship of Kent has one or more Chinese speakers in the family. Their sermons are translated into Mandarin.
We love being able to partner with incredible ministries like WayFM to help get God’s Word into the hands and hearts of people wanting to better understand who God is and his purpose for their lives. Through our WayFM partnership thousands of our HelpFinder Bibles have been sent out to help people go deeper into Scripture and easily find answers to some life’s toughest questions.
We hope you are as encouraged by Pastor Chad’s words as we are.
by Pastor Chad, Director of Ministries at WayFM
An incredible ministry that we have at WayFM Radio is our Free Bible Ministry, which exists because of our partnership with Tyndale. One of the encouraging elements of this ministry is that we ask people why they need a Bible. Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised, but almost every week I am amazed by the varying reasons.
Here are a few reasons from last month:
“My husband, our two children, and I are starting over from scratch after getting out of my family’s toxic home, and I’m not able to get anything from the house, including my Bible. I know I can get a Bible on my phone, but that comes with distractions and I want to give all my attention to God.” Mariah, Panama City, FL
“Mom sent me to my first church camp this summer. Camp Fuego in Louisiana. It was amazing. I came home on fire for Christ. Unfortunately, my Bible has 9 missing books at the back of it. Not sure how it got damaged. Mom says the Word is like food for my soul. Can you send me some ‘food’? My soul is hungry. I am 14 years old.” Billy, Sherman, TX
“I want to start my own spiritual walk with God. As a person raised by Wiccans, I never felt their beliefs reflected who I was, and buying a Bible by myself is a difficult thing to do, including going to church.” Tara, Shelby, MI
“I was homeless and addicted to heroin. I listen to your station and it gives me hope and I have become closer to the Lord! I would like to learn more, but money is really rough right now.” Amy, Louisville, KY
“It’s been too long since I’ve read or studied God’s Word. WayFM has inspired a tugging in my heart to grow closer to God and to learn more about Jesus.” James, Anna, TX
Each month, we gather a group of supporters, listeners, and staff to prepare the Bibles to mail out. Before each Bible mailing, we read many of the stories from the current list and pray that the power of God’s Word will impact the recipients in great ways.
Let us remember the words of Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
The HelpFinder Bible includes an extensive topical index that addresses life’s questions, needs, and concerns. It enables you to quickly and easily find the help you need in God’s Word. Read an expert from the HelpFinder Bible.
Sometimes the noise of life makes it difficult for us to hear God. Maybe we feel he has disconnected himself from us because we’ve let him down, or maybe we don’t feel worthy enough to be in a relationship with him. God loves to be in conversations with his people. He invites us to talk with him. But how does God do that? “How does he communicate with me?” The HelpFinder Bible can help us find answers to questions like this.
Taken from the HelpFinder Bible
The opportunity to communicate with one another has never been easier—from smartphones to the Internet, from e-mail to video conferencing, we are always working to improve our ability to communicate. Why? Because communication is not just important, but essential. We like to keep in touch because it is vital to the quality and success of any relationship, whether it is marriage, friendship, family, or business. The same principle applies to our relationship with God. To know him we must communicate with him, and we must learn to listen as he communicates with us. Only then will we experience a breakthrough in our spiritual lives. The more time we spend communicating with him, the closer and more successful our relationship with him will be. When was the last time you felt in touch with God? How much time do you spend communicating with him?
How does God communicate with me?
God communicates with you through his Word, the Bible. Read it daily to keep in touch with him.
God communicates with you through his Son, Jesus Christ. Talk with him often in your day.
God communicates with you through his Holy Spirit. Pay special attention to the way he speaks to your heart and spirit.
God communicates with you through your conscience, which is your God-given internal radar to help you know right from wrong. Always listen to your conscience. If you neglect it, it will become dull, and eventually you will no longer hear it.
God communicates with you through his creation. All nature sings about a majestic God who created rhythm and harmony in the seasons. Nature shouts the power of God in the starry heavens, the roar of thunder, earthquakes, hurricanes, and the glorious snowcapped mountains. But nature also whispers about God’s mindboggling attention to detail in the wings of a butterfly, the endless variety of plants, and the complexity of DNA. Look for God’s fingerprints in his handiwork and you will not be able to miss him.
God communicates through the miraculous. There are great miracles like Jesus’ resurrection and seemingly small miracles like a baby’s birth. As you begin to recognize the everyday miracles of God all around you, you will recognize how he speaks to you through them.
God communicates through dreams and visions. These may not be part of your everyday experience, but the Bible clearly shows that God will do whatever he needs to get your specific attention.
God communicates through his angels. Perhaps you have never seen angels, but you have likely seen evidence of their work. Angels are a clear part of biblical teaching. They are all around the earth and they are near you.
God communicates with you through other people. Most of the time he uses godly people to give you spiritual advice and help you mature in your faith. Sometimes he even uses people who don’t know him to unwittingly communicate his truth to you.
Learn more about the HelpFinder Bible
First Steps Article from the New Believer’s Bible
“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” Psalm 1:1-3, NLT
Believers’ happiness or joy comes both from what they do and from what they don’t do. First, they don’t let ungodly people influence them. Psalm 1 says they do not “follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers” (Psalm 1:1). Instead, they do fill their hearts and minds with God’s Word: “They delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night” (Psalm 1:2).
Have you ever eaten your food so quickly that you could not enjoy or savor its taste? Reading God’s Word quickly is like inhaling your food. To truly understand the Bible, we need to slow down, read the passage more than once, and think about it. As we meditate on God’s Word, we will come to know what is right and true. To meditate on Scripture means to ponder, consider, and “chew on” its great truths.
While it is excellent to read through the Bible, to study it, and to memorize it, the truth of God’s Word must also sink in. We must apply what we learn to our lives. It’s not the way we mark our Bibles that’s important, but the way our Bibles mark us. What we meditate on must affect the way we live.
When we meditate on God’s Word and apply its truths to our lives, we will experience the promise in Psalm 1 of living a spiritually fruitful life.
Glad Klassen, one of the women who voice the her.Bible app, reads John 1:1-14, NLT. Listen and reflect on God’s beautiful words to us.
