Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Spring 2012 Issue | Page 11

THE BIBLE CHALLENGE: AN INVITATION FROM BISHOP JOHNSTON
THE RT. REV. SHANNON S. JOHNSTON
In the Baptismal Covenant, we promise to “continue in the
apostles’ teaching.” That historic teaching is firmly rooted
in Holy Scripture. In our churches, we read a great deal of
Scripture through our Sunday and daily lectionaries, but there
are books and passages that are never read aloud. The Bible
Challenge is a unique opportunity for all of us to read the
entirety of the Bible in one year. I invite you to join me in this
challenge beginning on the Day of Pentecost, Sunday, May 27.

We will follow the structure for reading and study designed
by the Center for Biblical Studies, founded by the clergy and
members of St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church in Ft. Washington, Pa.
The mission of this group, on whose National Advisory Board I
serve, is to support others in meeting the one-year challenge,
and I wholeheartedly endorse this activity.

Grounding ourselves in Holy Scripture in this year of
change and significant discernment in our diocese will be, I
pray, a transformative experience for us. Whether you are a
seasoned Bible reader or consider yourself to be a novice, the
shared discipline of significant daily reading will shape and
form us in ways we cannot yet anticipate. Hopefully, this will
lead you into a lifelong spiritual practice. In any event, the Bible
Challenge is a great opportunity and method to meet a goal
that should be part of every Christian’s life – to become more

Biblical Practice
Congregations across the Diocese have invited their
parishioners to explore the Bible in different ways.
Here are just a few examples.
DBS
Church of the Spirit, Kingstowne offers a Daily Bible Study (DBS)
as a service to keep the congregation engaged in Bible reading.
Parishioners and friends can sign up to receive a daily reading and
reflection via e-mail. Some of the e-mails are tied to the liturgical
season, while others are tied to a particular literary work. During
Advent last year, they also included video clips and lyrics from
popular Christmas songs. Each day’s missive lands in e-mail inboxes
before 6 a.m. – early enough for the early risers to use it as a starting
point for their days. Around 150 people have subscribed to the daily
service, which the church maintains through Constant Contact.
E100
Members of Church of the Holy Comforter, Vienna embarked on
a 100-day journey through the Bible at the invitation of the Rev.
Dr. Libby Gibson, senior associate rector. Essential 100 (E100) is a
program founded by Scripture Union and based on research in such

A group of locals has gathered at Lee’s Restaurant in Kilmarnock for
an ecumenical Bible-study and discussion every Tuesday morning since
the 1980s.

familiar with the Bible and to have Holy Scripture become more
a part of our daily lives.

More information about the Bible Challenge in the
Diocese of Virginia will be distributed later this spring. Watch
for news and prepare to meet the Challenge. t

programs as Jenny Craig and smoking cessation. The creators wanted
to apply effective principles in how to change habits to the practice of
reading the Bible. This program picks out 100 notable passages, each
paired with a reflection. Participants have a punch card that they can
use to track their progress. “It had to feel manageable and relevant,”
said Gibson. Most recently, Holy Comforter has embarked on a new
challenge, Essential Jesus, which focuses on Old and New Testament
readings with Jesus at the center. Hundreds of people have signed up
for the practice, which includes an e-mail of each passage delivered
to inboxes daily.
Lee’s Restaurant
Every Tuesday finds a group of locals from the Kilmarnock area
gathering at Lee’s Restaurant for more than breakfast. Comprised
of members of surrounding churches, including Grace, Kilmarnock,
participants join in an hour of Bible-centered conversation, with
discussions veering everywhere from God to politics. Started by the
Rev. Quigg Lawrence, then assistant at Grace, Kilmarnock, in the
1980s, the original i