Bible Reading & Prayer 2025

READING YOUR BIBLE IN 2025

Many voices attempt to control us by consuming our hearts and minds.  But last year, we were reminded all yearlong through the Consumed Bible reading plan and sermon series that the one thing that should consume us, the only voice that should set our hearts ablaze is the voice of God as delivered through His Word.  So, as we turn the calendar to 2025, the question becomes how will you keep yourself grounded in the Scriptures this year?

I have decided to use the Five Day Bible Reading Program this year, which has five readings per week that include both an Old Testament and New Testament reading every day.  I really wanted to focus on the New Testament this year, and one thing I like about this plan is it scatters the four Gospels throughout the year so that every quarter I am reading from one of the Gospels.  I didn’t start the plan until this week, so that means I should finish the plan on January 3, 2026.  If you haven’t decided what to do for your own reading, I invite you to join me in this plan which is available online.

If you are looking for some other suggested reading plans, let me point you to this blog post where there is description of about 20 different plans.

I prefer to use the HEAR method to respond to the text when doing my personal Bible Reading, which is explained in the Consumed Plan that you can still find online. But I know many people like more questions to answer in their quiet time than perhaps the HEAR method offers.  If that’s you, I found this blog post to have some helpful resources like a 10 question plan for each day’s reading, a 3 question method, as well as a 10 question list to use in a small group setting. 

If you have more questions about reading the Bible or want some help getting started, reach out to our discipleship ministry office by emailing meganmckay@fbccola.com. 

PRAYING FOR YOUR CHURCH IN 2025

On Sunday evening, January 5, we kicked off the year with A Night of Prayer.  It was such a sweet time of fellowship as we heard prayers on different subjects vocalized by guest speakers.  We also took time to share prayer requests around the table, prayed for one another, and prayed for some of our church’s missionaries.  Pastor Wes also shared three ways for us to pray weekly for our church this year.

1 – Pray For Our Weekly Gathering

Ask God to bless our Sunday School and Worship Service each week.  Pray for Sunday School teachers and leaders, our church staff, the different ministry areas, our music ministry, the broadcast and streaming ministry, weekly volunteers, our pastor as He preaches God’s Word, and for those who might respond to the message. 

2 – Pray For Evangelistic Passion

Ask God to break our hearts for lost people.  Pray for our church members to be burdened for specific lost people and to seek opportunity to share the Gospel with them.  Ask for a move of God’s Kingdom in our community as we get more passionate about witnessing to the lost.

3 – Pray For Disciple-Making

Ask God to help our church be more effective at making disciples of Jesus at every age and stage of life.  Pray that we would not be content with seeing souls saved, but that we would position ourselves to see believers matured into fully devoted followers of Christ.  Ask God to help you to grow as a Disciple this year.