Could Biblefresh change your world?

Across the UK, Christian organisations are getting behind an exciting new initiative to encourage people to explore and understand the Bible and to grasp its relevance for their lives today.

The Biblefresh project presents a tremendous opportunity for churches to focus their attention on the Word of God. The vision is to make 2011 a year of the Bible, helping individuals and the whole church gain greater skill in handling the Scriptures and a greater passion for meeting God through his word.

So how do you read the Bible?

Every day…

"It was in 1943 that the SU evangelistic Eric Nash visited the small SU Group in my school. I remember it vividly.  He simply explained to the teenagers present the significance of the words of Jesus in Revelation 3:20 and he offered daily Bible reading notes.  Like John Wesley I found my heart "strangely warmed."  The next step was to go to the SU camps in the holidays, with activities in the day and Bible teaching in the evenings.  The habit of daily Bible reading has never left me."

Richard Gorrie worked with SU Scotland from 1955 until he retired in 1992.

The route to faith…

"At university I got a room in a student residence.  There was a Gideons Bible on the shelf.  One day I picked it up, and thought to myself something like, "What on earth could this have to say to a student like me, who is into a good social life?"  I then opened at  page at random.  It was Proverbs 23: "Do not gaze at wine when it sparkles in the cup…" The passage goes on to describe a hangover perfectly.  It was an electric moment.  It was such a coincidence, I felt God had spoken to me."

Jim Bewick teaches at a school for young people with challenging behavior in Edinburgh.  He is married and has 3 boys.

Bible in a year...

"I have just got to the end of the first month of a Bible in a Year plan and I'm really enjoying it.  It's not that I never enjoyed the Bible before, it's just that I couldn't motivate myself to read it.  But now I have a plan that I am sticking to and I find that this helps me focus better than diving in randomly."

Robbie Newton is a student at the University of Stirling, studying sociology, criminology and politics.

The how and why of Bible time…

"For me, reading the Bible and spending time in God's presence is a major part of my life: I love it.  My daily Bible time goes something like this:

• Play some worship songs and pray.
• Then I'll start reading the passage and as I go through it I highlight anything that I feel God is pointing out to me.
• Done reading it?  I go back over the verses I've highlighted and think about what they really mean to me.
• Usually after reading my Bible I will pray again.

I notice a massive difference in myself when I read my Bible.  Reading God's word and praying have a profound impact on me."

Sarah Mackie is in 4th year at Monifeith High School in Dundee.

Find out more about Biblefresh and how it could change your world...