What follows is the reading plan for churches, Bible studies, and study circles. (For bulk discounts for your group/church/fellowship, go to the book landing page.)
Total Pages in the Book: 597 pages (not counting the bibliography and supplemental resource pages)
Two options I recommend to choose from:
Option 1: PLAN TO GO THROUGH THE BOOK AS A GROUP IN A FULL YEAR
Duration: a weekly meeting for a year – 52 weeks total
Weekly Commitment: reading – 11-12 pages per week.
Option 2: PLAN TO GO THROUGH THE BOOK AS A GROUP IN 6 MONTHS
Duration: a weekly meeting for 6 months – 26 weeks total
Weekly Commitment: reading – 23 pages per week.
Here’s how it works:
1) Each person in the group will get their own copy of the book. (You can get bulk discounts HERE.)
2) Each person will read an assigned section for the week.
3) Each person will meet weekly with the group to discuss the content they’ve read.
SUGGETIONS
Assign a Facilitator: If you want, you can rotate the facilitator each week to encourage participation.
- The facilitator will keep track of the pages to be read for each week and assign it to everyone.
- The facilitator will encourage group participants to read the main narrative and check out the footnotes if a question comes up or to gain deeper context.
- The facilitator will begin each group session with a short summary of the pages that were read for the week’s assignment.
Discussion Questions: After the quick summary is given, the facilitator will ask the following 4 questions to generate discussion on the content.
“In this week’s reading…”
-What surprised you or was new to you?
-What historical/cultural/or spiritual details stood out?
-How did this week’s reading change your understanding of the New Testament?
-How can you apply the content you read to your own life? To your church?
SAMPLE WEEKLY FORMAT
- Opening Prayer (a prayer I created that I personally use when opening the Scriptures is TOSS – Touch my heart/Open my eyes/Satisfy my soul/Speak to my spirit)
- Summary of the Week’s Reading (the one you will discuss)
- The 4 Questions for Discussion
- Assignment for Next Week’s Reading
This reading plan will guide your group through The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: Revised and Expanded at a steady, manageable pace, ensuring both comprehension and lively, meaningful discussion.
The book’s narrative style and historical depth make it ideal for group exploration, helping participants see themselves as part of the ongoing story of the New Testament narrative.
Finally, there are two types of book group members: those who do the reading assignments, and those whose bookmarks have been on page 12 for so long they’re considered permanent residents.
Don’t be the one whose “dog ate my homework” excuse hasn’t evolved since the 5th grade!
Enjoy.
fv