What is One to One?
Most Christians believe that the Bible is important to spiritual growth and health, and yet most would also admit that regular Bible reading is an often neglected part of their lives. The Bible is essential to our relationship with God. Knowing God means knowing how he is revealed in the word. Trusting God means trusting his word. Obeying God means obeying his word. “All Scripture is breathed out by God,” Paul says, “and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16–17).
Not only is the Bible central to our individual lives, it is central in the church too. A church that is marinated in Scripture tends to stand out. The people have been shaped by the word and it shows up in all kinds of places: in the preaching, in prayer, in singing, in after church conversations, in the public witness. In every possible way, you can’t help but to notice that these are a people who are being transformed by the Spirit and the word. This is what Jesus had in mind when he prayed, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (Jn. 17:17)
The Bible is a big book and sometimes confusing. Perhaps that’s why so many don’t read it. But the Bible is not a book just for professors, pastors, and missionaries. While there are deep truths that will occupy these sorts of people for a lifetime, the Bible was actually written for all of us. If we patiently give ourselves to reading the Bible, we’ll soon find that we’re able to understand it. Over the centuries, the church has discovered that effective Bible reading happens best within community. One to One is a weekly Bible reading program that is designed to form relationships (one to one) that are centred on the word—relationships that will encourage godly habits, develop your ability to read and understand the Bible, and to wrestle with it’s life changing message. It is our hope that One to One will help us as a church grow together in unity, knowledge, and maturity (Eph. 4:13).
How to Get Started
Find a Partner. Once you decide that One to One is for you, finding the right partner is important. Spend time in prayer and ask God to lead you to the right person, or to be open to meeting someone new. Perhaps you’ve never read the Bible before, it might be best if you found someone to read with who is a bit more experienced than you. If you are familiar with the Bible, finding someone who is less familiar is a great idea. Remember, you don’t have to be a scholar to participate. Everyone knows someone who is more or less experienced with the Bible. You might want to use One to One as an opportunity to meet someone new. If that’s the case, we’d encourage you to signup on your own and we’ll introduce you to someone.
Plan to Meet
After you find a partner you’ll have to find a time to meet together that works for both of you. An hour is a good amount of time to work through a passage. Plan to meet somewhere private like an office, living room, or even a coffee shop.
When You Meet
At first meeting together might feel a little bit awkward, but stick with it. You should begin with prayer. Ask the Lord that he would help you both to understand the text and that he would further help you to understand how to apply it to your lives. Once you pray, read the passage. One of you should read the passage aloud once through, and then you could read it again quietly and slowly before you discuss it. Once you’ve read the passage discuss it using the discussion questions provided. Close off by scheduling your next meeting, and praying for one another.
