FAQ

How did the 1 Chapter a Day website come about?

During 2011, Bruce Ammons (one of the pastors at Parkway Fellowship of Richmond/Katy, Texas) became burdened for people who wanted to read the Bible faithfully but had been unsuccessful in developing the habit. He surveyed his church small group which included a mixture of people from new believers to veterans who had followed Christ for years. What was revealed that night was startling. Both new believers and veterans struggled with reading the Bible on a consistent basis. Further research revealed that only 18% of those in America who consider themselves Christ-followers read the Bible daily.

Additionally, Bruce noticed that many churches encourage their people to “read the Bible more” but do not give them the consistent direction they need. Or they give them a plan that is “too lofty and impractical” for new Bible readers attempting to build a daily habit. God prompted Bruce to reach out through this website to help people to develop one of the greatest habits anyone (including non-Christians) can build…daily reading of the Bible.

Is there a “best time” to begin the 1 Chapter a Day reading plan?

The very best time to start 1 Chapter a Day is NOW! Some Bible reading plans work best if you start them on January 1st of a new year. But 1 Chapter a Day is designed so that you are never behind no matter when you begin! So why not begin TODAY?

Does 1 Chapter a Day have a Doctrinal Statement?

No. It is not the goal of this site to teach doctrine. Nor is it our goal to change the doctrines that people already hold. We simply want to empower people to read the Bible daily.

How can I get the most out of 1 Chapter a Day?

Read the assigned chapter daily. Then leave a brief, positive comment in the comments section that describes the “nugget of truth” that God dropped into your heart during your reading. Leaving a comment further plants the truth into your won heart and turbocharges your spiritual growth. It also blesses others!

How do you choose the daily reading assignments?

We are not attempting to get people to read the Bible through in a year or any of the other great goals found in other Bible reading plans. We simply want to help people succeed in reading the Bible daily. We feel this is best done by focusing the reading assignments on entire New Testament books, Old Testament stories, Psalms, and Proverbs. The format and reasoning behind the assignments is:

• Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, & Fridays: read through a New Testament book of the Bible (one chapter at a time).  Once that book is complete, it would be followed by reading a famous Old Testament story (like Adam and Eve or Noah and the Ark). A New Testament book and an Old Testament story will alternate throughout the entire year on these days.

• Saturdays: a chapter from Proverbs. Reading a Proverbs on the last day of the week gives us a strong does of wisdom to guide us for the next week.

• Sundays: read a chapter from Psalms. Psalms are good to help people deal with their feelings. This might be helpful after a hard week of work. Psalms is also great to prepare the heart for worship which will sync well with Sunday church attendance.

Why do you recommend The Message translation?

This translation has brought the Word of God “to life” for many people. It has helped new believers to better understand the Bible and has brought fresh insight to those who have read the Bible for years. The Message is designed to be a reading Bible. It is the only Bible recommended to 1 Chapter a Day readers. Of course, you are welcome to use any translation or paraphrase you choose. (We are not suggesting that there is not a place for other translations and Study Bibles. They simply go beyond the scope of our purpose at 1 Chapter a Day).