Summer Reading Plan

Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon - May 29-Aug 21, 2011 - Look to the Cross

(plus - the whole New Testament in one Summer!)

Hello Friend,

It’s Summertime!

Let’s read some radical and awesome passages of scripture together.

Ephesians is some of the most beautiful and poetic words of gospel I have ever read.

Colossians is challenging in just how free it says we are.

Philemon is a beautiful story of redemption and reconciliation that reflects our story of freedom and adoption in Jesus.

We’re going very slowly through these books this time. Every week will be one chapter, but there will be five questions to help you consider and understand each chapter. Keep a journal, and take a few minutes each day to consider the question and record a response. Over the course of the week, meditation on each passage will grow our understanding and appreciation for scripture.

Keep your journal entries. Bring them to your smallgroup meeting, and be prepared to share with each other and be encouraged by each other’s journey as we get to know Jesus together.

For those who want to read more, I have also included five readings every week from the rest of the New Testament. If you complete all the readings, you will read the entire New Testament before the end of the Summer.

While we go through these passages each week and in our smallgroups, I will also be preaching a ten week series on community life in scripture. I’m pretty excited about this.

Bless you friends, as we discover the freedom, joy, and love of the covenant community of Jesus together.

-Shawn

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May 29 - June 4 – Ephesians Chapter 1

Day 1 – Read the chapter. Journal a personal response to or summary of the chapter.
Matthew 1-6
Day 2 – Read the chapter. Identify one or two key verses, and write them out.
Matthew 7-11
Day 3 – Read yesterday’s key verses out loud. Journal why you chose them. Rewrite them.
Matthew 12-14
Day 4 – Read Day 2’s key verses out loud. Journal how they challenge you personally.
Matthew 15-19
Day 5 – Read the key verses again, and then the whole chapter. Journal a personal response or prayer that includes your measurable response to the passage.
Matthew 20-24

June 5 - June 11 – Ephesians Chapter 2

Day 1 – Read the chapter. Journal a personal response to or summary of the chapter.
Matthew 25-28
Day 2 – Read the chapter. Identify one or two key verses, and write them out.
Romans 1-5
Day 3 – Read yesterday’s key verses out loud. Journal why you chose them. Rewrite them.
Romans 6-10
Day 4 – Read Day 2’s key verses out loud. Journal how they challenge you personally.
Romans 11-16
Day 5 – Read the key verses again, and then the whole chapter. Journal a personal response or prayer that includes your measurable response to the passage.
1 Corinthians 1-7

June 12 - June 18 – Ephesians Chapter 3

Day 1 – Read the chapter. Journal a personal response to or summary of the chapter.
1 Corinthians 8-12
Day 2 – Read the chapter. Identify one or two key verses, and write them out.
1 Corinthians 13-2 Corinthians 3
Day 3 – Read yesterday’s key verses out loud. Journal why you chose them. Rewrite them.
2 Corinthians 4-19
Day 4 – Read Day 2’s key verses out loud. Journal how they challenge you personally.
2 Corinthians 10-13
Day 5 – Read the key verses again, and then the whole chapter. Journal a personal response or prayer that includes your measurable response to the passage.
Galatians 1-6

June 19 - June 25 – Ephesians Chapter 4

Day 1 – Read the chapter. Journal a personal response to or summary of the chapter.
Mark 1-5
Day 2 – Read the chapter. Identify one or two key verses, and write them out.
Mark 6-8
Day 3 – Read yesterday’s key verses out loud. Journal why you chose them. Rewrite them.
Mark 9-13
Day 4 – Read Day 2’s key verses out loud. Journal how they challenge you personally.
Mark 14-16
Day 5 – Read the key verses again, and then the whole chapter. Journal a personal response or prayer that includes your measurable response to the passage.
Philippians 1-4

June 26 - July 2 – Ephesians Chapter 5

Day 1 – Read the chapter. Journal a personal response to or summary of the chapter.
1 Thessalonians 1-5
Day 2 – Read the chapter. Identify one or two key verses, and write them out.
2 Thessalonians 1-1 Timothy 3
Day 3 – Read yesterday’s key verses out loud. Journal why you chose them. Rewrite them.
1 Timothy 4-2 Timothy 3
Day 4 – Read Day 2’s key verses out loud. Journal how they challenge you personally.
2 Timothy 4-Titus 3
Day 5 – Read the key verses again, and then the whole chapter. Journal a personal response or prayer that includes your measurable response to the passage.
James 1-5

July 3 – July 9 – Ephesians Chapter 6

Day 1 – Read the chapter. Journal a personal response to or summary of the chapter.
Luke 1-3
Day 2 – Read the chapter. Identify one or two key verses, and write them out.
Luke 4-6
Day 3 – Read yesterday’s key verses out loud. Journal why you chose them. Rewrite them.
Luke 7-9
Day 4 – Read Day 2’s key verses out loud. Journal how they challenge you personally.
Luke 10-12
Day 5 – Read the key verses again, and then the whole chapter. Journal a personal response or prayer that includes your measurable response to the passage.
Luke 13-16

July 10 – July 17 – Hebrews

Day 1 – Hebrews 1-3 - Journal a personal response, prayer, or summary.
Luke 17-18
Day 2 – Hebrews 4-6 - Journal a personal response, prayer, or summary.
Luke 19
Day 3 – Hebrews 7-9 - Journal a personal response, prayer, or summary.
Luke 20-21
Day 4 – Hebrews 10-11 - Journal a personal response, prayer, or summary.
Luke 22
Day 5 – Hebrews 12-13 - Journal a personal response, prayer, or summary.
Luke 23-24


July 18 – July 24 – Colossians Chapter 1

Day 1 – Read the chapter. Journal a personal response to or summary of the chapter.
Acts 1-4
Day 2 – Read the chapter. Identify one or two key verses, and write them out.
Acts 5-7
Day 3 – Read yesterday’s key verses out loud. Journal why you chose them. Rewrite them.
Acts 8-10
Day 4 – Read Day 2’s key verses out loud. Journal how they challenge you personally.
Acts 11-13
Day 5 – Read the key verses again, and then the whole chapter. Journal a personal response or prayer that includes your measurable response to the passage.
Acts 14-16

July 25 – July 31 – Colossians Chapter 2

Day 1 – Read the chapter. Journal a personal response to or summary of the chapter.
Acts 17-19
Day 2 – Read the chapter. Identify one or two key verses, and write them out.
Acts 20-22
Day 3 – Read yesterday’s key verses out loud. Journal why you chose them. Rewrite them.
Acts 23-25
Day 4 – Read Day 2’s key verses out loud. Journal how they challenge you personally.
Acts 26-28
Day 5 – Read the key verses again, and then the whole chapter. Journal a personal response or prayer that includes your measurable response to the passage.
1 Peter 1-5

August 1 – August 7 – Colossians Chapter 3

Day 1 – Read the chapter. Journal a personal response to or summary of the chapter.
2 Peter 1-Jude
Day 2 – Read the chapter. Identify one or two key verses, and write them out.
John 1-3
Day 3 – Read yesterday’s key verses out loud. Journal why you chose them. Rewrite them.
John 4-6
Day 4 – Read Day 2’s key verses out loud. Journal how they challenge you personally.
John 7-9
Day 5 – Read the key verses again, and then the whole chapter. Journal a personal response or prayer that includes your measurable response to the passage.
John 10-12

August 8 – August 14 – Colossians Chapter 4

Day 1 – Read the chapter. Journal a personal response to or summary of the chapter.
John 13-15
Day 2 – Read the chapter. Identify one or two key verses, and write them out.
John 16-18
Day 3 – Read yesterday’s key verses out loud. Journal why you chose them. Rewrite them.
John 19-21
Day 4 – Read Day 2’s key verses out loud. Journal how they challenge you personally.
1 John 1-4
Day 5 – Read the key verses again, and then the whole chapter. Journal a personal response or prayer that includes your measurable response to the passage.
1 John 5-3 John

August 15 – August 21 – Philemon

Day 1 – Read Philemon. Journal a personal response to or summary of the book.
Revelation 1-3
Day 2 – Read Philemon. Identify one or two key verses, and write them out.
Revelation 4-9
Day 3 – Read yesterday’s key verses out loud. Journal why you chose them. Rewrite them.
Revelation 10-14
Day 4 – Read Day 2’s key verses out loud. Journal how they challenge you personally.
Revelation 15-18
Day 5 – Read the key verses again, and then the whole book. Journal a personal response or prayer that includes your measurable response to the passage.
Revelation 19-22