The Grand Sweep

Reading the Bible from Genesis to Revelation

Why read the Bible from cover to cover?

Most of us have read parts of the Bible. Verses. Paragraphs. Sometimes whole books. But we gain a unique perspective when we read the Bible as one story in its entirety, from cover to cover. We learn that God has a plan that originates in Genesis, develops despite human failings over centuries, and fully comes to fruition in the book of Revelation. We learn that God speaks the language of our heart through poetry, history, story, parable, prophecy, drama and even comedy. Most of all we give God a chance to show us the full record of His participation in human history from start to finish, and thus the opportunity to make His story into our story.

If you’re following along in J. Ellsworth Kalas’ reading guide, The Grand Sweep, you’ll gain daily insights and wisdom that help you stay on track and make sense of even the most dense parts of Scripture. Psalms and Proverbs are sprinkled in daily even as the rest of the Bible is read consecutively to give you a perspective of worship and wisdom every day.

By the end of a year of spending time daily reading God’s Word, you’ll find that you have a new understanding of the full circle of God’s story and God’s love for you. You’ll know the true context of both familiar and obscure Biblical stories and sayings. And most of all, you’ll grow deeper in your love for a God who would risk it all to put His story in our hands so that we can have an undivided relationship with Him.

Get in on the conversation

• Discussion Groups: Once-a-month Grand Sweep discussion groups meet according to this schedule (PDF). You can join these discussion groups anytime or for just a few months to cover a specific area of the reading. You can also come to any of the groups on any given month if your schedule changes. They will all be on the “same page at the same time.”
• Online Forum: Questions will be posted online each week for you to comment on and gain insight and inspiration from one other.

Reading Aids

• Order your copy of The Grand Sweep by J. Ellsworth Kalas from Grace Point Bookstore for daily insights as your read the Bible from cover to cover this year. A daily journal to record lessons learned is also available.
• Download our congregation’s reading plan (PDF) for the first twelve weeks (January 17 – April 11).
• The Daily Response Journal is recommended for use as part of the Grand Sweep study. These journals are on backorder and should arrive at Grace Point Bookstore the week of February 21. In the meantime, you can download the discussion questions (PDF) for the next three weeks.

Sunday Morning Opportunities

The following Adult Sunday School classes are utilizing The Grand Sweep or Bible 360° sermon series in their classes:

• Crossroads class, 9:00 a.m., Room D209 – members reading daily and dedicating one class per month to The Grand Sweep discussion. Dates correspond with the Sunday afternoon Grand Sweep Discussion Groups.
• Believer’s Bible Study class, 9:30 a.m., Jones Library – lessons providing a survey of the Old Testament now through end of March.
• Circle of Friends, 9:30 a.m., Room D206 – members reading daily and discussing weekly in class
• Teaching the Bible Through Story, 9:30 a.m., Room D205 – this new class will learn and practice the skill of oral story telling and will track to the Bible 360° sermon series.
• Discovery Class, 11:00 a.m., Jones Library – Weekly class topics (PDF) taught by class members will track to the Bible 360˚ sermon series.