2026 word & prayer guide

Our purpose is to glorify God by being and making disciples of Jesus Christ who are a community of worshipers on mission. We can’t fulfill this without engaging with God through scripture and prayer. This is foundational to our relationship with him–he speaks to us in scripture, we speak to him in prayer. Here are suggestions for pursuing this together. 

Three Options for Reading God’s Word

1. Bible Read-Through

You can read the entire Bible in one year with about 15 minutes each day. Consider inviting a friend or group to do this with you, and then share insights and questions. The ZF Bible Reading Plan at our Resource Center includes five readings per week to allow flexibility. Rather than including Psalms in the schedule, this plan encourages you to read a Psalm every day. Here are a few other plans: McCheyne 1-Year Reading Plan, McCheyne 2-Year Reading Plan or 6 Month New Testament Reading Plan.

2. Bible Immersion

Immerse yourself in a book of the Bible by re-reading and studying it for a period of time. For example, re-read Ephesians every day for a month, then choose a different book next month. Or read through 3 chapters of John each day until you reach the end, then re-read it again for the month. Consider memorizing sections or scheduling a weekly block of 2 hours to study it in-depth.

3. Bible Rhythm

Simply establish a rhythm of reading 15 minutes each day, picking up where you left off from the previous day. As you finish a book of the Bible, move to the next one or move to one that is of particular interest to you.

Beyond just reading God's Word: Engaging with Meditation and Prayer

After reading scripture, meditate on it and turn your reflections into prayers. Here are four questions Tim Keller provides to lead us to respond in prayer:

• Praise: What does this text show me about God for which I should praise or thank him? 
• Repentance: What does this text show me about my sin that I should confess and repent of?
• Request: What does this text show me about a need and how shall I ask God for it?
• Transformation: Would this change my life if I took it seriously—if this truth were fully alive and effective in my inward being? 

PRINTABLE WORD AND PRAYER GUIDE PRINTABLE BIBLE READING PLAN