Bible Reading Resources for Couples
100% of individuals who have found their way to LCMS Connections have indicated a deeply held desire to meet, form a relationship with, and eventually marry someone with whom they can share their Lutheran faith. For most, they not only hope for someone who won’t refuse to attend Divine Service with them, or for whom the baptism of their firstborn will be a source of fiery contention; rather, they hope for a future spouse who will actually grow with them in faith through all stages of their relationship. They envision a future marriage that mirrors the relationship of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:22-33) and a future homelife that is permeated by a living and active faith in Jesus, and a vital connection to the Church.
Whether you’ve found yourself in the exciting early days of building a relationship with a new boyfriend or girlfriend, or you’ve been happily dating for a longer period of time but hope to incorporate more structured ways to grow in faith together, we at LCMS Connections cannot encourage you strongly enough to develop a routine of spending time together in God’s Word, and, at your discretion, utilizing doctrinally sound study resources that may benefit and deepen your understanding.
If you live near enough to your boyfriend or girlfriend to be able to regularly spend in-person time together, designating a day and time each week to enjoy a quiet, laid back Bible study at a coffee shop together every week can be a fun activity to add into your regular mix. If you happen to be in a long distance relationship, the same routine can easily be put into effect via your preferred video calling platform. In either case, God’s “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12) Word will be there for you with its manifold benefits - not the least of which being to give you new, good things to think about and discuss together.
As you begin planning your couple’s Bible reading dates, here are some approaches and resources to consider:
1. Beginning a Bible Reading Plan
Simply reading through Scripture aloud together can be a wonderful starting place - you will likely discover things that you’d long forgotten, or that you never knew in the first place (God’s Word is “living and active,” after all - an inexhaustible resource.)
CPH offers several Free Downloadable Bible Reading Plans, to help you organize your reading to cover the whole Bible in one or two years, as well as to read through the books chronologically, with a Bible Narrative focus, or using the daily lectionary. One caveat and added benefit - If you hope to successfully complete the Bible in one year, you’ll need to read together on a daily rather than weekly basis.
In addition to using a set “plan,” like the one linked above, simply choosing a book of the Bible at a time based on interest (e.g. “I haven’t read 1st John in a really long time and remember liking it a lot in Confirmation class - can we read through it together?”) is another, though less structured, approach to begin reading together.
Whichever method you choose, make sure you have a good translation (ESV, NIV, NASB, or KJV are all options - talk to your pastor about which your church uses and would be best for you) rather than a paraphrase (The Living Bible, The Message, etc.) and enjoy learning and growing together in this way!
2. God’s Word for Today studies by CPH
If you choose to begin any kind of Bible reading plan together, you may wish to have additional questions to ask and topics to discuss following your reading time– something that can be especially helpful for long-distance couples who aren’t naturally inclined toward discussion and find themselves wishing for more resources to help develop their conversations.
God’s Word for Today, Bible study booklets by various credentialed authors through Concordia Publishing House, offers brief but thorough studies on each book of the Bible, at a fairly affordable price point.
3. “Hymn of the Day Studies” by the LCMS
If either or both of you have any interest in hymnody (note that as Lutherans who have a veritable treasure trove when it comes to hymns, we really ought to have at least some interest in this topic!) Hymn of the Day Studies are available to download for free through Synod. These brief studies focus on Sunday lectionary readings as well as the appointed HOTD throughout the church year, and are perfect for a weekly study format. If either or both of you have any interest in singing, these make for a perfect opportunity to sing together, too.
There are obviously many, many more Bible study materials available to you than those discussed in this brief post - we would advise you to orient yourself toward ones that are either published through CPH, or have your pastor’s approval as being in step with Lutheran doctrine.
Enjoy your reading and growing together - “Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us[a] that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21
