In early 2017, a group of readers in
Charlotte, North Carolina, decided
to read a best-selling book from
cover to cover.

But this was no ordinary book club.

For one thing, the group was enormous.
More than 5,600 people participated. Most of
them attended one of many churches across the
Charlotte area. And the page-turning book at
the heart of their club was written more than
2,000 years ago.

During the 40 days of Lent, a group of
15 churches in Charlotte completed a Scripture-reading journey called the Community
Bible Experience. Using a reader-friendly
New Testament created by Biblica, thousands
of people studied the Scriptures with fresh
eyes. Through support from American Bible
Society’s prayer and financial partners, this
one-of-a-kind book club is inspiring a deep
love for God’s Word in Charlotte.

What sets the Community Bible
Experience apart from other Bible studies is The
Books of the Bible—a New Testament Scripture
Portion containing no verse numbers, chapter
numbers, or footnotes. This fresh format makes
it less intimidating for people to flip open the
New Testament—and to keep turning pages.

“The Bible can be kind of daunting because
it’s so big,” explains Rev. John Burton Jr. of First
Baptist Church West in Charlotte. “But if it’s a
small book, and it’s in conversational language
with no verse numbers … they can understand.”

Charlotte residents who completed the
Community Bible Experience agree with Rev.
Burton; the unique format of The Books of the
Bible helped them dive deeper into God’s Word
than ever before.

“It’s more like it’s a story that goes on. It
inspires you to continue,” says Mamie Young,
a member of Mount Carmel Baptist Church in
Charlotte. “It’s like I’m reading a novel.”

Mamie started attending a Bible study
at her church two years ago and found the
Community Bible Experience in 2017 to be
particularly formative in her faith journey.

“The Community Bible Experience is
important in my life because it is endearing the
Bible to me,” Mamie says. “It is making me want
to learn the Word of the Lord so that I can be
able to live by his Word.”

While Mamie appreciated the special quality of this unique Bible-reading experience, other participants
were more amazed by the quantity of God’s Word that
they read in such a short amount of time.

“I was startled reading it,” says Emmanuel Moore, who
also attends Mount Carmel Baptist Church. “We’re supposed
to read a certain section in so many days, and sometimes I
would read ahead!”

And Emmanuel is not alone. According to Biblica, eight
out of 10 people who participate in the Community Bible
Experience finish reading the entire New Testament in 40 days
or less—just like Emmanuel.

After tearing through their assigned New Testament
reading for the week, Community Bible Experience participants,
such as Mamie and Emmanuel, gathered in small
groups to ask honest questions about the passage that they
read—questions like: What did you notice for the first time?
What challenged you? How does this passage show you God’s love?
Answering these simple questions about God’s Word
made a big difference in people’s lives.

“People come in excited to share what God has been
speaking to them,” says Rev. Jacotron Potts, a pastor at The
Park Church in Charlotte. “The people who would normally
sit back and be quiet are now becoming empowered
and confident in their understanding of the Word
of God.”

One of those people is Mamie, who says that
her study of the New Testament helped reduce the
anxiety that she feels for her family—especially for
her growing grandchildren.

“I used to worry about things,” Mamie says.
“But now I know that I have a Father who is taking
care of me and who is going to be there for me and
for my family.”

Thanks to this one-of-a-kind book club, the
Body of Christ in Charlotte is more firmly rooted
in God’s Word. What started as a 40-day journey through the
New Testament has become a lifestyle of meaningful Scripture
engagement for thousands.

“People are really engaged,” says Robin Brown, a member
of The Park Church in Charlotte. “We’re going to see some
long-term effects of this.”

You can help people encounter the life-changing message of
God’s Word! Visit ABSRecord.com/Bible