Have you ever read the whole Bible? Do you remember the first time you tried to read the entire Bible? I remember "thee" and "thou" and names of people and places I couldn't pronounce. The beginning was OK, but then there were a lot of rules. ("Why, hello Leviticus!")
Someone told me to read the new Testament, so I did. But it seemed like Mark just repeated Matthew, and then Luke did the same! There were a ton of kings I couldn't keep straight. And don't get me started on the prophets. Then I learned that it's not even in chronological order...
The Bible can seem big and old and dumb. It can be hard to get started reading the Bible. And it can be just as hard to keep going.
InterVarsity has done a lot of Bible study in its 75 years. Bible study is where we start as students in dorm rooms and at retreats. We keep doing it when we head out on our mission programs and when we go to Urbana. We maintain the practice of time in God's word after we graduate—the Bible guides us as we lead in various fields and vocations and as we lead in our churches. We’re always looking to meet God by entering the Bible, to deepen our understanding of Scripture, and to help others do the same.
So, since the Bible is in our DNA, we are starting something new to do more of the same, but in a new way. We are building a new site called college.bible.
College.bible will help people on campus answer their questions about the Bible. Whether someone is a newbie, a critic, a Christian, or just someone who is curious, they'll find things to think about on college.bible.
Yes, the whole name of the site is "college.bible." It's a new top-level domain (like .com or .org) that has just launched. American Bible Society is stewarding this family of websites. And due to InterVarsity's longstanding commitment to thoughtful Scripture engagement, they've invited us to be a "pioneer partner." This is sort of like being an anchor store in a mall—by God's grace, we have staying power and leadership in the development of this resource.
We are thrilled that God has given us this opportunity—to help more people enter into the Bible more deeply than ever before. The college campus is home to the most important research, conversations, and questions. The Bible remains relevant to the college campus. And so InterVarsity is there.
You can go to college.bible right now. But at this point, it's just a preview site. More resources will be added in the coming months and a full site will launch soon, with more ways to share, participate, and connect. Use this form to sign up and stay informed.
And if you're no longer on campus but love how deeply InterVarsity enters the Scriptures, you should look at howto.bible. This site is for you, with the same guiding values but in contexts beyond college. Sign up here for updates on howto.bible.
Remember when the light bulb first went on and you saw the Bible with fresh eyes? When it moved beyond "big, dumb, and old" to "huge, beautiful, and fresh?" Remember the first time you stepped into the Bible and saw something in a whole new light?
Let's do that again.
