Seven international organisations promoting the Scripture are commencing a new initiative to co-work in a new project launched in Australia to improve and develop the habit of reading the Bible.

As the latest survey of Australian Church Life revealed, the Bible doesn't play an important role in the life of believers as much as it should, with only 19% of church attendants reading the Bible on a daily basis. 12% read just a few times a week, 5% once a week, 27% rarely and 37% hardly ever or never.

The problem was revealed through a survey in Australia that confirmed the world-wide tendency concerning the knowledge of Bible. Several reports all over the world dealing with Bible literacy surveys showed that it is a rather passive knowledge with declining tendency among the people in general.

The Bible Society, Bible League Australia, Global Recordings, The Pocket Testament League, Scripture Gift Mission International, Scripture Union and Wycliffe Bible Translators began the cooperation focusing on changing the situation in Australia. However, initiatives among Christians all over the world are needed to light the desire for the knowledge of the Word of God.

In an attempt to reverse these statistics, these seven international organisations united in the common project by issuing a Bible reading guide. The Bible reading Guide aims to encourage believers to read the Bible every day. It is an easy way to get started and develop the habit of reading the Word of God.

The guide is undated so believers can start the readings any time during the year. Readings are taken from the Scripture Union and cover around one quarter of the Bible. As each year’s readings are in series, the whole Bible can be read within 4 years, following the Guide precisely. The Bible Reading Guide may be found at www.biblesociety.com.au.

Also, congregations all over Australia were contacted via letter and challenged to spend at least one week in the year focusing on helping Christians to read the Bible everyday. It is hoped that the participants in the project develop a habit that will lead them into intensified evangelism, as they share their faith with others.