‘One Book, One Body’ Encourages Bible Read-thru 20 Years On

Six Christian Reformed congregations are part of a synchronized multi-church, community-wide effort in the Byron Center, Mich., area to read through the Bible in 2026.

“One Book, One Body” is being promoted by the Byron Area Ministerial Association, an organization consisting of pastors and ministry leaders across denominational lines in the small residential community about 15 miles south of Grand Rapids.

Sixteen congregations from nine different denominations or church networks are participating in the reading, said Jim Heethuis, coordinator of the ministerial association and pastor of Pathway Church, a Christian Reformed congregation in Byron Center.

It’s the third time the ministerial association has undertaken the “One Book, One Body” reading, and it comes 20 years after the first time it was tried in Byron Center. The roots of the campaign date back to when Heethuis and now-retired pastor of Pathway, Steve Elzinga, both worked for the Bible League in the early 2000s and sought to bring together various denominational and ethnic churches in the Chicago area to study Scripture together.

“When (Elzinga) came here to Byron Center, he said, ‘Look, we’re going to (do this). … We’re going to read one chapter a day, and whatever you read from, that’s what I’ll preach from,’” Heethuis said. Heethuis, who is a commissioned pastor, worked as an associate with Elzinga at Pathway at the time.

The Byron Area Ministerial Association did the “One Book, One Body” readings in 2006 and 2011. The association has done other Bible reading campaigns as well over the years, Heethuis said.

“Since I took the lead (pastor role) here, we read the Old Testament in a year, New Testament in a year. Then we did a four-year through-the-Bible reading plan,” Heethuis said.

Most of the participating congregations are offering “One Book, One Body” as a personal reading plan, but five churches, including Pathway, Heritage CRC, and Second Byron CRC—are preaching Sunday sermons that go along with the daily reading plan. Six pastors from the ministerial association meet for a lunch where they prepare and exchange sermon outlines connected to that month’s readings, Heethuis said.

Members of participating churches are encouraged to follow a reading plan on the YouVersion Bible app to keep current with readings outside of the church walls. At least 11 different reading groups have formed around the plan, with about 300 participants in total. They can post their own reflections on what they have read, Heethuis said.

Autumn Jelsema, who attends Pathway CRC, is thankful to be part of one of the reading groups.

“For me, this journey is very new as I did not grow up with any religion being instilled while I was young,” Jelsema said. “While it was very uncomfortable for me at first, I have grown to love this journey and am excited to continue learning every day.”

Fellow Pathway worshiper Laurie Schmidt also appreciates the daily habit. “Just amazing that out of each day, his Word enlightens us to grow,” Schmidt said.

Signs to promote the reading campaign are outside each participating church, and people can put a smaller version of the campaign sign in their homes, as well as obtain a wristband, pin, adhesive sticker, or pen to show others of their commitment to the reading plan, Heethuis said.