One to One Bible Reading: A Simple Way to Begin
One to one Bible reading is two people meeting regularly to read a book of the Bible together and talk about what it says. You don’t need a pastor, a curriculum or a theology degree. You need a friend, a passage, a pen and a time that works for both of you. This guide explains how it works, how to run your first meeting and how to keep it going.
TL;DR
One to one Bible reading means two people meet on a regular basis to read a book of Scripture together. It suits new believers, long-time Christians and curious friends who aren’t sure what they believe.
A simple frame such as the COMA method (Context, Observation, Meaning, Application) gives the conversation shape without turning you into a lecturer.
Start small: a short book or Gospel, one hour a week, and a fixed end date of six to eight weeks.
The Bible is the authority in the room, not the person who invited you. Your job is to read well and ask honest questions.
In Canberra and Queanbeyan, we can help you find a reading partner or a quiet room to meet in.
Table of Contents
What one to one Bible reading actually is
The idea is almost embarrassingly plain. One writer on the practice describes it as two people meeting together on a regular basis to read through a book of the Bible, and that is all it needs to be. We haven’t linked a page here because the point is the simplicity: no program, no event, no platform.
David Helm’s book of the same name, published by Matthias Media, popularised the practice in Australia. Matthias Media describes it as a way to help someone understand more of God that is simple and personal, and that doesn’t rely on getting them to a church program or event. It can happen between two Christians, or between a Christian and a friend who is simply curious.
That last point matters in a city like ours. Canberra is full of people who are new: students arriving at ANU, UC or CIT, public servants posted from interstate, families who will be here for three years. A Sunday gathering can feel like a big door to walk through. A coffee and a chapter of Mark is a much smaller one.
Why two people and a page can do what a program can’t
We believe discipleship happens in relationship. Jesus did not run a course; he called people to follow him and walked with them. Paul wrote to Thessalonians that he shared not only the gospel but his own life with them (1 Thessalonians 2:8). One to one reading follows that pattern in a modest way.
There is also good evidence that this kind of learner-led approach holds up. A multi-year action research study published in March 2026 followed Australian adults and found that non-directive mentoring, where people set their own goals and practices, built ownership and accountability in their faith. The researchers identified five outcomes: practical spirituality, personal growth, relationship with God, growth challenges and Christian fellowship. It is a study of self-directed spiritual learning rather than of Bible reading pairs specifically, but the fit is close: a good reading partner doesn’t push, they walk alongside.
Pastor Paul Dale of Church by the Bridge in Sydney put the cultural shift well. When ordinary believers realise they can read the Bible with a friend, the Word of God begins to deal with lifestyle questions directly, rather than leaving everything to the pastor. That is the heart of what we want in Canberra: not a church that is dependent on a few leaders, but a body of people who feed one another on Scripture.
Preferences differ, of course. Lifeway Research data cited in our research shows that 25 percent of Christian adults prefer small-group discipleship, 21 percent prefer one-on-one relationships and 16 percent prefer a mix of both. So one to one is not for everyone, and it doesn’t replace the gathered church. It is one good tool among several. If you would like to compare it with the group option, see our practical guide to church small groups.
Who can do it
Almost anyone. The most common objection we hear is “I’m not qualified.” The truth is that the activity works when everyone recognises that the Bible itself, not the facilitator, is the authority. On an episode of Reach Australia’s The One Thing podcast, Andrew West from Church by the Bridge talked about a one-to-one Bible-reading campaign for building a culture of Scripture reading across a whole church. The practice is meant for everyday believers.
Here are some pairings that work well:
Two friends who are both Christians and want to grow together.
A newer believer and a more settled one, meeting not as teacher and student but as two people reading.
A Christian and a non-Christian friend who is open to exploring who Jesus is.
Two generations, such as a retired member and a uni student. Researcher Myoung Kwon argues that intergenerational one-to-one approaches strengthen community bonding and mutual respect and equip lay members as disciple-makers. We say more about this in why an intergenerational church matters.
For an honest comparison between mentoring and discipleship, which often get blurred, our leaders’ piece on the differences between mentoring and discipleship is a useful read.
How to run your first meeting
Here is a simple pattern you can use this week.
Choose the book together. Pick something short and story-driven. Mark’s Gospel is the classic starting point, and Matthias Media offers a free COMA download that takes you through Mark in eight weeks. If you’ve never read the Bible, our advice on reading one chapter a day will help you prepare.
Set the rhythm and the end date. Same time, same place, about an hour. Agree on a number of weeks before you start.
Read the passage aloud. Take turns by paragraph, or have one person read and the other follow. Hearing it matters.
Talk through four questions (see below).
Pray briefly. Not a performance. A sentence or two will do.
Agree on the next passage and read it ahead of time if you can.
The COMA method
COMA stands for Context, Observation, Meaning and Application. It is one of the frameworks designed to help people engage with Scripture without formal training. In practice:
Step | The question you ask | Example from Mark 2 |
Context | Where does this sit in the book? What came before? | Jesus has begun teaching and healing in Capernaum. |
Observation | What do we see in the text? Who speaks, what happens? | Four friends dig through a roof to reach Jesus. |
Meaning | What is the author saying about God, people and Jesus? | Jesus claims authority to forgive sin, and not only to heal. |
Application | What do we do with this? | Who in my life needs me to bring them to Jesus? |
You don’t have to follow it rigidly. The order simply stops you jumping to “what does this mean for me?” before you’ve listened to what the passage says.
Other ways to structure it
Some people prefer a lighter touch. The Swedish Method asks you to mark the passage with a lightbulb (something that stood out), a question mark (something you don’t understand) and an arrow (something to act on). It is a conversation starter that needs no preparation beyond a pen. If you find structured questions stiff, start there.
Our 15 discipleship questions are also handy to keep in your back pocket for when the conversation stalls.
Overcoming the common hesitations
“I’m afraid it will become a lifelong commitment.” This is a real barrier. People often imagine one to one reading as a lifetime pact. Leaders recommend framing it as a short, fixed-duration trial, for example six weeks. At the end you can stop, pause or start a new book. Nobody is offended.
“I don’t know enough.” You don’t need to. The facilitator only needs to be ready to read together and ask simple, open questions. If you hit a question you can’t answer, say so, write it down and look into it before next week. That honesty often teaches more than a tidy answer would.
“What if my friend isn’t a Christian?” Then ask more than you tell. Let the text speak. Jesus himself asked questions constantly. Your task is to be a faithful reader and a good listener, not to win an argument.
“I’m too busy.” Canberra is a busy city, and people have made this work in unlikely slots. A pastor and a businessman described in a Bible Society Australia story how they began meeting every Monday at 5.30am at a fast-food restaurant to read the Bible, journal and pray. Their time was early, and yours can be a lunch break near Civic or a walk around Lake Burley Griffin.
Practical tips that make it last
Keep it to an hour. Short meetings are easier to repeat.
Read the passage before you meet. Even one read-through helps.
Write one line each week. What stood out? What do you want to do about it?
Be honest about doubt. A reading partnership works only if both people can say “I’m not sure I believe that.”
Pray for each other in between. A text during the week is enough.
Finish well. At the end, talk about what you noticed in each other’s faith. Then decide whether to go on.
Our perspective
At Divergent Church we don’t see ourselves as simply a Sunday gathering. We want to form disciples of Jesus and a missional community that lives in the rhythms of this city: its universities, workplaces, neighbourhoods and the many people who are only here for a season.
That is why one to one reading matters to us. It is seed planted in ordinary soil. A student reads John with a flatmate. A public servant reads Philippians with a colleague over lunch. Nobody needs a stage. We have seen that when Scripture is read between friends, the questions become honest, and honest questions are where faith begins to take root.
We also think it is a safeguard. A church that depends wholly on a pulpit can produce spectators. A church where people open the Word with one another produces disciples, people who can say, as the psalmist did, that God’s word is a lamp to their feet (Psalm 119:105). Our conviction is that the Bible, not any of us, holds authority in the room, and that the best thing we can do for a friend is sit beside them and read.
If you’re exploring, you are welcome to ask any question. If you’ve followed Jesus for decades, consider who you could invite to read with you for six weeks. You may find you’re the one who is changed.
— Josh
Where to meet and how we can help in Canberra
If you are in Canberra or Queanbeyan and would like to try this, our Discipleship Hub is a good place to begin, and you can find out about our community life on the Grow page. You can also read about the role of discipleship in church.
Sometimes the hardest part is finding a quiet, comfortable room. Our Canberra City venue can be booked online: the Board Room is $25 per hour, the Seminar Room $50 per hour and the Auditorium $70 per hour. For two people reading together, the Board Room is plenty. Larger groups, such as a cluster of reading pairs who want to gather afterwards, may prefer the Seminar Room.
Where to go from here
If you’ve never read the Bible, begin with Mark. If you have, choose a short letter such as 1 Peter and invite someone. Settle on six weeks, put it in both diaries and keep the first meeting simple. We would love to hear how it goes. Our discussion of what scriptural living means is a natural next step when you finish.
FAQ
Do I need to be a Christian to read the Bible one to one?
No. Many one to one readings are between a Christian and a friend who is curious. The Christian’s role is to read honestly and ask open questions, and the non-Christian is free to disagree or to stop. Nobody is expected to pretend to believe anything.
How long should each session last, and for how many weeks?
About an hour a week works well for most people. Start with a fixed run of six to eight weeks, such as Mark’s Gospel over eight weeks. When it ends, you can decide together whether to keep going.
Do I need training or a pastor to lead one?
No. The Bible is the authority, not the person who invited you. You need to be ready to read together and ask simple questions such as what the passage says and what it shows about Jesus. Questions you can’t answer can wait until next week.
How is this different from a small group?
A small group has more voices and usually a leader and a shared study. One to one is two people, which makes it easier to be honest and to fit around busy schedules. Many people find they benefit from both.
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