For 90 hours each spring, Christians in three Alabama communities gather to publically read God’s Word. Wilma Hart, director of Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) for Dale Baptist Association, started the Bible Reading Marathon in Ozark nine years ago, and one of her favorite things about the event is how it pulls together believers from all denominations.
“It’s not just Baptists. We include everybody,” said Hart, a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Ozark. “Our associational office puts it in the newsletter, our secretary sends postcards to every local church of every denomination. We encourage anyone to participate.”
Hart learned about the event via Bible Pathway Ministries, which has been hosting a Bible Reading Marathon in the Washington area for more than 20 years. The resources provided by Bible Pathway Ministries helped Hart know how to plan for a similar event in her town.
At the marathon, volunteers read portions of the Bible during their allotted time slots. Sometimes individuals read and in other cases families or groups share a time slot. The late night and early morning hours tend to be the most difficult times to find volunteers, Hart noted.
The Ozark event — which is held on the lawn of the town’s courthouse — served as the inspiration for a similar marathon in Troy, which is now in its sixth year. The Troy event is held in the square in the middle of downtown Troy.
“We were at a WMU meeting about seven years ago and our WMU director heard Wilma Hart from Ozark present about the Bible Reading Marathon,” said Linda Adams, who helps with the Troy event. “The program is coming along well and growing.”
A third Alabama location — Birmingham — is a newcomer to the Bible Reading Marathon. This was the second year for the event in the Magic City.
“We hold our event on Southside Baptist Church’s front steps,” said Ninfa Austin, a member of Liberty Park Baptist Church, Vestavia Hills. “It’s been very successful — even more this year than last, because word has spread since then.”
Though still a young event, Austin said there was immediate affinity for hosting a marathon in Birmingham.
“This is something that needs to take place on a yearly basis to help Birmingham join the network of people who do this internationally each year,” she said.
Regardless of location, the Bible Reading Marathons kick off at 3 p.m. on the Sunday afternoon prior to the first Thursday in May, which is the National Day of Prayer. The marathons culminate at noon on the first Thursday in May for a celebration of the National Day of Prayer. The celebration typically includes a brief sermon from a local minister as well as a time of worship through song.
“The beauty of this event is that it takes all of us working together,” Hart said.
“I could never do it by myself. It’s a great representation of peace and love.”
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