Reading the entire Bible from start to finish is,
just like a marathon, an astonishing feat. At an average reading pace, the reader will spendbetween 60 and 75 hours completing the task.
Reading the entire Bible from start to finish is,
just like a marathon, an astonishing feat. At an average reading pace, the reader will spendbetween 60 and 75 hours completing the task.
Reading the entire Bible from start to finish is,
just like a marathon, an astonishing feat. At an average reading pace, the reader will spendbetween 60 and 75 hours completing the task.
THE STORY OF
Why we do what we do
The Holy Bible is the most printed book in existence. It is the reason the printing press was invented. It is also by far the most influential book ever written, and has new and deeper meaning each time it is opened. The Bible has miraculously told exactly the same story of human weakness followed by God’s redemption, healing, and love, while still presenting a personal story and message for each individual reader.
We created 39+27 to encourage those who have not read the Bible in its entirety, and to give those that have a way to celebrate this monumental accomplishment.
But why stickers? Why do people put stickers on their vehicles? Maybe to brag. Maybe. But maybe because it tells you something about yourself. You have expanded the limits of you. You have moved from the land of Someday to the land of Done. Completing an overwhelming task such as running a marathon or reading the entire Bible deserves a reminder that you have done something wonderful, something that is part of the essence of who you are and who you are still becoming. Furthermore, having a sticker in a conspicuous place is both a personal testimony for others to know what you value and an opportunity to start a conversation if someone were to ask “What does that sticker mean?”
Additionally, a surprisingly large number of Christians study the Bible regularly and try their best to follow its teachings, yet few have actually read God’s word cover to cover. As good as the Bible is as a collection of chapters, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. When you read the Bible as a whole, you pick up themes and patterns that aren't apparent when looking at the individual pieces.
The idea of 39+27 was born from 26.2
Spend a few hours in a car and sooner or later you’ll see someone with an oval shaped 26.2 bumper sticker.
26.2 is, of course, the distance of a marathon in miles. That sticker is an announcement that someone has successfully completed an entire marathon, an astonishing feat that only 0.5% of the American population has accomplished. Completing a 26.2 mile run is a strenuous and formidable task requiring immensely difficult training, a daunting goal requiring planning and hundreds of miles in preparation.
But runners will tell you that running the marathon is so much more than just picking up and putting your feet down roughly 33,000 times. They’ll tell you that your mind wants to quit long before your legs do. They will tell you that sometimes that’s the biggest hurdle. So, successfully completing a marathon is more about the changes in your mind than those in your body. It changes your attitude, your attitude changes your behavior, and your behavior changes your life.
That’s where 39+27 comes in. There are 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament. Reading the entire Bible from start to finish is, just like a marathon, an astonishing feat. At an average reading pace, the reader will spend between 60 and 75 hours completing the task. That amount of time is equivalent to 12 minutes every day for a year, 5 hours a week for 15 weeks (about the average training time for a marathon!), or 12 hours a day for a week. But, also just like a marathon, we firmly believe that the process of reading the 66 books filled with God’s word is life changing. More emphatically, we believe it’s impossible for the challenge to not change your life.
Proof of this life-changing power can be found in nearly every hotel room nightstand. Thousands of lives have been changed and saved by a Bible placed by The Gideons. Click here for a few amazing testimonials.
We set out on a mission to create something that is inspiring, not only for the person that completed the reading, but also for the people that see the sticker. Perhaps the sticker will inspire others to immerse themselves into God’s word and accept the challenge. Isaiah 55:11 says, "my word...will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire".
So, are you ready to tackle this challenge, or have you already completed this Bible marathon? Are you ready to inspire yourself and others to immerse themselves in the word of God for a life-changing experience? Display a 39+27 sticker on your car! You can order from the home page of our website