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impact that exploring Christianity can have on lives. In his first year at Cambridge University, Nicky was an ‘argumentative atheist’, so was taken aback when two of his friends became Christian.

‘When our friends said that they’d become Christians, I thought I would explore faith to get them out of it,’ he recalls. ‘But I ended up reading the New Testament. I had an old copy from RE at school and began reading Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The story had a ring of truth. I encountered Jesus, and that changed everything for me.’

Before leaving for university Nicky was already friends with Pippa. She says that when he returned he was a ‘zealous’ Christian. ‘He came to me at a party, told me that I looked awful and that I needed Jesus,’ she remembers. ‘And I thought he’d gone completely crazy.’

Faith was not a particularly familiar concept to Pippa.

‘I grew up in a nominally Christian household, but it wasn’t something we talked about,’ she says. ‘I’d never heard about having a personal relationship with Jesus. I didn’t read my Bible or pray.

‘When I was 18 a group of young

Turn to page 10 f people, who had arrived in London and wanted to share their faith, converted a nearby garage into a soup kitchen for friends to drop in. And I started dropping in. I had no idea they were Christians. But I liked them. They were kind, loving and had purpose in their lives, very different from the superficial world that I was in.

‘Then one day, somebody opened the Bible and explained it to me, using John 10:10, where Jesus said: “I have come so that you might have life, and life in all its fullness.” I thought: “That’s what I want.” And I prayed the first meaningful prayer I’d ever prayed.’ which God speaks today. I want to hear what God is saying to me today.’

Material things alone don’t satisfy

The idea for Bible in One Year – now a range of resources designed to help people access the Scriptures – came about when a member of one of their Alpha groups admitted that he was struggling to read the Bible. Nicky offered to send him thoughts on the Bible for each day. Eventually he began sharing them with his church congregation too. ‘It evolved into something so much bigger than we ever imagined,’ says Pippa.

their workplace, their marriage, with their children and parents. We’re trying to help people see the relevance of the Bible and help people with some of the more difficult passages.’

Pippa adds that the Bible in One Year readings are easy to integrate into daily routines.

‘Many people use the app while they’re running or going to work. It can be part of your busy life. And a lot of people who don’t like to read books like to hear a podcast.’

Ever since Pippa and Nicky found faith through it, the Bible has remained integral to their lives.

‘I love the Bible,’ says Nicky. ‘I can hardly think of a day I’ve not spent some time with it. Just as I can hardly think of a day I’ve missed breakfast, because I need physical food, I also need spiritual food.

‘Jesus said that human beings can’t live on bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. In other words, food and material things alone don’t satisfy. The Bible is not only the word of God, but it is the book through

Bible in One Year grew into a website, a podcast and an audio app, which splits the Bible into 365 days of readings and which features commentaries from Nicky and Pippa on each passage. The app, launched in 2011, has more than one million users worldwide.

Nicky says: ‘Loads of people ask, “I’d like to get into reading the Bible, but how do I access it?” I think Bible in One Year is an easy way to access it, because you have a balanced diet of Psalms, New Testament and Old Testament.

‘This can help people to read in an accessible way. They don’t want to just read it; they want to know how a passage is relevant to them today in

However, for those who prefer the written word, Bible in One Year has now been published in book form.

Nicky says that the resources attract all kinds of readers and listeners.

‘Even for a lot of people who wouldn’t call themselves Christians, it’s on their bucket list to have read the Bible. Whether you’re a Christian or not, it is one of the greatest works of literature of all time – the most popular, most published and most powerful book in the world. Why would you not read it at some point during your life?’

For some, believing in the God of the Bible is too much of a leap of faith. But, says Nicky, we all trust in something.

‘Everyone has faith. Sometimes people say to me: “Oh, I envy your faith.” But

Bible in One Year is available as a podcast and on an app everyone has it. Every time you get on an aeroplane, you’re exercising it. You haven’t interviewed the pilot to find out if he has passed all his exams or checked the plane to see if the engine is running. It’s a perfectly rational thing to get on an aeroplane, but it’s an act of faith.

‘Going on a date with someone is an act of faith. When you get married, that’s an even greater act of faith. Everything important in life involves faith. You can’t see love. But we believe love is real. And faith is real.

‘The ultimate act of faith is to put it in someone you can’t see. Jesus is someone you can’t see. But you can read about him in the New Testament. In the Letter to the Romans, Paul says that faith comes through hearing the word of God, the Bible. That’s what we’re finding with the Bible in One Year – people are becoming Christians through reading the word of God.’

Many Christians see their faith as not simply a religion, but a personal relationship with Jesus. Nicky says that prayer, or talking to Jesus, is a key component of Christianity.

‘Every relationship grows through communication. It’s the same with Jesus – the more you communicate, the closer you are to him. Communication is praying, speaking to him, but I also believe, most importantly of all, he speaks to us. And the main way he speaks is through the Bible.

‘Each day you can pray, “Lord, please speak to me through your word”, and then expect that God will speak to you, feed your soul and satisfy your spiritual hunger every day.’

Pippa also sees her relationship with Jesus as central to her life.

‘He is my saviour, but he’s also my friend. He saves me from what’s known as our sins – failings and shortcomings – and I can know him personally. He has died, forgiven me for my sins and conquered death.’

Over many years of ministry, the couple’s relationship with God has evolved, while remaining a constant for them, in good times and bad.

‘A relationship develops as you know someone longer,’ says Pippa. ‘You’ve gone through the highs, the lows and the times where you wonder: “God where are you? What’s going on?”

‘But the amazing thing is that faith is always there. It has taken the hard knocks of life, but in a sense it makes it all the richer for the difficult times God has brought you through. God is there even in the deepest, darkest moments, and that makes all the difference.’ l Bible in One Year: With Commentary by Nicky and Pippa Gumbel is published by Hodder & Stoughton

THE War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their circumstances, for publication. Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk or to War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.

jBecoming a Christian

There is no set formula to becoming a Christian, but many people have found saying this prayer to be a helpful first step to a relationship with God

Lord Jesus Christ, I am truly sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong.

Thank you that you died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free.

Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your Holy Spirit. Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me for ever.

Thank you, Lord Jesus.

Amen