What is a Lectionary?

A lectionary is a structured Bible reading plan for public worship.

Instead of the pastor choosing random passages each week, the church follows a pre-arranged schedule of readings. On a given Sunday, every church using that lectionary is reading the same sections of Scripture.

It is not a replacement for preaching or personal Bible study. It is a tool that organizes how the Bible is read in gathered worship.

Lectionary Contents

That lectionary provides:

  • An Old Testament reading
  • A Psalm
  • A New Testament reading
  • A Gospel reading

Each Sunday’s readings are intentionally connected. They often share a theme, theological thread, or fulfillment pattern (for example, prophecy and fulfillment, law and grace, promise and completion in Christ).

There is also a daily lectionary for morning and evening prayer, which allows someone to read through most of the Bible over time.

Why Use a Lectionary?

1. It Exposes You to the Whole Bible

Left to ourselves, we tend to gravitate toward familiar or favorite passages. A lectionary ensures you hear:

  • Law and Gospel
  • Narrative and poetry
  • Prophets and epistles
  • Hard texts as well as comforting ones

Over time, this gives a more comprehensive biblical literacy.

Many evangelical churches emphasize expository preaching through books of the Bible. The lectionary accomplishes a similar goal, but in a cyclical, church-year pattern that ensures broad exposure rather than selective emphasis.

2. It Prevents Hobbyhorse Preaching

No pastor gets to preach only on preferred topics. The text for the day is assigned. That means:

  • Difficult doctrines cannot be avoided.
  • Controversial passages still get addressed.
  • The congregation receives the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).

3. It Ties Scripture to the Story of Redemption

The lectionary follows the Christian year:

  • Advent – longing for Christ’s coming
  • Christmas – incarnation
  • Epiphany – Christ revealed
  • Lent – repentance
  • Easter – resurrection
  • Pentecost – mission and church growth

This pattern immerses believers annually in the full arc of redemptive history rather than treating the Bible as disconnected moral lessons.

4. It Connects Us to the Historic Church

Christians across centuries have used structured readings. While the 2019 lectionary is modern, it stands in continuity with older Anglican and broader Christian traditions.

That continuity matters because Christianity is not a new movement. It is rooted in two millennia of worship, doctrine, and Scripture reading.

Are There Other Lectionaries?

Yes. Several exist, including:

  • The Roman Catholic lectionary
  • The Revised Common Lectionary (used by many mainline Protestant churches)
  • Older Anglican lectionaries
  • Various evangelical Bible-in-a-year plans

Our church plant uses the 2019 lectionary of the Anglican Church in North America because it reflects:

  • A strong commitment to biblical authority
  • Historic Christian doctrine
  • Reformation theology
  • Anglican liturgical structure

It is intentionally designed to be orthodox, Scripture-saturated, and accessible.

In Summary

The lectionary in the 2019 Book of Common Prayer is:

  • A structured Bible reading system
  • Designed to expose congregations to the breadth of Scripture
  • Rooted in historic Christian worship
  • Used by our church plant within the Anglican Church in North America

It is not about ritual for ritual’s sake. It is about letting Scripture shape the church, week after week, year after year.