In a word, no. Here’s why: it’s too myopic and and irrelevant for the average listener. Instead, to get the flow and theme of God’s revelation, a faster pace of teaching must be employed. Here is what I am saying, worded differently: the totality of scripture needs to be kept in mind when studying discrete parts of it. Therefore, it will benefit the congregation to see the overall theme clearly while examining the parts.

I heard reports that someone finally preached through the bible after some 40 years of ministry. Also, I know a pastor who took 4 years to preach through the book of Hebrews. Of course if the church is reading through their bible every year, they might not be as disadvantaged as some. But the question must be asked: why not preach in conjunction with what the congregation is reading?

Here is a method I learned from a former pastor (Richard V. Clearwaters), which, at least in my mind, is the best strategy for both church and pastor. This method features the congregation being committed to read through the bible in a year with everyone following the same schedule. It starts with Genesis 1 -4 on Jan. 1 of the year and everyday 3-4 chapters are read sequentially. In actuality, it takes reading 3.25 chapters per day to finish the bible in a year; therefore, the plan will need some light editing to include the contexts for both days and weeks. Every daily reading should respect the context, and so the reading plan needs format sensitivity when laying out its allotments. God has designed a weekly cycle of observance and “rest” for his people when they meet together for teaching and fellowship, so the reading plan should be sensitive to weekly contextual concerns as well.

Here’s how the plan works practically: Let’s say the congregation and pastor has read the approximately 25 chapters during the past week. Therefore, everyone has some idea and questions of what will be studied in that week’s sermon. The pastor will have a large enough palette from which to choose his topic for that weekly message. In subsequent years, the pastor will pick another thought unit in those 25 chapters and preach that section exegetically and intensively for that week.

The Sunday School can likewise be tailored to this advantage of everyone reading the same text by answering questions not covered in the sermon. This is a more appropriate place for verse by verse instruction since questions may be fielded and interaction generated for better understanding. These teaching and learning strategies can be modified to include special days throughout the year as well. The pastor and congregation may want to have topical themes on Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, etc. In many ways, having a plan as a society (church, family, classroom) to study the same texts can provide good collaboration and learning.