Up for a Summer Challenge?

Summertime, summer holidays and maybe, for many of us, summer reading. What’s on your list this summer? What will get packed in your bag for the beach? Here Sammy shares her summer reading plans…some of which might surprise you!

Confession Time!

First, I have a confession to make… I’m not much of a reader. I read lots growing up…sometimes with a torch under a blanket when I was supposed to be asleep! I have a history degree from Oxford and learned why you ‘read’ for a degree. But reading 6-10 books a week got reading out of my system! This was a bit tricky when I went on to become a teacher and lecturer but that’s when I realised that I can read if there’s a purpose. But I no longer read for pleasure.

Another confession... I struggle to read but I like the idea of it. Lots of books will appeal to me and I’ll buy them. But amidst the juggle of a busy life, sitting down to read them never seems to reach the top of my priority list. So, the summer is my catch-up time when I look at my groaning bookshelves to see what I should rescue and actually… read!

A final confession… growing up, Cinderella was my favourite fairy tale. I loved looking at her dresses, imagining which one I’d choose. I would have loved to live in the age of the crinoline and ballgown! I’m a very visual person, so when I relax, instead of picking up a book, I like to watch something. And it’s no surprise to hear that period dramas are top of my list, including Bridgerton. There I’ve said it. Maybe some of you are horrified because of the s**. But I love how beautiful the drama is; the use of colour, the amazing dresses and yes, I’m a sucker for a bit of romance too. Of course, being a community evangelist, it does help to know what my friends and neighbours are talking about. Well, that’s my excuse anyway!

Rescue Mission...

So, what is actually on my summer reading list this year? What am I rescuing from my bookshelf and what else has caught my attention? Well, this year, God has been taking me on a journey with author, Richard Rohr. He keeps popping up in surprising places and God is definitely nudging me to explore his ideas, so my summer reading is a bit of a Rohr fest! I’m reading his book, ‘Falling Upwards’ because I love his idea that we spend the first half of life building a container, but that it’s only in the second half of life that we realise what we want to put in it.  Rohr also talks a lot about our ‘shadow sides’, the parts of our personalities that we often try to hide, but need to embrace and manage better to be our authentic selves. That’s why I’m planning to read his book on the Enneagram, which I’ll explore from a Christian perspective.

But it’s not all about Rohr in my summer reading list! Thankfully there’s an even better book, with the most compelling, challenging, adventurous authors. I’m of course talking about the Bible, and can’t wait to spend time digging deeper and exploring it further!

Here at Hope Together, we’ve been excited this year at the recent interest and research around the Bible. In March, SPCK reported that sales of Bibles had surged by 87% and whilst this is broader than Gen Z, the younger generation seem to be fuelling it as they turn to the Bible for meaning, mental health support and to explore faith. At the beginning of the year at Hope, we set ourselves a target of sharing 30,000 gospels in 2025 as part of our Great Gospel Giveaway Campaign. A big goal, right? Well, by May we’d already reached 65,000 and so extended the goal to 100,000! You can find out more about our Great Gospel Giveaway here

Hope Together is rooted in research. The resources we produce are always in response to what current research is telling us about the state of faith in the UK. This year the research seems to confirm this renewed interest in the Bible. In 2022, the Talking Jesus research (Hope Together, the Evangelical Alliance, Alpha, Kingsgate Community Church, and Luis Palau Association) showed us that 24% of practising Christians came to faith through reading the Bible; second only to growing up in a Christian family.  22% of non-Christians said they would read the Bible if they were interested in finding out more about the Christian faith, second only to Googling it!

‘The Quiet Revival’ research from the Bible Society in April, suggested that people are more open to both church and the Bible, especially amongst the younger generations. The research reported a rise in church attendance over the last 6 years particularly by young men. 1 in 3 people would try church if invited by a friend or family member, and 1 in 4 would give the Bible a try. What’s more, one third of 18–24-year-olds were interested in finding out more about the Bible.

Interest in the Bible is growing and the ‘Finding Jesus’ research from our friends at the Evangelical Alliance (June 2025) suggests that we are the people best placed to help explain it. Relationships and friendships are hugely significant in how people come to faith. So, it’s a radical thought, but after reading all these stats, can I suggest that the Bible is also on our summer reading list this year?!

One of my neighbours came to faith recently, and reading the Bible was a key part of his journey. He just couldn’t get enough of it! He devoured Mark, Luke, then John and Acts. The great news is that Hope Together produces beautiful gospels of Mark and Luke; and John is coming soon. Our gospels incorporate a simple design, contemporary illustrations with lots of white space to make them more accessible…and they come in audio book form too!  You can find out more in our shop here.

A Summer Reading Challenge

When my children were little, they often took part in the summer reading challenge hosted by our local library. They would get stickers for every book they read and a medal at the end. I’m afraid I can’t offer stickers or a medal, but I do have a summer reading challenge for us:

Could we read the Bible with our friends?

When my gospel-devouring-neighbour became a Christian, we used the Discovery Bible approach with him over WhatsApp. The Discovery approach asks four simple questions of a passage:

We took two days to read a short section and discussed what we’d noticed. In the following days, we reflected on what the passage said about God, people, and the difference it could make to our lives. It’s such a simple approach because no preparation or special knowledge is needed. Conversations are led by participants and the Holy Spirit, so there’s a genuine mutuality to it. To find out more about this approach check out the resources we have here.

Let’s get excited, because God is on the move! People in the UK are perhaps more spiritually curious than they have been in a long time, and we, as their Christian friends, are perfectly positioned to have conversations about faith and accompany people on their journey of discovery. Reading and discovering the Bible can be a significant part of that. Are you up for the challenge? There might not be a sticker or a medal at the end of the summer, but perhaps a Kingdom crown.

To sum things up...

What books are on your summer list? You might not be that interested in books by Rohr, but I strongly recommend getting stuck into the Bible, and inviting others along for the adventure. Why not buy yourself or a friend, a new devotion or translation (like the Hope Together gospels)? Or go somewhere exciting, relaxing or peaceful to read a chapter by yourself or with a friend. Let’s get sucked into the world’s best seller of all time!

Finally, wherever you are, and whatever books you pack, I hope you have a fab summer!