100 Hours, 100 People: NGU students, faculty and supporters join together to read scripture
Photo courtesy by Rod Long on Unsplash
Romans 15:4 says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” At North Greenville University, the “100 Hours of Scripture” reading started on Monday, Sept. 21 at 8 a.m. and ended Friday, Sept. 25 at noon.
The NGU tradition called “100 Hours of Scripture” began in 2018. Over the past nine years, one week every fall has been devoted to reading through the bible for 100 hours. President of NGU, Gene Fant, originated the tradition. This year, Fant was the first one to read, and the second was the Vice President of Campus Ministry and Student Engagement, Jared Thomas.
Student Ministries Coordinator, Jon Ross Fordree, said “The purpose is to remind the student body, remind the community, of the foundational importance of scripture on our campus.”
Fordree was a student at NGU when the 100 hours of scripture reading began. The scripture reading is growing from just students and faculty, to people in the community.
“The first lady came and read for a bit, and a lawyer from Pickens is coming to read just because he really loves the university,” said Fordree.
The scripture reading starts from the very beginning at Genesis, but does not stop when the readers reach Revelation.
Fordree said, “Last year we made it all the way through the New Testament twice, and made it all the way through the Old Testament once and a little more of the Old Testament.”
Every hour between Monday morning and Friday afternoon is full. The sign ups are open to every hour in the day. The slots were quickly filled this year and, after signing up, Fordree did not get to read his hour.
“I went to take a Friday slot and a student came up to me after chapel and he didn’t have time to sign up and he asked for my slot, and honestly, I think it’s really admirable that students are so passionate about wanting to take part of this tradition and kind of get the importance of this tradition,” said Fordree.
Some years, the time slots were 30 minutes a piece. However, there has been a difference between 30 minute time slots and hour long time slots.
“It actually helps us cover more scripture and just continuous reading. People aren’t stopping, then starting, then stopping,” said Fordree.
Sophomore Reagan Jones was one of the 100 people who got to read an hour of scripture. This was the first year Jones heard about the 100 hours of scripture, so it was the first year she signed up. On Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 4 p.m., about halfway through the week, she picked up at Luke 1:1. Before Jones began reading, she had some expectations in mind.
“I don’t think I’ve read scripture for an entire hour. So, I really just wanted to challenge myself to just be alone with the Lord for an entire hour just reading,” said Jones.
More hopes that Jones had for her hour in scripture were to read a book she had never read and to be free of distractions.
After Jones’ hours of reading, she said it went by quicker than she had expected. While originally she was looking forward to getting scripture she was unfamiliar with, Jones said she knew the Lord is sovereign and knew he had given her Luke for a reason.
Jones said “I think the biggest thing was just reading a story that was so familiar, but fit together so well. I just saw a story playing out and it just didn’t stop, and that’s as it happened, which was really cool.”
