How Sweet Are Your Words: Geneva’s Cover to Cover Bible Reading Project

“In the beginning . . . the Lord spoke to Moses, saying . . . the list of the Levites according to their clans . . . Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign . . . You are my hiding place and shield; I hope in your word . . . if you will surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life will be spared . . . woe to him who gets evil gain for his house . . . the scribes and the Pharisees . . . it is finished . . . do all to the glory of God . . . Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time . . . come, Lord Jesus.”

If those sound like random verses from Scripture, they are! During the month of February, Geneva’s campus came together to participate in the Cover to Cover project, led by music professor and choir conductor David Smith, PhD, and the Genevans choir cabinet. The Genevans choir theme for this spring is “Word of God,” so many of their songs reflect the role, function, and delight of God’s word, and Dr. Smith wanted to get the whole campus involved. The idea behind Cover to Cover was to read through the entire Bible over the course of a week, beginning at the start of Chapel on a Wednesday and continuing until the beginning of chapel the next week.

From 8am to 10pm during the school week, 250 students and faculty continuously read the Bible aloud, from Genesis to Revelation. A reader and a “buddy” signed up together for each 6-minute time slot, reflecting that the word of God is meant to be heard. Participants read from the same Bible (one of the Bibles that each incoming student receives when they become a Geneva student), and that Bible was passed from hand to hand throughout the week. Professors had the opportunity to read during class time, and every few hours, the Bible changed locations. Through the week, Scripture was read in various locations across campus, including student dorms, the library, the cafeteria, and the student center. Cover to Cover ended when President Troup read the closing chapters of Revelation as students arrived at Chapel.

As a participant in Cover to Cover, I was greatly encouraged to read large sections of Scripture out loud within community. Most of us don’t get the chance to read passages regarding the ceremonial law, genealogies, or the minor prophets aloud, but though they are challenging, they are still the holy, inspired word of God. I had the opportunity to read from Exodus, Leviticus, Isaiah, Malachi, and Hebrews at various points with my brother, some friends, my fiancé, and one of my professors. In Leviticus, I was struck by the way the lengthy details of all the ceremonial washings and sacrifices reveal our utter need for Christ. The last chapters of Isaiah were a glorious reminder of the new creation to come.

I was encouraged to see so many people gather to read the word, as pairs of students and professors quietly handed off the Bible to one another, often lingering to hear the end of a chapter or the end of a story. I was encouraged to hear catches of the ten plagues in Egypt story or the plight of the Babylonian exiles as I completed schoolwork in the vicinity of the Bible reading. Some even followed the Bible around campus beyond their scheduled time, eager to hear the story of God’s redemption!

All in all, the Lord provided abundantly for the Cover to Cover project. By the end of the week, 100% of the reading slots were filled and the entire Bible was read in approximately 68 hours. Truly the psalmist was right: “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103, ESV).

By Sarabeth Schuck ‘25

Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.

Mar 12, 2025

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