'Bible in a Year’ Fr. Mike Schmitz podcast resources
I want to grasp the story of the Bible, so I bought the “Bible in a Year” Fr. Mike Schmitz podcast resources for 2026.
I’ve never read the entire Bible all the way through. It wasn’t for lack of trying, I now realize, but lack of a guide.
So far, I’ve found the Great Adventure Bible the most helpful in starting my full-year journey.
Reading along while listening to the Fr. Mike Schmitz podcast has helped me focus, and the explanations at the beginning of each of the narrative time periods have answered questions not addressed in the podcast.
Here’s what I discovered and what you should consider when purchasing them, too.
Table of Contents ▼
A picture of the various resources available as companions to use with the popular podcast and YouTube Channel for Catholics (or any Christian, really), “The Bible in a Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz.”
About the Ascension Bible and podcast
Who created the Bible reading plan?
Renowned Catholic Bible scholar Jeff Cavins created this particular reading plan in response to his own struggles to understand Scripture.
He developed the Great Adventure Bible Timeline, which takes a groundbreaking approach to Bible study. It follows the narrative story of God’s people. It’s a full-year journey through Scripture.
Cavins is also from Minnesota, and like me, was raised Catholic but left for a protestant denomination as he struggled to connect his Catholic faith with a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
He became a Protestant pastor, developed Bible teaching tools, and eventually returned to Catholicism and continued his ministry as a Bible teacher.
Who is reading the Bible on the podcast?
Fr. Mike Schmitz, a Catholic priest, has shared how this particular reading plan has transformed his understanding of God's plan for his people.
He reads the Bible passages on his podcast each day. Schmitz wants you to not just read the Word, but to understand its application.
He adds current and historical stories and draws on Scripture scholars to further my understanding.
I’ve been following Schmitz for years now, and I’ve found him to be a trustworthy, humorous, and heartfelt guide when it comes to Scripture and understanding how to navigate faith in the modern world.
What does the ‘Bible in a Year’ podcast cover?
Starting with the first chapters of Genesis on January 1st, and going through the final Scripture readings in Revelation on December 31st, the podcast and resources allow you to see the Bible as a narrative story of God's promises to his people.
It's the amazing story of God creating Adam and Eve out of love, their fall, and God's quest to bring them back to his people. To bring all of us back to God through the resurrection of Jesus.
Why a guided Bible reading is helpful
I’m the kind of person who needs help understanding what I’m reading.
The Bible is a library of books, written by different authors over thoughts of years.
Each book is a different type of Scripture (history, narrative, law, prophecy, poetry, biography).
Each book should be understood within the context of how it was written and intended.
Each book intersects and connects with other books in remarkable and divine ways.
For example, Genesis is Hebrew poetry, so while it reflects God’s truth, it’s not wise to interpret it as a detailed historical account.
Why listen to the podcast?
You'll understand God's profound promise to all people.
Its length: It feels doable, with a 20-25 minute episode length.
It's a complete reading plan, meaning you'll read or listen to the full Bible
New videos are available on their YouTube channel.
It’s available on all podcast platforms.
It's the No. 1 religious podcast in the world, which is pretty inspiring.
There’s also a free app. Additional commentary is available in the paid version.
On the podcasts, Fr. Schmitz offers:
Brief context of each reading. My husband and I have found this has been helpful.
Guided prayer based on that day's readings.
How to apply Scripture to life today.
Special episode additions that include interviews with Cavins and explanations of pieces of the Bible
Please note: There are adult themes in the Bible.
Is this Catholic Bible Study for everyone?
Yes! Even if you're not practicing the Catholic religion, or you're a Christian of a different denomination, I believe this Bible in a Year podcast and related resource will help you understand the transformative power of God.
I know — I’m no longer a practicing Catholic, and I’m doing this study with my husband.
I grew up “culturally” Catholic in an Irish-German family in Minnesota, attended CCD on Wednesdays and mass on Christmas and Easter.
I attended a Catholic high school, and I was lucky to develop a faith foundation there.
As a young adult, I fell away and then returned to Catholic mass.
As my faith grew, and my desire to learn and grow closer to God magnified, I began attending protestant churches.
My husband and I now attend a large Lutheran church in our area.
Why do this Bible study if you’re not Catholic?
I’ve been amazed at how much listening to this podcast has helped me understand and deepen my understanding of the Bible.
There are many excellent Bible in a Year study guides, resources, and podcast options, of course.
I’ve just found the Bible in a Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz particularly helpful, so I decided to dive in.
While this one serves members of the Catholic Church, the focus on the narrative story of God’s people applies to all Christians - and any nonbelievers who are curious.
Why buy resources when the podcast is free?
You don’t need to buy them, actually. The team at Ascension is committed to keeping the Fr. Mike Schmitz Bible podcast and YouTube channel free.
It’s encouraging to hear that the plan is to translate the podcast and videos into other languages so this “no cost” resource is widely available.
In addition, you can download a free reading plan at Ascension.
Can I start the podcast without the resources?
After a few weeks of listening to the podcast for free, I realized I wanted to go deeper into understanding the timeline, read along with the same Bible Fr. Mike is reading from, and have a guide to refer back to.
What’s intriguing to me is how The Great Adventure Bible organizes the readings into the 14 narrative books that share the story of God’s people, and adds supplemental readings each day.
Ascension Press created these resources to help you better understand God's word.
That’s exactly what I want to dive deeper into this year: God’s bigger story. So I bought the additional resources.
Ascension presents: Fr. Mike Schmitz podcast resources
With Jeff Cavins’ color-coded tabs to help you follow along the 12-period timeline of The Great Adventure Bible, I appreciated how I could visually reference where in the Bible the daily reading is from.
The text is large enough not to make me have to squint, and while there’s some “ghosting” (as so often happens with Bible pages), it seems to be minimal. I’ve definitely seen worse.
Is it worth it? Yes, for many reasons.
I spent some time reading through the supplemental parts of this Bible, including the explanations before each of the 14 narrative periods. It’s so helpful!
The podcast only covers the narrative story, and many questions reading Scripture raises that Fr. Schmitz doesn’t have time to address in each episode.
That’s where the additional explanations come in handy. I’ve found myself reading the supplemental explainers after many of the daily readings.
A peek inside “The Great Adventure Catholic Bible,’ Second Edition.” Its color tabs and key events correspond with the Great Adventure Timeline.
The “Bible in a Year Companion” (Volume I pictured, there are three volumes in total) is a study guide by Fr. Mike Schmitz, Jeff Cavins, and Lavinia Spirito.
It includes bullet points (yes, bullet points!) for each reading to help you understand the Scripture and apply it to your life. It also makes it really easy to understand which of the additional verses you’re reading that day. They’re listed at the top of each page.
Is it worth it? Yes, because of the bullet points, the short summaries, and the occasional graphics (see the picture I took below).
This resource is accessible, doesn’t take much additional time to read or, honestly, skim, and it will help you understand the Bible passages for that day.
As you can see in the picture below, each day has brief reflection, prayer, and “dive deeper” sections that relate to the daily reading. It’s also available in Spanish.
A peek inside “The Bible in a Year Companion: Volume I.” It takes three volumes to share notes across an entire year of Bible readings!
I’m a fan of keeping my notes in one spot. I can be a little scatter-brained, so I was excited to see what “The Bible in A year Notebook” would look like on the inside.
It includes a helpful checklist of the reading plan, as well as space on each of its spiral-bound pages for reflection and application.
I appreciate the simplicity of the question on each page: “What do you see through the lens of Scripture?” That tends to be the theme of ‘The Bible in a Year’ Fr. Mike Schmitz resources.
Is it worth it? Not really.
The best part of this notebook is the ability to keep all your notes in one place. The spiral binding is helpful for writing, and while I thought the thickness would bother me, it really hasn’t.
If you are the kind of person who likes to have all the same resources, it might be worth it. But if you’re cash-strapped or have a favorite notebook or journal to use instead, then skip this purchase.
A peek inside the spiral-bound “The Bible in a Year Notebook” from Ascension.
My husband and I spent some time studying The Great Adventure Timeline Chart last night, and I appreciate its design and color-coded coordination with the other resources, including the Bible itself.
My husband was raised non-denominational, and we attend a large Lutheran church in our so, so he was unfamiliar with some of the books in the Catholic Bible that aren’t in the Protestant Bible.
Is it worth it? Maybe.
If you buy “The Great Adventure Catholic Bible, Second Edition,” you’ll also receive a folded timeline. I didn’t realize this when I ordered, so now I have two.
I do really like the design and the chart, and I fully expect to be using it this year.
‘The Great Adventure’ Bible Timeline Chart is a visual overview of salvation history by Jeff Cavins. It depicts the 12 distinct timelines of the Bible and shares the story of God and his people.
While not necessarily, if you like to have something physical to hold on to while finding the right passage, Ascension also offers color-coded Bible tabs specifically to help you follow the timeline.
Is it worth it? Maybe. It’s helpful, saves time and fuss, but not necessary — although I personally recommend Bible tabs.
While the Bible comes with ribbons to mark your spot, the tabs offer a quick way to find a specific book or passage. Especially if you are like me and can’t remember the order!
➡️ Should I use Bible tabs? 10 reasons why you should.
➡️ Tutorial: How to put on Bible tabs (with photos and tips)
➡️ Make flipping Bible pages easy: Here’s how to use the Great Adventure Catholic Bible Indexing Tabs
Great add-ons for Bible study
6. ‘Walking with God’ book
“Walking with God: A Journey through the Bible” by Tim Gray and Jeff Cavins will go deeper into the narrative story of the Bible, and is a great supplement that can help address questions not fully explored in the more limited time of the podcast (episodes are typically 20-30 minutes long).
Ascension, the publisher of other podcast resources, recommends this book as a supplement to the podcast for those who want to go deeper.
It serves as its backbone (Schmitz will occasionally read from it on the podcast). It shares the big picture while adding helpful context.
It helps listeners better understand connections made between Bible readings.
“A Catholic Guide to the Old Testament” by Jeff Cavins, Jeffrey L. Morrow, Biff Rocha, and Andrew Swafford uses the same Bible timeline system as the “Bible in a Year” Fr. Mike Schmitz podcast, and this book goes deeper.
It will answer questions you may find yourself asking that are not covered by the podcast, including historical context, authorship, key characters, theme, and links to Catholic traditions.
Readers say it helps them bridge their understanding between the New Testament and the Old Testament. Ascension promotes it as a companion to The Great Adventure Catholic Bible and the “Bible in a Year” podcast experience.
Explore some of the most-recommended Catholic apologetics books with our curated guide, which includes picks for beginners as well as those who want to go deeper. We’ve included books on Catholic conversion stories, the popes, Mary, and the Eucharist, and others.
If you’re struggling to explain to a Protestant friend or family member the reason behind your Catholic beliefs, these books will help you defend your faith.
When I first started reading and studying the Bible, I was scared to mark up my Bible. I know! It seems ridiculous now, especially since I learn best when I interact with the text by highlighting, underlining, or taking notes.
Thankfully, there are “Bible safe” highlighters available that are specifically designed to be used on the ultra-thin pages of most Bibles, including the Catholic Bible that I’m reading alongside Fr. Mike Schmitz’s podcast.
Underlining meaningful passages, taking notes in the margins, even adding a date and a memory, can make your Bible a personal treasure, one that reflects your story of reading the Bible and growing closer to God.
Archival-quality, “Bible-safe” pens are the go-to options, as they won’t bleed or smear. With multiple thickness options, you’re sure to find the best Bible pen for you.
Looking for more Bible resources?
➡️ The best apologetics study Bible
➡️ Tutorial: How to put on Bible tabs (with photos and tips)
➡️ Should I use Bible tabs? 10 reasons why you should.
➡️ Explore Fr. Mike Schmitz “Bible in a Year” resources.
Seeking an uplifting source of Christian encouragement? Join our free newsletter and receive testimonies, book and gift guides, journaling prompts, and more!
Mackenzie Ryan Walters is the author of “Faith Storytellers: Unleash the Power of Your Story,” which shares Christian testimonies and stories, as well as curated lists about Christian books, gifts, and more. A national award-winning former journalist who’s covered a presidential campaign, been inside NASA, and reported on education and schools, Mackenzie now edits the Faith Storytellers website and is passionate about lifting up and sharing the story God is writing in the world.
This post contains affiliate links. By using these links to make a purchase, you’re helping Faith Storytellers continue to share inspiring stories of God’s work in the world.