Embark on a Bible reading journey
Psalm 1:1-3:
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
Bible reading is the practice of deliberately immersing ourselves frequently in Scripture. The Bible is a book that we believe was inspired by the Holy Spirit, given to us to ‘teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.’ (2 Timothy 3:16-17) If we want to grow in our relationship with God, it would make sense therefore to be reading, reflecting and studying the very book given to us by God for this purpose.
The Bible is a library of books, written across a long period of time in many literary genres. It details the history of the nation of Israel through history, poetry and prophecy. It gives accounts of the life of Jesus through autobiographical and instructional Gospels and the grand narrative of Scripture is the story of God’s purposes for you, me and His Kingdom here on earth. Reading this amazing book therefore can be complex and confusing, but it has the promise of being life-giving and transforming.
So how can we embark on a Bible reading journey? Here are some pointers to get started.
Make a plan
There are some great resources that can help you to read the Bible. Here are some we recommend:
The You Version Bible app has loads of ideas for Bible reading plans of varying lengths. The plans are grouped by subject or they have plans that cover a book or section of the Bible. If you’ve never done it before, start with a short plan that covers a topic you’re interested in or one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John).
Reading the whole Bible in a year. There are some excellent and manageable plans (with apps too) that help you to read the whole Bible in 1 year. Why not try Read Scripture, the HtB Bible in a Year or the Bible Project.
Get creative with a journaling Bible. These are Bible’s that create space to reflect, take notes and be creative as we read Scripture. There are many that are available here.
Be Consistent
Find a time and stick to it. For some that will be first thing in the morning, for others different times in the day. Work out a time that will allow you to stick to it consistently.
Ask Questions
Don’t read the Bible like you read the news or a novel. It is common to read something and not know what it means at first glance. Remember you are reading an ancient text which may not make immediate sense to us in our 21st Century, western context. So, invite the Holy Spirit to help you before you read and keep a notepad and pen with you whilst you read. When you have read a passage of Scripture ask:
What stood out to me when I read it?
What confused me when I read it and what questions might I have?
What does God seem to be doing in this passage?
What do I need to do as a result of reading it?
If you have questions, you can always email them to us and ask them (we love questions!). Or you could speak to a leader you know and trust, your cluster host or prayer pod.
Keep Going
It may be tempting to give up if you are reading something that is difficult to understand. Equally, if you are doing a reading plan and you fall behind it may seem discouraging and hard to get back on track.
Don’t give up! Reading the Bible is not a competition you have to ‘win’ at, nor is it an item on your Todo list you just need to tick off. If you are behind on a plan, use the ‘catch up’ feature to get back on track. If you find it seems dry or confusing, ask someone to help explain it to you. Pray and invite God to make the text come alive to you once more.
There are also good resources and commentaries if you have questions about a particular passage. Why not look at the GotQuestions website, or look up the passage on Bible Hub as that will point to others who have written and commentated on the passage you are reading.
Do It With Others
In the time the Bible was written, no one had their own personal copy! It was read out publicly and then discussed together as a group.
Why not embark on a Bible reading journey with your prayer pod or with a group of others? Many of the apps allow you to do that easily.
You could:
Suggest a plan to your prayer pod. Invite them to read a passage a day (or week) and then put a short voice note on WhatsApp with something that stood out to them.
Invite some friends to do a plan on the app with you (this is very easy on the You Version Bible app).
Further Info
Here’s a great podcast with Bishop Graham Tomlin on why it’s amazing to read Scripture and who we can do it better.
Tell us!
Why not let us know you are taking this step, using the form below so we can encourage you if you’d like.
