Annual Bible Reading
As the old saying goes, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." This is as true with regular time in the Word as anything else. I can't read it for you, but every year, I do strive to provide several options you can use as a plan to read the Bible more this year than you did last. Getting through Leviticus or 1 and 2 Chronicle is already tough enough. So help yourself out, choose one of these plans, and get ready to get started.
READ THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
READ THE NEW TESTAMENT
For some of you, the whole Bible might seem daunting. Set the New Testament as a goal. The first real Bible reading I did on my own was reading the New Testament. I started in Matthew and read through to Revelation. When I got to the end, I didn't know exactly what to do, so I did it again.
You could use any of the plans above and just do the New Testament readings or here are a couple of other options.
LISTEN TO THE BIBLE
ESV Podcasts - I did this for the first time a couple of years back. It took a little getting used to. But the folks at Crossway Publishing are taking this to the next level. They are putting together a number of podcasts with different narrators and different approaches to the text. If you think this is for you, follow the link, choose a plan, and subscribe to the particular podcast you want to follow. You should start getting updates on Jan 1.
READ THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
- 5 Days A Week - this is the method I have used most. Reading Monday-Friday, starting in Genesis 1 straight through to Revelation 22, 4-5 chapters a day. You can uses this guide to come up with your own plan
- Navigators - The Navigators have been putting out a Bible reading plan for years. Following this plan, you'll read from Old and New Testament readings each day. For more options from Navigators, go here.
- Chronological Reading Plan - This is like watching the Star Wars movies in the order they actually occur rather than the order they were made, but even better. The idea is to read the events of the Bible in historical order rather than the order they are placed within the Bible.
- 52 Week Bible Plan - this plan will get you through the Bible in a year, reading a different genre each day.
- Robert Murray M'Cheyne Plan - this is a classic plan that's been around for many years. If you work on it, you will read the Old Testament once, and the Psalms and the New Testament twice.
- Professor Grant Horner's System - This will have you reading ten chapters a day, from 10 lists. Take time to read about how Professor Grant Horner came up with it.
READ THE NEW TESTAMENT
For some of you, the whole Bible might seem daunting. Set the New Testament as a goal. The first real Bible reading I did on my own was reading the New Testament. I started in Matthew and read through to Revelation. When I got to the end, I didn't know exactly what to do, so I did it again.
You could use any of the plans above and just do the New Testament readings or here are a couple of other options.
- ESV New Testament in 6 Months - this is exactly what it sounds like.
- Navigators 5x5x5 - this will give you a year to finish the New Testament in a year. But, read the description on the pdf, the intent is to give you time to dig deeper not just read less.
LISTEN TO THE BIBLE
ESV Podcasts - I did this for the first time a couple of years back. It took a little getting used to. But the folks at Crossway Publishing are taking this to the next level. They are putting together a number of podcasts with different narrators and different approaches to the text. If you think this is for you, follow the link, choose a plan, and subscribe to the particular podcast you want to follow. You should start getting updates on Jan 1.