Over the past decade, 500,000 people in 2,000 churches went through the REVEAL Spiritual Life Survey. Big churches and small churches. From the east coast to the west coast. Baptists. Presbyterians. Vineyard. Non-denominational. And everything in between.
Here is what they discovered: It doesn’t matter if you are just beginning your spiritual journey or if you are a mature believer, the most powerful spiritual practice that you can engage in centers on the Bible. Reading it. Studying it. Meditating on it. Memorizing verses in it.
But here is what is also true… The open secret of many “Bible believing” churches is that only a very small percentage of their members study the Bible with even the degree of interest, intelligence, or joy they bring to bear on their newspapers or Time magazine. That is a quotation from theologian Dallas Willard. Over the past 15+ years of being a pastor, I have interacted with numerous Christians and pastors and churches across the country, and I have found that quote to be pretty accurate.
Christians often struggle with reading the Bible on a consistent basis because they don’t follow a plan. So they may read one book of the Bible (like Matthew) and then arbitrarily pick the next book to read (like Exodus). Or they play “Bible roulette” each day and randomly open their Bibles to a certain page or book and read what’s in front of them.
Reading the Bible in those ways is kind of like getting a gym membership but never showing up on a consistent basis, not setting any bodyweight or cardio goals, and randomly working out on one body part when you feel like doing so. You simply won’t get the results you want if you do that. You need a workout plan.
The same goes for reading the Bible. While there is no “best” way to read the Bible, the most important thing is to have a reading plan, and then follow it.
So that’s why I put together a Bible Reading Plan handout (by the way, it’s a newly “updated and expanded” version!). I am going to share it with everyone at The Mission (the church where I pastor) this coming Sunday (10/20/19) and wanted to share with everyone who reads my blog as well. It contains some FAQs about Bible reading and several detailed Bible reading plans.
Click HERE for a PDF version of it! May you be blessed as you read through the handout and may God use it to help you read and study your Bible like never before!
And one more thing… if you liked this blog, I think you’ll love my sermon THIS Sunday! Please join us at The Mission. My sermon is titled “I’m Just Not Being Fed!!!” Here is a sneak preview: one of the most common complaints among church goers across America is this: “I’m just not being fed.” I love to teach and believe one of my primary jobs is to feed you. But not so that you only “eat” once a week. I want to feed you… to make you hungry! To make you spiritually hungry so you are compelled to “feast” on God all week long. Please join us THIS Sunday Oct. 20th at one of our NEW service times — 9:15am or 11:00am — at The Mission (52767 Shelby Rd. in Shelby Township). More info at themission.church
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