Every Christian I know holds the Bible in high regard. We carry them dutifully to church every week, own multiple copies, and download Bible apps to our phones. Unfortunately, despite our reverence for God’s Word and its extreme availability, surveys show both Biblical literacy and Scripture intake are at their lowest in generations. Why is it that those of us who earnestly believe the Bible to be the inerrant Word of God struggle to integrate it into our lives? Honestly, the why doesn’t even matter. The real question is what do we do about it?
When I became a Christian at 32, I thought I had a lot of catching up to do. Unlike so many others, I didn’t grow up attending church regularly. Within a year of coming to faith, I was diving into Scripture for the first time. As I poured over the pages and got to know the histories, parables, wisdom, and poetry, it was life-changing. There have been innumerable things that have stretched and deepened my Christian walk, but none so much as getting into God’s Word. This is why I’m passionate about helping others get into the Word.
Many of us fall into the routine of attending weekly services to be taught. We’ve been lulled into thinking a half-hour on Sunday is all we need in order to know and understand God and His will for us. I believe I speak on behalf of most preachers when I say their deep desire is for every believer to learn to read and interpret scripture personally. Sunday morning is the cherry on top of our weekly walk with God, it is not intended to be our sole soul sustenance.
At the beginning of this year I invited a few friends to get into the Word with me. We started in Luke and then moved to Acts. It was an incredible time of growth, community, and encouragement. The plan was reasonable and a bunch of us moved through it. Last week I invited my friends to get back on the journey with me. This time we’re going through the entire New Testament. 260 chapters. If we read five days a week, it will take exactly one year. The five-days-a-week plan gives us the flexibility to miss a day or two without getting too far behind. If we find ourselves a week behind, it’s still easy to catch up.
To help everyone out, I’ve got a Facebook group going. We can post encouragement, insights, and questions while also helping with accountability. Jump in any time you like, we’re right HERE.
I keep referring to this as a “bookmark plan” because if you’re using a physical Bible all you need is a bookmark. No checklists are necessary. Just move your bookmark every day and you’ll always know where you are. However…because many people love checklists, I’ve created one for you here: 260 Day Plan.
Join the journey. Get into the Word until the Word gets into you. Our first goal is to get into the habit of getting into Scripture. We’ll share tips along the way and introduce more ideas to help get you deeper into the Word and draw nearer to God.
Yesterday I shared my desire to start the year with a simple, approachable Bible reading strategy. As much as I love a good plan, the intent is for our time in the Word to be something enjoyable and uncomplicated. There are no formal checklists, questions, or study guides. Our goal isn’t to climb the highest mountain, but to take a few small steps.
To be honest, I had no expectations when I hit “publish.” Having strongly encouraged others to begin Bible reading with the books of Luke and Acts, I had a bit of an internal conviction. How could I continue to recommend something I’ve never done myself? There are no other words for it but to say I felt led to not only follow my own advice, but to do so publicly. I have no agenda and no formal structure. And yet…I start the New Year with quite a few brave souls who have said “I’m in.” I find myself craving structure that will allow us to connect and communicate. I want us to be in a small group, holding each other accountable and answering each others’ questions. I want that because I’m comfortable there. I love to hear what everyone else is experiencing. I love to answer questions. I love to hear how God is working in each person’s life. I love encouraging others, praying for them, and lending an empathetic ear when things aren’t going well.
My desire is to connect with and unite all of us who have expressed a desire to do this Luke/Acts plan. The original call, though, was simplicity. The call was to a personal journey through the scriptures. So, for now, I’m resisting complicating things by pulling everyone into a group. I’m not a ringleader, I’m a sojourner. Feel free to send me questions, observations, and feedback, but I’m not driving this bus. I love to hear about how people are engaging with the Word and what they are learning.
Today, on Day One, I’d like to share a few tips and answer a few common questions. If these are helpful, super. If not, that’s fine too. Share your own tips with me so we can all learn from each other.
What’s the schedule? The plan is to go through Luke and then Acts. I’m shooting for a chapter a day, with a little bit of built-in grace. For Luke I’m shooting for 6 chapters per week. For Acts I’m looking at 7 per week. If that’s too much, then just stop when there are natural breaks. My Bible has 6 headings within the first chapter of Luke, and each of those would be fine stopping points. The goal here is to find your own rhythm. Don’t let it become a burden, but don’t give up either.
What translation should I use? Whatever you’re comfortable with. There are a billion articles on the internet talking about the different English translations of the Bible. Most “ordinary” people I know still like the NIV. The more scholarly types I hang out with prefer the NASB or ESV because they are a more literal translation of the original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. The CSB is a newer translation that is approachable but is also sticks closely to the original text. Some people prefer the Message, which is a paraphrase and not a translation. Personally, I find it poetic and fine in small quantities but distracting. It is old enough now that the “modern language” found in it is already a bit dated. But, the best translation for you is the one you’ll actually read. Don’t force yourself into King James if the NIV is easier for you to read. If you grew up with the KJV and find the NIV or ESV to be too informal, then by all means continue on with King James! For this study, I’m going to be using my trusty ESV journaling Bible. I’ve carried this Bible to Brazil a number of times and have spent hours in it already. I can take notes in it, highlight it, and carry it around everywhere. Although I use the Bible on my phone a lot, there is something about a physical Bible that is more inviting and intimate.
What commentary do you recommend? My goal is still to keep this simple. Personally, the best approach I’ve found if you’re struggling to understand the text or if you find you have a lot of questions is to get a good study Bible. When I first became a Christian at the age of 32, one of my first purchases was an NIV study Bible. The footnotes and brief commentaries were helpful but not distracting. They were there if I needed them, but were out of the way if I didn’t. There wasn’t devotional content (which I find distracts from the text). I’ve since “upgraded” to a really big ESV study Bible that I got on sale a few years ago. It has a lot more content in it than the NIV Bible did, but either one is sufficient. There are good study Bibles in all the major translations. An alternative (and one that fits in nicely with the overall vision) is to write out your questions and stumbling blocks and then just keep reading. Don’t seek the answers yet, just let them simmer in your mind. You may find that the answers become apparent (or irrelevant) later. I’m not saying ignore your questions…I would never say that. I’m saying enjoy this first soak through these two books and then return later for a deeper dive. If you’re looking for more insight without any additional cost, check out my New Testament professor’s web site. Here is the link to Luke 1 and 2.
Any other advice? Pray. Persist. Pray some more. From the very opening chapter of Luke we see God responding to prayer. God acts. God moves us. Why not invite Him to illuminate His Word? Invite Him to continue to transform your mind, heart, and spirit as He draws you into His Word. Pray for persistence as you spend the next 2 months reading Luke and Acts. Pray for the Word to bring you joy, that you eagerly anticipate the next reading and that you begin to long for it. I’m already praying these things for all of us. Join me. I know we have a few non-Christians joining us as well. You all can go ahead and pray too, okay? What’s the worst thing that can happen?
If you have any other questions, please share. As part of my time in Luke and Acts every day, I will be praying for each of you. If there is anything specific I can pray for, let me know.
I’m thrilled that so many people have decided to join this journey and I’m excited to see all that the Lord is going to do.
