Have you ever wanted to read the Bible from cover to cover but can't seem to stick to it for a year? Join us as we read the entirety of the scriptures in the month of January! Before you immediately think "There's no way I could do that," hear these few important things:
It takes around 2 hours a day. Think about all the things you do that take up 2 hours of your day: TV, social media, YouTube, etc. You can do it!
We're looking for major themes, so we'll read fast. The goal is to get the grand scope of the story of God, not to drill down into specifics.
We'll do it in community! You will be able to see everyone's feedback and encouragement through the app, and we will gather on Sunday nights after Prayer Gathering to encourage one another and hear what God is doing.
While we read, we will be raising money for Bible translations for unreached people groups around the world. Even if you can't read, we encourage you to give in the month of January to God's work around the globe. More information to come on this!
Join us through the YouVersion app! Plan starts on January 1.
Read the Bible in 30 Days: 10 Tips
We are looking for big motifs. The point of this style of reading is to see the big picture, which might be different from your devotional style of reading. Look for the big movements, what the author is trying to communicate by jamming all these stories or passages together.
Read quickly, and don't feel guilty about it. We are aiming to see the big picture of Scriptural unity and continuity. If you don't complete the readings you won't see the readings. We want you to see the scope of Scripture, so make finishing your priority. That will probably involve some level of skimming on some days.
Expect this to take 2 hours a day. Break it up with your phone, daily commute etc. You probably won't be able to complete it if you think you can carry on with Netflix at night, social media scrolling, etc. It will have to replace some stuff. Get creative.
Try not to make too many notes. Observe big things. Make a plan to come back and study things that jump out at you. Make the priority finishing your daily reading.
Don't reduce God's working in your life to a devotional moment. There may be days where these long readings feel more like work than any experienced spiritual encounter. The point is to actually create Scriptural context for you in the future-to hear God's voice clearer through your developed understanding of the arc of the Biblical story.
If you want to go a little deeper, a Bible Encyclopedia such as Baker or the Bible Project videos are great to read on given books before you read them. These short entries or videos can help you see what you should be seeing and pay attention to the author's circumstance, theological point, and emphases.
If you feel like you're not going to complete your readings in a day, skim and just finish. Make finishing the priority, not understanding everything you read. This will keep you from abandoning this project. There will be some days that you'll lose steam. By skimming to finish, you'll keep up your momentum for the next day's reading. Momentum (consecutive completion of days readings) is your precious treasure. Guard it at all costs.
Try to knock out half of your reading in the morning before you get your day started. This will make the rest of the day a piece of cake.
Delete your social media/time wasting apps for the month of January. Literally move the Bible app to the spot on your phone where your most used social media app is now. You’ll involuntarily click it and be there already so you might as well knock out a couple of chapters.
Invite the Holy Spirit into the craziness of reading massive swaths of Scripture. He is the best teacher and will lead you better than any tip you can receive.
Tips 1–7 via @nathanfinochio on Instagram. Tips 8–10 added.