There’s nothing like a little momentum for keeping a good habit going. We hope you’ve enjoyed getting into God’s word this term and knowing Jesus better. The Christmas break is a great time to think about how you can keep reading God’s word for yourself. Whether you prefer printed notes or an app to use on your commute, there’s something for you.
Sometimes it’s good to slow down and really dig into one part of the Bible in more depth. If you like some questions to help you get into a Bible passage then using Bible notes can be a real help. Explore from The Good Book Company comes as both a printed booklet (available individually and also as a subscription) and also in their Explore app.
If you prefer something without a set schedule, then take a look at these undated devotionals from 10ofthose. In these notes you get a short thought on the set passage as well as a few questions to help you start thinking about what you’ve read.
To get a big sweep of scripture this year, an achievable goal is to read through the whole Bible in one year. The simplest way to read the Bible in a year is to aim for four chapters a day, which gives you a few spare days in the year to read something else. If you’ve got a temperament that prefers a plan you can tick off each day then here are two simple ones we’ve found. The first is the Tabletalk reading plan which has an Old Testament and New Testament reading for each day, and a spare day every week.
Even more minimalist is The Legacy Reading Plan. Instead of having set readings for each day it has set books for each month, as well as a set number of Psalms and Proverbs for each month. This gives you lots of flexibility but keeps you focused on specific books of the Bible.
For superb animated introductions to books of the Bible take a look at The Bible Project. Their app is called Read Scripture. It takes you through a simple undated reading plan of the whole Bible, with videos included along the way to help you understand a bit more of what you’re reading. There are no set questions, just passages of scripture for each session and a reminder to reflect and pray.
Finally don’t forget the St Helen's app, where you can listen to recent sermons as well as search the archives for old favourites.
However you keep reading your Bible this year, we’re praying that you keep walking closely with Jesus, knowing him, loving him and following him.