Comments on: Bible Reading Plans

By: David Reimer

David Reimer — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 09:58:00 +0000

I am among those who enjoy the annual pilgrimage through M'Cheyne's calendar of readings. Those interested in this scheme might also like to know about Ben Edgington's RSS feed which can be configured in quite a variety of ways.

David Reimer

By: Berean Wife

Berean Wife — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:14:00 +0000

Thanks for the Bible Reading plans information. Does anyone have a recommendation for an Audio Bible Podcast? One that will download that day’s audio portion? Preferably in KJV or ESV translations.

Berean Wife

By: Dale

Dale — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 18:37:00 +0000

Thanks! I have done the same research over the past few years and have tried several different plans. (A recent survey by Back to the Bible showed that people are more likely to stick with Bible reading if they have a plan to follow.) You did not mention a chronological plan, of which there are several available. I looked forward to this approach, but after 5 months, jumped to the NT for a month, then went back to catch up. For one reason or another, I was not completely satisfied with any one plan, and some of these reasons have been mentioned. This year I created one to emphasize continuity – reading through complete books, mix of OT and NT, combining similar genres and content, and left Saturdays as a free day to catch up, or reread passages that may have been a particular blessing or not easily understood,woodync or to read ahead if a busy week is coming up. For example, I have Hebrews following Leviticus. Although Hebrews does not directly cite Leviticus, the content of both books help explain each other. I have tried to do this with prophetic books, too. (Sorry this is so long.)

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:40:00 +0000

Thanks for putting all these together! The Discipleship Journal is that many folks in my area jumped onto and has really been great. I wrote an extended post about that one.

http://william.petruzzo.com/2008/06/21/a-good-bible-reading-plan-to-plan-on-reading/

I pulled together five ways keep up with it. PDF pamphlet, Microsoft Scheduler, iCal, CRC Church Website and a public Google Calendar. It seems folks in my area have found it pretty helpful.

Thanks again for the suggestions. I'll keep this post in mind for when I'm ready to switch to something new.

By: Tyler Kenney

Tyler Kenney — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 07:20:00 +0000

Thanks for this post, Justin.

If I may add to an already great list, there is a plan from Treasuring Christ Church in Raleigh, NC that follows the Hebrew order of the OT (which some argue is theologically significant–see the first article in the latest Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society).

This plan covers the entire Bible in one year, with two passages each day (one from the OT, and one from the NT).

http://www.treasuringchristchurch.com/uploads/files/biblereadingplan_2009.pdf

By: David McKay

David McKay — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:21:00 +0000

One advantage of reading from several parts of the Bible at once is all the connections you find.

In Psalms you read a reference to Og, King of Bashan, whom you have just been reading about in Deuteronomy, or in the New Testament you come across a Christological interpretation of some innocent sounding passage in Leviticus.

By: Randy

Randy — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:08:00 +0000

Yes, very good post. I have done both the DJ and the One Year Bible and loved them both for different reasons. I am going to go with the ESV one for 2009. Thanks!

By: Stephen Ley

Stephen Ley — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:30:00 +0000

I followed the Navigator’s one year/25 days a month plan in 2008 using the ESV Reformation Study Bible from Ligonier. It was awesome! I was amazed by the parallels I kept running into when reading from 4 parts of Scripture each day.

And having those 5 catch-up days was useful.

By: Christoph

Christoph — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:57:00 +0000

Thanks!
I like the 3-1-1 plan. 3 chapters in the OT, 1 in the Gospels, 1 in the Epistles. Start over once you finish the Gospels and Epistles (and I guess the OT, too! :) )
You can dedicate 1 day a week to read 5 Psalms and 1 Proverb, or just read those as part of the OT.
That way you will read the OT once a year and the Epistles and Gospels several times.
The best thing: If you miss, you just pick up where you left off.

By: David McKay

David McKay — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:55:00 +0000

Hi Justin and others.
I have enjoyed reading through the Bible seven times over the past four years.

I have sympathy with what Jake said about reading several books at once.

At first, I was modifying Michael Coley’s chart
See http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.html
and reading a book at a time, and taking about 4 or 5 months to read through the entire Bible.

But after reading through the TNIV, the ESV Reformation Study Bible, the NIV Archaeological Study Bible, the New Living Translation, second edition, the Good News Bible, Australian edition and “The Books of the Bible: a presentation of Today’s New International Version,” I felt able to read several books at a time, and so when I read through the New Jerusalem Study Bible, I did it fairly rapidly and read several different passages each day and did not feel too confused.

It is well worth us Protestants reading through the Apocrypha. I found some treasures and useful background in parts of these books, though I’m still sure they are not part of the canon of Scripture.

It is interesting that the chart in the ESV Study Bible, which I received for Christmas has quite a few similarities with the order of the Bible books in “The Books of the Bible.”

I’m really looking forward to my 8th read through, which will be, God being my helper, the ESV Study Bible, biblical text and study notes and articles.

By: Mark and Maki

Mark and Maki — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:28:00 +0000

JMH,

For deeper study I have mixed my routine with study questions from the book, "Search The Scriptures" by Alan M. Sibbs.
http://www.amazon.com/Search-Scriptures-Study-Guide-Bible/dp/0830811206/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230711958&sr=8-1

This book has given me the tools to dig in deeper to the text myself by answering questions each day about the text itself. By mining each passage, and then recording my thoughts, I have been able to grow in new ways just by reading and studying God's Word. I love it. Of course reading is also important, so I keep a Bible reading plan for the breadth. All of this can be done in about 30 minutes a day in my experience.

Blessings to you!
And JT, thank you for this post!

By: brouz

brouz — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:02:00 +0000

Thank you for this, Justin. I was just trying to plan how to read my new ESV Study Bible in 2009 and then you post this! Awesome.

Thank you, also, for posting the free Theology program on iTunes. I'll be tuning into that.

I check this blog every day now. Thanks!

By: Johnny

Johnny — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 04:56:00 +0000

I, personally, have loved using the M’Cheyne reading plan. Yes, it does feel very wide, but it also helps me bridge connections between different parts of the Bible.

Secondly, I’ve been using Carson’s commentary to read along with the M’Cheyne plan, and they have been extremely helpful. I highly recommend those two volumes / books.

By: JMH

JMH — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 03:47:00 +0000

This is great, JT, thanks.

Here's a question: Does anybody else not enjoy reading 4 separate passages every day? When I (unsuccessfully) tried M'Cheyne last year, I altered it to read 4 chapters of the same book every morning, and alternated between two books at a time.

With 4 different passages, I feel like my reading is a mile wide and an inch deep. I can see benefits to it, but it makes be feel unsettled. Anybody else?

By: Blake White

Blake White — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:49:00 +0000

Wow. Thanks for serving us with this post!