Utumishi Blog

“I’m struggling with the Bible-in-a-year reading plan. The chunks are just too big. I have to read up to five chapters per day.”

We can all identify with that feeling. What do we do about it? Three common responses:

1. Discipline. Grit your teeth and just do it!
2. Downgrade. Ok, maybe three to five chapters per day is a bit extreme. We’re all busy people. Leave once a year to the super apostles and go for one chapter a day.
3. Drift. Just quietly go back to occasional, haphazard, guilt-driven Bible reading.

Those aren’t the only options though. Recently a number of us have been getting excited about reading books of the Bible in one sitting. At the iServe Africa Ministry Training Course last week we listened as Emily read the letter of 1 Peter all through. I think for all us there it was the first time we listened to the whole thing in one go. I have to admit I was very nervous. Was this going to be a waste of valuable time? Was it going to be boring? Were people going to get restless and impatient? Would the reader be able to keep going? Oh me of little faith! It was great. Emily did a great job. We listened as if we were the first readers and it was very exciting and encouraging. And how long did the five chapters take? 16 minutes.

Do we have 16 minutes in our busy 21st century days? I think we do. Why not sit down and read Mark, or Revelation, or Hebrews or Judges, or Micah? NT Wright is absolutely brilliant on this point:

And in a very similar vein – for a heart-warming and practical theology of Bible reading Peter Mead’s Adoption and Bible Reading Workshop at Transformission 2012 is absolutely brilliant. You really need to listen to the whole audio and follow his argument – that we are fundamentally heart-driven and Bible reading is about exposing our hearts to the Lover God of the Bible – but if you want to fast-forward to his practical advice on a strategy for Bible reading that combines running through the Bible story with chewing on God’s word, and is all about knowing and enjoying God, then see this illustrated edit below:

One of Mead’s main points is that ‘once a year’ is too slow. Every three or four months is much better, more enjoyable and hence more achievable. If you’re up for the challenge, there’s a Read the Bible in 120 days website – with great articles and reading plans to download.