Many of you began the year starting a new bible reading plan. As we’re more than half-way through the year I thought it would be beneficial to have a check-up and see how you’re all doing.
It was 2009 (or maybe late 2008) when I began using Professor Grant Horner’s Bible Reading System. Ten chapters of the Bible a day and in various genres. It was a mammoth task at first, but soon became a necessary hunger. I highly recommend everyone take a period of their life to soak themselves in the Word using this technique. After several months I did make some changes to the plan (eg. I added Acts to the Gospel list, and isolated Romans to be read each month). One reader of the this blog designed some new bookmarks for the system and that post is still one of the most popular posts hosted here at NWBingham.com. There is a large segment of Christians searching for details on, and I trust using, Horner’s system. That’s so encouraging.
However, in 2010 I wanted to try something different. Ten chapters was a lot to digest every day. After a year of surveying much of the Scriptures I wanted to slow down and enjoy more of the scenery. My wife had also just finished her “read the Bible in one year Genesis to Revelation” plan, and so we were ready to start something together. Starting January 1st 2010, my wife and I began using the Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s Bible Reading Plan (download printable versions here). This plan requires four chapters of the Bible to be read each day, and it will take you through the Old Testament once, and through the New Testament and the Psalms twice, each year. The slower pace has allowed me more time to chew over and meditate upon the Scriptures. Doing the same plan in unison with my wife has allowed me to discuss the Scriptures most days with her, discuss difficult passages, share insights, and compare how certain portions of each day’s reading challenged / exhorted / encouraged each of us differently.
On a side note, if anyone is willing to design an A5 (or various) version of the plan in a clean and modern design, I’d be willing to host it here and give you a link to your blog, etc.
So, over six months in and how am I travelling? I’m up to date and the Lord has blessed me as I’ve been feeding upon His Word. God is very gracious. But how about you? I asked those on Twitter and Facebook how they’re going with their Bible Reading Plans and here is what some of them said:
@briantanner513: “I use Prof. Horner’s Bible reading system I at least read 5 chapters a day if I can’t get to all 10 chapters.” (download it here & alternative bookmarks here)
@gottheology: “I still am but I am about a month behind. I decided to take a slower pace about a month ago…I did the discipleship journal yearly plan.” (download it here)
@jerrybrown: “Still sticking w reading plan. Do a different one ea yr, can’t really go w/out it. Gives structure to study.”
@dereklbrowning: “this year I’ve started 3 or 4 times (different plans for self & family) all are slow going and some are stopped.”
J.m. Vergara: “I’ve been using Prof. Grant Horner’s Bible Reading System. If anything, it taught me to love the Word of the Lord. Though there is still much to read it is only now that I can truly say that I am acquainted well with God in the Bible.” (download it here & alternative bookmarks here)
David Eckert: “It has taught me to be content and to place all my faith in the Lord. God is great and His words only prove it. I am half way through now and my Faith in Him is much stronger.”
So what’s my number one tip for anyone using (or thinking of using) a Bible reading plan? If you fall behind in your reading don’t force yourself to catch up. Bible reading plans can become a source of pride and legalism. They can also become a burden difficult to bare. Reading the Word of God is a joy for the Christian – so don’t make it otherwise. I’m not encouraging you to fall behind, nor am I forbidding you from catching up if you can manage. The focus is you being in the Scriptures and not you perfectly completing a plan. If you miss a day and can’t catch up – start where you left off and keep going, or simply start again from the current day’s readings.
I’ll end where I began, asking you about your Bible reading plan:
I’ve been using the schedule from the ESV Study Bible. I downloaded bookmarks, which I really like, because I can keep track of where I am without flipping to the back of my bible.
I take notes. I have a Moleskine journal that I use, and I use one page per day for brief notes and questions. I find that helps me a lot. I read at the same time every day, and I try to avoid reading at night, because I’m usually tired. My husband listens to the bible on CD in the car on the way to work, and he usually finished the entire thing within a year.
Kim: Thanks for sharing. If I was to add my “number two” tip it would be to do the reading at the beginning of the day rather than the end. I was doing that for a while but found I was too tired, etc. Starting the day in the Word sets a great foundation for the day. Good idea about the Moleskin journal!
I have been looking for a bible reading plan and figured I would have to wait till the year is up to go through the bible. This post was really helpful!
Last year I tried Prof. Horner’s system for a while and really liked it, but it got to be just too much and I got very behind. This year I started the NIV One Year Chronological Bible. The NIV is not my favorite translation, but the daily readings are arranged in chronological order, so for the first time I am seeing the whole story unfold in order, which gives it so much more meaning. I am keeping up with it well, and even staying a few days ahead. I think that after I’m done with this, I’ll be able to go back to Prof. Horner’s system and have a better understanding of what I’m reading, since I will have seen exactly where everything fits into the big picture.
I used Prof Horner’s for many moons, but did not like jumping around so much in a given day. I’ve been using this Genre-based format for 45 weeks now and like it much better, even though a few days are very short and few are very long – some balancing may be order.
http://70030.netministry.com/articles_view.asp?articleid=31623&columnid=3801
I reformatted the chart on that page to put the day of the week at top, using each Genre column as a bookmark in my Bible. I see “Monday” and turn to Deut 4-6 for this morning’s reading, having read Acts 9 & 10 yesterday.
I think Proverbs should be read more than once a year (regarding M’Cheyne). I’ve read through it about 6-7 times in the last few weeks/months and it’s still not enough. But then I’m really into studying them right now.
I want to try Prof. Horner’s system in 2012 and then go from there and reassess. I’d love to come up with my own system someday.
I’m still concentrating on the OT in 2011 and will be rereading much of that which I did earlier this year.
Maybe Mark, then some of Paul’s letters in chronological order order. Then other letters, then alternate Matthew and Luke with Hebrews and letters of John, then John and Revelation as far as NT.
Pentateuch could be read in order, then put in some history and other books that go in between them in chronological order, then the other stuff in order of the Bible.
Hmmm maybe I have it figured out already.
Jeff