3 Tips to Start Reading the Bible
How to Start Reading the Bible
If you are new to Christianity or have little experience with Scripture, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the Bible. It is a long book covering a large span of history, containing many unusual—and even confusing—stories, and it often uses words or language you may not immediately understand. This can make the Bible seem intimidating to first-time readers. Even though you may know that the Bible is beneficial and good for you to read, you may not know where or how to start. But fear not! Here are three simple tips you can implement that will help you begin your journey of reading Scripture.
1. Choose a Plan
The Bible is one narrative that tells one story, but it contains many different books—and a potential hurdle new readers may run into is deciding what to read. A reading plan removes this hurdle by making the decision for you. Whether you want to read every book of the Bible from start to finish or you want to choose one and work your way through it, using a reading plan can help guide you through God’s Word.
A reading plan is a list of Bible passages for you to read each day for a certain number of days. You can find monthly plans, quarterly plans, yearly plans, and more. A plan will tell you what to read on which days and will help you get through a book or multiple books of the Bible in a manageable and structured way. Check out The Daily Grace Co.’s Seasons in the Word: Bible Reading Plans resource or find a plan online.
A final note on plans: Since every word of Scripture is the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16–17), don’t spend too much time worrying about which plan to start with. A reading plan should decrease—not increase—your feelings of overwhelm when it comes to Bible reading. Choose a plan that fits into your season of life and your prior experience with Scripture. This may even mean choosing the first one you find!
2. Find Community
We often feel that studying the Bible is something we have to do on our own, but in truth, the Bible was not written just for individuals. It was written for the people of God—the Church—to grow in their knowledge and love of God, and their love for one another.
Because of the Bible’s depth and richness, having a community alongside you as you read provides insight that you would likely not have on your own. Community also offers support for maintaining consistency with your reading plan—you can check in with each other and encourage one another if and when it becomes challenging to stick to your reading plan.
If you do not currently have a community to support you as you begin reading the Bible, or you would like more community and encouragement, the Daily Grace Collective is a great place to start. The Collective subscription is created to help you get connected with other Christians as you study God’s Word, while also providing resources that will help you along as you learn to study the Bible.
3. Be Consistent
The only way to grow in your confidence with any skill is to consistently practice that skill. Reading the Bible is no different. Consistency is key, not only in growing in your confidence, but also in growing in your knowledge and love of God. You cannot know and love someone you do not spend time with, and since the Bible is God’s Word—where He reveals Himself to His people—reading Scripture is one of the best ways to spend time with Him.
Consistency does not mean perfection, and it does not have to start big. It is actually best to begin with small goals and daily habits that you can build upon as you gain more experience. Maybe you just read for five or ten minutes a day, or for thirty minutes on weekdays. Whatever goals you set for yourself, write them down, and tell someone in your community so they can help you stick to these goals and maintain consistency.
Conclusion
As you begin this lifelong and incredibly rewarding journey of reading the Bible, remain encouraged! Reading the Bible is not a chore, or something that you have to do. It is something that God graciously invites you to do. In it are His very words—words of life, peace, and the promise of redemption. We hope these tips will give you the confidence you need to begin digging into this beautiful book.
Additional Resources for Building a Bible Reading Habit:
