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7 Habits
for Reading the Bible

There are many programs for reading the Bible: 5 years, a year, a month. Actually, anything that helps you read the Bible can be beneficial. But some things are more beneficial than others.

What follows is a series of short articles on reading the Bible. On this page, we'll look at 7 key habits for reading the Bible responsibly; on the pages that follow, we'll look at 4 key principles: context, instruction, devotion, and conversation.

These are all suggestions for improved understanding. So keep this in mind:

You don't accomplish this all at once. It takes time. You have a life to live and possibly a family to support. Look at what follows as an over-arching plan to pursue.

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7 Key Habits

Pick up a Bible and read it! Some people have good intentions, but never get started. Don't put it off. On the other hand, don't be in a hurry. Some people read as if going to a fire. Slow down! This is not a race, it's about spending time with God.
Follow a plan of reading that makes sense of the contents. Reading from Genesis to Revelation will work. But the Bible wasn't really written that way. It is helpful to choose a different approach. For example, read Luke-Acts together; read Proverbs through a topical grouping; do a comparison of 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles; read poetic books as ancient poetry (not as law or history); read the Gospels as Gospels, not modern biography; read Paul's letters chronologically, instead of from longest to shortest, the way they are now arranged); etc.
Follow 4-key principles when reading: read in context, seek instruction from your reading, let devotion well-up, and learn to read in conversation with the the biblical authors. (See the following pages for each of these.) For all of this, read in large blocks of text, or whole books/letters (of the Bible) at a time. "Context" is the key.
Be steady and consistent, but it's ok to take a break. It's good to keep a routine, reading at the same time and from the same chair or place every day. Once you start, stay with it, but building some on/off time can be useful (e.g., 5 days reading, 2 days off). Avoid taking off weeks (or more) in a row.
Vary your approach from time to time. One year, read the whole Bible in a year. Another year, focus on the New Testament. The next, focus on the Old Testament. Be creative. Read from a variety of translations. Spend a whole year with one translation. The next year, change to another. If you are not comfortable with different translations, use them as study aides with your main Bible.
Above all, avoid the pinball or "Ouija board" approach, which has you bouncing all over the Bible as a standard way of reading. This is probably the worst way of reading.
Deepen your Bible-reading roots. Don't just read every devotional book that comes out, go for some meatier things.
1. Learn what the best, most efficient, and most accurate Bible study tools are and learn how to use them. (Don't try to build a house with the wrong tools. You'll end up with a shed and a leaky roof.)
2. Read books and materials about the Bible and Bible study topics. Programs like Coffee with Paul can be very useful in giving information or helping with perspectives. Read on topics like introduction to the Bible, canon, history of the Bible and its translation, ancient history, archaeology, and so much more. However, don't let anyone's program come between you and your Bible reading.
3. Read other ancient books from the time of the Bible: the OT and NT apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, ancient novels, Josephus, Philo, and ancient philosophy (e.g., Plato, etc.) This will broaden your knowledge of the Bible.
4. Become part of a Bible study seminar that spends time in deeper studies. Attend one Bible convention a year (or so) or do some other special study, like an online certificate course.
5. Travel to Greece, Israel, Egypt. This will broaden your understanding in ways you can't imagine.
6. Learn at least some basic knowledge of Greek and Hebrew. Learn the alphabet, pronounce the words. Then use what you know in your Bible study.
7. Prepare well and then teach a Bible class. You don't need to have a degree, but you do need to know what you are talking about. Of course, never teach a class if you aren't prepared. This isn't a cooking class; it is about the word of God. You'll find that you learn more when you teach than at any other time.

Sound like a lot? That's because it is. Remember, we are talking about a life-time of reading, not the next month or even the next year. Having a plan and following it is a good thing.

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