Jan 1 news reel.mp4 from East Booneville Baptist Church on Vimeo.

Getting God’s Word in your heart is essential. Plans like this are not the main point, but they sure are helpful tools. Very simply, without a plan/outline you are just not likely to consistently get in the Word.

  1. Pick up a paper copy of a reading plan in the East B’ville foyer at the Connection Point. Or, you may print off this PDF copy of either plans below. Keep this guide as a bookmark in your paper Bible. Check off chapters as you read.
  2. If you use social media be sure to follow East Booneville Baptist Church. We float around encouragement from time to time on Facebook & Instagram.
  3. Pray before, during, & after your reading time.
  4. Use a Bible translation that you can understand. Need more info about that?
  5. Find a set time & place for your regular time of reading (if you wait until you “have time” you likely won’t…so this part of the plan is very important).
  6. If you fall behind just pick back up & keep on going. Don’t quit! Enjoy Getting to know Jesus!

Just like with nutrition or exercise, being consistent with your plan is the key to success. If you bite off more than you can chew it will be easy to get behind, feel defeated, and maybe even quit. The idea of Bible reading is not perfection, but spending quality time in the Word to get to know God better. If you miss a day, don’t fret. Just jump right back in (that’s good nutrition and exercise advise as well).

CHOOSE A PLAN. This will take a little time and prayer.

PLAN #1 : READING SMALL (One Year Through the New Testament book by book)

This plan helps you read the New Testament over the span of one year. This breaks down to reading 1 chapter a day 5 days a week. The amount of time reading per day averages about 4 minutes per day for 5 days & those last 2 days can be a buffer if you need to catch up or get ahead. This is doable! Reading small chunks of scripture at a time helps us dig in and really soak up deeper meaning. Some books/chapters are more straightforward than others. Underlining or taking some kind of notes is always another great way of thinking and praying through the scriptures. Here are downloadable/printable sheets for this 5 DAY PER WEEK NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN. Read the paragraph below for more helps for this plan.

  • Bro. Ed has enjoyed using this reading plan and taking notes with a method called “7 Arrows”. You can read/hear more about 7 Arrows here.
  • There is a ministry called “The Bible Project” that makes short(ish) teaching video clips about the Bible. Their outlines/introductions to books are the Bible are excellent resources. You can find them on YouTube or Facebook.
  • If you use a smart phone or tablet you can download a free app called “YouVersion”. It is always handy to have a copy of God’s Word with you at all times in case you have time to read. Yes, many (including me, Bro. Ed) prefer a paper Bible, but the app is handy on the go. Its also fantastic is your eyesight isn’t great (jack that font size up!).

PLAN #2 : READING BIG (One Year Through THE BIBLE chronologically)

Another plan that we are promoting is to read through the entire Bible chronologically. If you were to put the books of the Bible on a timeline you would see that sometimes passages from different books would be stacked on top of one another. Reading this way helps give us a better big picture of the overall narrative of the Bible. This chronological plan is more reading, about 15 minutes of reading per day. This plan covers more ground that the New Testament plan but it will prove more difficult to take as detailed notes. The very helpful plus of this plan is to see how the Bible narrative/story as a whole fits together. Here are downloadable/printable sheets for this ONE YEAR CHRONOLOGICAL BIBLE READING PLAN. Read the paragraph below for more helps for this plan.

  • Tyndale Publishers has released a One Year Chronological Study Bible that makes trekking though this journey very easy and has study helps along the way. This paperback chronological Bible can be purchased online for less than $25. There is also a Kindle/e-version if you use those.
  • If you use a smart phone or tablet you can download a free app called “YouVersion”. Click on the tab called “PLANS” & search for “one year chronological bible”. A plus to using YouVersion is you are able to have your plan/Bible with you always. YouVersion will also read the Bible text to you if you like. This can be very helpful, especially if you follow along in your print Bible while listening.
  • You can subscribe to a free daily e-mail newsletter for this study plan. Each daily devotion concludes with several questions that strengthens reading engagement.