One of the things I am most passionate about is the need to spend time with God on a daily basis. I’ve compiled tips to help you be more consistent. I’ve shared my “Gold Nugget” method of Bible study. And I’ve recently made available a PDF booklet that helps you to read through the entire Bible in a year, in a variety of different ways. Subscribe via email, and it’s yours for free.
This is one of the most important aspects of my life, and since I know it’s value, I can’t help but speak about it often.
This year, however, I’m stepping up the intensity a notch, at least for me personally.
I’ve decided to try Professor Grant Horner’s Bible Reading System. The goal is to read ten chapters a day, totaling 3660 chapters of the Bible throughout 2012.
It’s a bit audacious, I know.
I first heard about this method of Bible reading over at TimChallies.com. But I’ve tweaked it a bit to suit my own tastes.
Here’s the basic idea:
This method breaks the Bible up into ten different lists. The goal is to read one chapter each day from each list. Once you finish a list, you start that list again from the beginning. Since each list varies in length, you’ll be starting over each list at different times, resulting in rarely reading the same chapters together again. I like this approach because it allows me to connect parts of the Bible together that I normally wouldn’t.
Here are the lists, and their lengths:
- The Gospels (89 chapters)
- The Pentateuch (187 chapters)
- Large Epistles (49 chapters)
- Smaller Epistles (65 chapters)
- OT Poetry (62 chapters)
- Psalms (150 chapters)
- Proverbs (31 chapters)
- OT History (249 chapters)
- OT Prophets (250 chapters)
- NT Church – Acts, Romans, Hebrews (57 chapters)
Originally, Acts was in it’s own list, and Romans and Hebrews were included with the larger epistles. I felt that these two letters should be read a little more often, so I added them to the list with Acts.
As you can see, some lists will take a while to read, such as the history and prophets lists. These will take most of the year, and allow me to read the first part of it again. But I will have the opportunity to read most of the epistles five or six time throughout the year. Psalms will be read twice, with parts of it getting a third examination, while Proverbs will be read twelve times itself.
And on Day 32, I will be starting Proverbs over again, while continuing on with the other lists.
I’m pretty excited about this system. I’ve been using it since 2012 started, 18 days so far, and I am really liking it.
I keep a small Field Notes journal handy while I’m reading, to record my thoughts, but I haven’t really used it much. Right now, I’m more interested in simply letting the Word soak into my mind.
With 1189 chapters in the Bible, my goal of 3660 chapters this year allows me to expose myself extensively to God’s Word. Like I said, I’m pretty excited about that.
One of my biggest questions about using this system was the question of time. But after almost three weeks, I’ve noticed that I can accomplish reading ten chapters in just over 30 minutes. I read fast. If you read slower, you might consider breaking the list in half, reading five chapters in the morning and the other five in the evening. I decided against doing this because I am in the process of moving my devotion times from the evening to the mornings. I hope that starting my day with God’s Word, rather than ending it that way, will help me become more intentional with everything in my day.
In researching this system before I stated it, I stumbled across some bookmarks that you can use. You can get these bookmarks here. But since I revised some of my lists, I had to recreate the bookmarks to reflect that. Here’s an example of my bookmarks. Feel free to download this and use it for yourself. This image is in green. But I also created red, blue and pink as well.
This is a pretty large goal for me in 2012. I normally read through the Bible once every year, and read a few bits and pieces more often. In 2011, I read most of the Bible twice. This year is a considerable jump.
But I’m excited and optimistic. I’m looking forward to seeing what God has in store for my life through this process. I know it will be incredible!
What is your process for reading the Bible consistently? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
I’ve been following along with the Daily Audio Bible. Today, I read from Genesis, Matthew, Psalms, and Proverbs. Each day includes a reading from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs.
My wife uses a very similar plan: daily readings from OT, Psalms/Proverbs, Gospels, NT. It works well for her.
When do you use the audio Bible? Working out? Driving?
Recently found your blog. I was just wondering if you are still using this plan and what your thoughts about it are.
I am still using it. It has given me an incredible boost in my spiritual life, and has allowed me to see passages in relation together that I wouldn’t have put together before. It’s been great to see how the entire Bible complements itself. Thanks!
Mr. Randleman,
ok…..now it’s december…..almost a year. ‘still going strong? ‘feeling good?
i intend to start Prof Horner’s System in 2013, using your bookmarks. thank you.
-blessings
nicole
Thanks for asking, Nicole. This has been the best plan I’ve ever used, personally. I’ve gone through most of the lists multiple times, although the two longer lists are only in the second reading for the year. Love it! Glad you’re going to give it a shot. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have!
I have done the one year bible companion for several years, looking to try something a little different. I do like starting the new year off with the reading of pilgrims progress. Thanks for sharing..
Thanks for sharing! I haven’t read Pilgrim’s Progress for a while. It might be time to pick it up again.
Thank you for sharing this plan. Starting to use it after continous failure. Getting up and trusting the Lord to help me out.
As a comentory wanted to share something from our local church that could help.
An ovedrview of every book in the bible
http://www.cfcindia.com/web/mainpages/through_the_bible.php
A verse by verse commentory
http://www.cfcindia.com/web/mainpages/verse_by_verse.php
thank you.
Thanks for sharing! Hope this plan helps!
I am still using this plan. I’ve found it to be the most helpful reading plan I’ve ever attempted. And I do like my version better, because it puts some of the letters that are deeper theologically with the foundation of the church. But you can tweak it to fit your own needs pretty easily.
I think you stated things well in your last sentence. The trick is to not over think it. Just start reading.
Hi Jeff, Are you continuing this plan for 2015? I’ve started it twice, but got bogged down after a few weeks both times. But I’m a slow reader. I’m thinking about McCheyne’s reading plan for 2015.
I alternate between the Logos app on my iPad and a print version. And even when I read on my iPad, any notes I make I add to my study Bible, so I have them all in one place, and so that one day my kids will inherit those thoughts.
I plan on using this again. I think this is the third year with this plan, and I really enjoy it. However, I think I may switch translations for the year.
Sorry for the late comment Jeff. I’m about to embark on the Grant Horner Bible Reading System and noticed he mentioned to stick with one Bible over the years. I agree with this but I’m curious if it should be leather or if hardcover is okay. I have and love my ESV Study Bible and ESV Men’s Devotional Bible but both are in hardcover. I had been thinking about getting a trutone ESV Personal Reference Bible for more portability but honestly already feel like I’m Bible rich. Just thought I’d get your thoughts as someone who has gone through that plan for many years.
Thanks!
Ben
I’m not sure it really matters, as long as it is a solid binding that won’t fall apart too soon. I use a leather bound NASB, and have for years. It holds up good. I’ve had other leather bound Bibles that fell apart after a couple years of use too.
I think it’s more important to consider sticking with the same version of the Bible, though. Very often, I read something form another translation, and it seems “off”. That can be a good thing too though.
Good luck!