Starting a new habit – or revamping a current one – can feel intimidating at times! Think about starting up or switching up a fitness routine: you might need to find a new gym, learn some new moves, or team up with a personal trainer. It’s not always as foolproof as you’d like it to be.
Reading the Bible can feel the same way. Whether you’re stalled out in your current Bible reading habits or trying to start them up, you might feel a little stuck. That’s why we pulled together some of our favorite resources. One of these is sure to help you jump into the Bible, make it a consistent habit, and grow closer in your relationship with God!
Bibles
To read the Bible, you need...a Bible. Here are some recommendations:
Bible Reading Plans
If you’re not sure where to start reading the Bible, check out one of these plans! Our Bible Reading Plans like these walk you through different passages day by day and help you connect with different topics and experiences:
Based on books of the Bible:
- Genesis & The Characters Behind It: Start at the beginning of the Bible and find incredible stories following real people - some well-known and others less.
- The Life of Jonah: Are you facing something you'd rather run away from? Discover how God redeemed Jonah's story and an entire city.
- Pray through the Psalms: Whether you feel happy, sad or overwhelmed, there is a psalm that can help us connect with God in a meaningful way.
- The Book of Proverbs: Sometimes it can feel daunting to commit to reading a full book of the bible. With exactly 31 chapters, read one Proverbs a day, for a month, each with practical takeaways.
- James: Model of an Authentic Christian Life: See who Jesus is through the personal view of his brother James. Find direct and applicable steps to live like Jesus.
Based on books of the Bible:
When Life Throws You A Curveball
What do you do when you don’t know what to do? Explore the scenarios real people walked through and discover how to navigate all of life’s curveballs.
What’s Your Identity in Christ?
Where you find your identity matters. Discover how God sees you and how to live in the truth of your identity in Christ.
Stories of Mental Health in the Bible
Mental health isn’t as new of an issue as you might think. Take a look at 6 people who struggled with mental health in the Bible, and see how God cared and provided for them in their darkest moments.
Loving Others Through the 5 Love Languages
We all want to love others well - so where do we start? Learn practical ways to love one another through the 5 Love Languages - Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Acts of Service, Gift Giving, and Physical Touch.
What to Do When We Doubt
As followers of Jesus, we all experience doubts and questions when it comes to our faith. This 5-Day Bible Reading Plan will give you practical ways to lean into your doubts and choose to seek God through them.
For kids, students, and families:
Next Level Faith
Faith is trusting what you can’t see because of what you can see. In this 4-day plan, you and your family will read the Bible together and do a daily challenge to take your faith to the next level.
Making Memories
Take some time to make some sweet summer memories with daily verses, and fun challenges to complete.
A Family That Serves
God has given everyone gifts that can be used to love others. As a family discover the gifts God gave you and how you can use them to serve and lift others up - including each other!
Articles
We know the Bible can be confusing or overwhelming to approach at times, whether you’re new to faith or not. You’ve probably got some questions about the Bible and starting a Bible-reading habit – but do you know where to look for answers?
We’ve got lots of helpful articles about the Bible to help you find what you’re looking for! Our articles cover topics like:
Other Resources
There are all kinds of resources out there that can supplement your Bible reading habit and help you go deeper.
Books
Short Answers to Big Questions About God, The Bible, and Christianity by Clinton E. Arnold & Jeff Arnold
This book offers answers to some of the most pressing questions people have about God, the Bible, and Christianity, such as whether or not there are errors in the Bible, if hell is a real place, if science and faith conflict, and more.
The Bible From 30,000 Feet by Skip Heitzig
This book helps you look at Scripture in a whole new way by identifying facts about the author and time period each book was written, themes found within the book, and cultural context to consider. It also helps you see how the story of Jesus is woven even through the Bible’s earliest pages.
The Bible Jesus Read by Philip Yancey
This book dives into key sections and themes in the Old Testament – the books of the Bible written before Jesus’ time on Earth. It addresses common misconceptions about the Old Testament and helps the reader connect its themes to modern faith.
101 Important Words of the Bible by Len Woods
There are a lot of words in the Bible (like resurrection, revelation, and hallelujah) that we don’t use much in everyday life – and therefore aren’t always the easiest to understand. Len Woods identifies 101 words like this in the Bible to help you connect more deeply with the bible.
Podcasts
The Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Coble
The Bible Recap podcast is a companion to The Bible Recap, a Bible Reading plan that takes readers through the entire Bible in one year. Each episode coincides with a day of the plan and helps unpack the passages read each day.
The BibleProject Podcast
The creators of BibleProject have in-depth conversations about the Bible and theology, from what the Bible says about prayer, the Old Testament Laws, and common themes and symbols throughout the Bible.
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By taking advantage of these resources, you can develop a deeper understanding of the Bible, build consistent habits, and grow in your relationship with God! We’re excited for your journey of diving deeper into the Bible.