Through the Bible in a Year

As readers start to think about the approaching new year, I want to share some observations about a particular devotional method: reading through the entire Bible in a single year. There could be people to whom this idea has never occurred. Others have attempted to do so, maybe multiple times, but have consistently given up sometime between January and March. A few readers may have pulled it off once or twice by reading like crazy over Christmas break to finish. Still others have followed this practice faithfully for many years. Is reading through the Bible in a year a good devotional method?

This method has several advantages. Because of its routine and clearly defined nature, this method lends itself well toward consistent and faithful time in the Word. It can be a good tool for guiding devotional time. This method especially helps the indecisive or directionless reader, because he never has to wonder what to read next. Each day is clearly laid out.

This method helps Bible reading to be more well-rounded. It gets Christians into parts of the Bible they might not otherwise read, and it prevents time lapses of multiple years since they have read certain books. All of the Bible is profitable, and it can be rewarding to realize one has read the Bible in its entirety. Reading each book of the Bible at least once should be a minimum goal for every believer.

This method enhances overall Bible knowledge and understanding. Believers might be amazed to see things they never knew before, never remember hearing before, and, in fact, did not even know came from the Bible. Reading the entire Bible in a year can identify areas of questions or reduced understanding, and it can help the reader to connect different parts of the Bible to each other in a more cohesive way.

Finally, this method of Bible reading provides the great advantage of giving an overview of an entire book of the Bible in a short space of time. It yields better overall understanding of individual books as it enables the reader to identify common themes, topics, and moods of books. This initial grasping of the overall message of a book can then prompt deeper and more focused study.

There are also disadvantages to using this method. Done incorrectly or carelessly, this method can undermine the whole idea of devotions. If keeping on schedule or checking off boxes becomes more important than learning from the Word, Bible reading time will become mindless and  routine. The reader will find himself quickly skimming the chapters for the day and will see the required number of minutes to do so decreasing. Spiritual profit will correspondingly decrease. If this method is used repeatedly year after year, Bible reading can lose its freshness. It can become boring and meaningless; resulting frustration at the lack of progress can discourage continuing to read the Bible at all.

Failure or success with this method can lead to some troubling extremes. Failure is easy; falling behind by one day is easy to do, and if a reader is not faithful, he will find himself hopelessly behind. The discouragement factor can be high. The opposite result of success can also be dangerous. Some people who faithfully read through the Bible each year allow it to become a matter for boasting or pride. They somehow equate their spiritual status with the number of years in a row they have been successful.

Another disadvantage of this method occurs when Christians view this as the only thing they should do. Reading through the Bible in this survey fashion is not a substitute for deeper study. If no other Bible reading or study is done, the believer is missing something very important. Rigid adherence to the daily schedule can also prevent other study that is more pertinent and critical. There are times in a believer's life, based on his life situation or on God's work in his heart, that he needs to devote himself to study of a specific topic. Unwavering insistence on a routine can prevent timely treatment of an emerging issue.

Having examined the pros and cons of this Bible-reading tool, I want to address the awkwardness of the tool. I believe there are two primary reasons why people fail to successfully use this method. First, the daily task seems too daunting. Readers get overwhelmed by the number of chapters per day, and sometimes by the length of those chapters. Second, they start at the beginning of the Bible and get bogged down after a month in the Pentateuch. If they manage to power through that, they are done in when they reach the prophets, and they never get to easier reading like the New Testament.

Over a period of several years, I gradually adapted my approach to arrive at a schedule that I believe minimizes the awkwardness of the method and allows greater potential for success. There are two key components. First, the daily reading is based not on number of chapters, but on number of verses. There is a vast difference between reading Psalms 1-3 and Luke 1-3. My schedule still works with complete chapters, but combines them in a way to remain as close as possible to the daily goal of 85 verses. Second, the scheduled reading alternates between the Old and New Testaments. After reading a few books in the Old Testament, the reader moves to a New Testament book. This alternation alleviates some of the "heaviness" associated with certain sections of the Bible.

I don't recommend this method across the board for all Christians for all years. However, I certainly would recommend it for certain groups. First, for those who find themselves directionless in their devotions and therefore unfaithful or sporadic. This can provide a helpful structure. Second, for those who are fairly new at having devotions (maybe a few years). New believers may need to focus on key areas or specific books, but after a while, there is a need to take in the scope of all of Scripture. Third, for any long-time believer who has never done it. This isn't necessarily something for every year, but profitable to do at least once. Fourth, for those who have time to do this in addition to deeper focused studies. Regularly reading the entire Bible provides a solid base of knowledge for personal study and for edifying others.

I close with this important caution. The method cannot be an end in itself. The goal is to learn the Bible and to learn about God through the Bible. Incorporate this method into the complete scope of devotional pursuits. Focus on learning by pausing to reflect, to summarize, or to jot down chapter headings, questions, and insights. There is no mystical blessing that will come just by checking off the entire calendar, but there is blessing in the focus on daily learning.

If you are interested in the Bible-reading schedule I have developed, email me at peggyaholt@gmail.com to request a copy. I can send a PDF version. It is not specific to 2015, so the dates won't align with the days of week, and it is designed for 365 days, so you'll have to adjust if using it in a leap year. I suggest making or saving a copy in case you want to use it multiple years. That way you can highlight or cross off days as you do them.

"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness." II Timothy 3:16 (NASB)