The beginning of the New Year always has me thinking about changes that I would like to make and the person that I would like to become in the New Year. I think about setting goals for myself and my family. Typically, I will make fitness goals, nutritional goals for the family, homeschooling goals, and spiritual goals. I also encourage my children to think about making a Bible reading goal. For as long as I can remember, my dad has read through the Bible every year. Whether starting in the New Testament or the Old Testament, his methods may have changed over the years, but the outcome has been the same: finishing his Bible before the ball drops on December 31. This tradition is something that has been passed on to our children, and it has been named the Chase Family Challenge. Follow along to get our guide to reading the Bible in 365 days so you can carry on this important tradition in your Biblically-Minded family.
Why would you decide to read the Bible in one year?
1.To get into the habit of reading the Word every day.
There are many habits that you can get into during the month of January, but I believe one of the most productive things that you can do is reading the Word of God every day. Spending time in the Scriptures is never a waste of time, and it has eternal benefits for you and your family.
2. To transform your thinking
When we choose to spend time in the Bible, it will transform our thinking. We will begin to think more and more like God wants us to. We will see things from His perspective. Our view of time and money and relationships will change. We will align ourselves more closely to what God wants for us. Satan and the world want nothing more than to pull us away from God and the Bible. They do not want us to think Biblically. But as Biblically-Minded Families, we must saturate our hearts and minds with the Bible to transform our thoughts so we can become more of who God wants us to be.
3. To spend time with God
When we choose to read the Bible on a daily basis, we are spending time with God Himself. His very words are there on the page for us. He uses His Word to speak to our hearts. I have had several occasions where I was reading a familiar passage and saw something new that nearly jumped out of the page! God used that new thing to speak to my heart in a fresh and new way. Hebrews 12 tells us: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” The Bible does not change, but I believe that God will use the changing circumstances in our lives to help us see new things in chapters that we had never seen before.
How can you read the Bible in one year?
There are many ways that you can choose to read through the Bible in one year. Some of these ideas will have a printable plan that you can follow to complete your goal. They will have boxes to check off or color in while others don’t follow a set plan. Some plans only include weekdays while others will have a schedule for every day. Do what fits you and your lifestyle best. I hope these will be a helpful guide as you read the Bible in 365 days.
Here are a few suggestions:
1. Read it straight through — from Genesis to Revelation.
Start at the beginning and read straight through to the end. I have made a FREE PRINTABLE tracker which you will see below. Find that here or click on the image to print your free copy. You can find other plans online like this one here.
2. Read the New Testament and then the Old Testament.
Some people prefer this plan because it starts with the birth of Jesus and His life. Those beginning chapters in the Gospels make it easy for you to get whole books completed quickly. Find the FREE PRINTABLE plan that we created for you here.
3. Read the Bible Chronologically.
Find a reading plan like this one will put the events of the Bible in order. You can also use a Chronological Bible to read through in a year. This is an interesting plan as you see the events from Scripture fit together from other books of the Bible. (Did you know that Job actually fits inside the book of Genesis?)
4. Find another reading plan that combines reading passages from the Old or New Testament and a Psalm or Proverb per day.
Some prefer this schedule because you are reading a Psalm or Proverb on most days, even when you are reading through harder books, like Leviticus. Find a plan like this here.
5. Read on your own at your pace.
Some people do not like to follow a plan. They may have an hour to read one day and then only 15 minutes to read on another. These people will prefer to be self-paced and read as much or as little as they can on each day. If you choose to read this way, you can still keep a list or a chart of your progress if you wish to.
Who can read through the Bible in 365 days?
1. All adults can find the 30 minutes or less in their day to make the Scriptures a priority and read through the Bible in one year.
It is a hard task, but a good reader will be able to take about 30 minutes or so each day to finish the reading the Bible in one year.
2. All teenagers can read through the Bible in a year.
My teens have been highly motivated to do this from seeing the example of their Grampa reading the Bible year after year. He has also incentivized them with a cash prize. While it isn’t a requirement to have a reward at the end, the dedication and determination to make it to the finish line of the Bible in a whole year is worth celebrating.
3. Other children who are good readers.
While your child does not have to be a teen to accept this challenge, it is a daunting task for a first-timer. If your child would like to participate, encourage them and keep them on track. Perhaps you could read the Bible together with the younger reader. (See below for more reading challenges for younger children.)
Helpful tips and suggestions:
1. Print out a tracker to help you chart your progress.
This can be something that you find online, or you can make one. One simple thing to create would be a chart that you write in the chapters that you read each day. It doesn’t matter what it looks like, but seeing the progress can be extremely motivating.
2. Consider listening to the Scripture instead of just reading it.
This has been especially helpful for my teenage daughter who likes to have her hands busy. She is able to listen to the Scriptures while she is doing a puzzle or crocheting. She is able to listen to large sections of the Bible in one sitting and gets a better understanding while hearing it.
3. Include your younger children in this challenge.
While your elementary kids may not be able to do this whole challenge, what can they do? Several of my children have read the Old Testament or the New Testament in one year. I have also encouraged them to read a Psalm or a Proverb each day. Print out my FREE Psalm Tracker or Proverbs Tracker for them and get them excited about a daily Bible reading plan, too. I also have a FREE TRACKER for reading through the New Testament and Psalms in one year. Find that printable here.
4. Set aside the same time each day to read the Bible.
You don’t have to read your Bible in the morning. Some people find the best time to read is during their lunch break or right before bed. It doesn’t matter when you decide to read, just stick to a time each day and build that habit. It will make it easier to have that habit if you are consistent with the time that you choose to read.
5. Don’t get discouraged when you miss a day.
Plan on missing days on this journey. It is hard. Things come up. Plan for that. Know that you are going to miss days, but plan to make up for those lost days by setting aside times to catch up. If you plan to have lazy Sunday afternoons, plan to take 30 minutes to an hour each Sunday to work on your Bible reading to get back on track. You may want to have a time of reconciliation at the end of each month. Check to see what progress you have made and what you need to do to catch up to your plan.
Overall, the goal is simple: Read the Bible this year in 365 days. It is a hard task but hopefully this was a helpful guide to getting you to complete your goal.
Did you find this guide for reading the Bible in 365 days helpful? Share with us in the comments which plan you are thinking about using and what tips you have to read the Bible this year.
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