Alive Youth Church Weekly,
Sometimes church can feel like a broken record.
Same format.
Same songs.
Same scriptures.
And you may think that this is a bad thing but in reality there is something to be learned from it.
The God we read about in scripture is the same God that’s alive and moving today. And the truths that were true 1000 years ago, were true 500 years ago, and were true last week, today, and for many years to come.
They warrant being repeated.
The songs of worship we sing, are so much more about your heart than it is the words you actually sing. And a heart of worship never gets old and can never be overdone. It warrants being repeated.
And one thing I’ll never feel bad about being a broken record about is that we all need to be in our bibles. You can’t be in it enough. Truly.
So I’ll say it again and again. Read your bibles!
Now it can seem like I’ve got this figured out because I’m the one saying it…
Let me stop that thought before it begins. I need to be in my Bible more too. I have days, weeks, that my Bible collects dust. But I’m trying to be better, and I think you should too!
But the real question is how?
How do you read your bibles? What’s the trick?
I’m not unlike most of my readers, I grew up with a smart phone in my pocket and a tv always accessible. An endless catalogue of movies to stream and hundreds of friends just one click away.
Reading books is getting increasingly harder to do, but I think if we all took a minute to be honest with ourselves, we’d all agree we don’t read as much as we should.
Especially when it comes to being a follower of Christ and the Bible. As a long time church goer, there are few things that can bring more shame to a Christian than their Bible.
Woah, “what do you mean!?!”
As a Christian it’s easy to get caught up in comparison, lying, or pressure when it comes to reading your Bible.
We’ve all been there. And trust me, it doesn’t get any easier when you begin pastoring. I’m the guy expected to know the whole Bible? Listen guys, it’s a pretty big book. Well… 66 books I guess, but you get the point. We are all still learning and trying to be more like Jesus.
Don’t let shame control your reading habits.
Shame can come from not reading, feeling like you’re not reading as much as others, or when you miss a day when you were trying to “get on track”.
Shame only leads to less action and more hiding and lying.
But listen to that voice telling you to get back into the scripture! That’s the Spirit. That’s healthy conviction.
As believers we are all called to Scripture. But for us young people, reading is not the easiest thing to do.
And although you’ve sat and heard the broken record at church saying:
“Read your Bible” “read your Bible” “read your Bible”
You may be sitting there thinking…
“I don’t know how” or “this is hard!”
I want to help you. Because this is important.
These are just my tips, this isn’t the only way, or what you have to do. And if you already have a healthy rhythm of reading, maybe you can still learn something or change up how you read moving forward.
Bottom line is, The Bible is the living word of God. You can read the same pages your whole life and God will speak in different ways, to different people, in different seasons.
It crazy awesome, it makes no sense how the same words continue to be so powerful and life changing, but that’s just God. I’m not gonna pretend to have it all figured out. But I do have some great ways to start, and some ways to make this whole reading thing a little bit easier.
Here we go:
Materials needed:
- A real paper Bible
- A journal and pen
- A device that has access to the internet
Begin with a real paper Bible. Why? Because we all know it’s better for our brains and our attention span. Just do it.
Does the version of your Bible matter? Yes and no. Get a version that you can understand and read naturally. If you don’t talk like “thou shalt” and all the “thees” and whatever else, then why read that way? But also get a Bible that is real, true, and that respects the fact that this is the holy words of God. If you’re wondering why there are different versions. The Bible was translated from many different languages. A lot of work goes into translation, and some people translate differently. Don’t overthink it too much.
Here’s some good versions (ESV, NIV, NLT) personally I have a NIV and ESV Bible that I jump back and forth between.
Where to read:
If you’re looking for where to start. Find a reading plan. There are tons out there and I’ll put a link to one at the bottom of this blog. But if a reading plan is too much, start in the book of John. Can’t find it? Use the table of contents. That’s why it’s there.
The book of John is one of the four gospels. Telling about the life of Jesus. All of scripture points to Jesus. Our Savior. The gospel is the good news… so start there.
So you’ve got a paper Bible and it’s open. Way to go, you’re half way there.
Let’s go over: How to start, journaling, context and questions, how to read, when, and who. I’ll end with a recap and then we can all go home!
How to start:
Always begin with prayer. I’ve never met a situation that wasn’t better if I prayed first.
Ask God to help you read, pay attention, understand, and apply the scripture. If it’s a 30 second prayer, do it. If it’s a 10 minute prayer, do it. Just talk to God before you try to hear from God through His Word. Never underestimate the power of prayer. Prayer, scripture, and worship were always meant to be together.
Journaling:
Start a new page of your journal with today’s date (well whatever the date is when you’re reading) and whatever scripture you’re reading.
This is a place for whatever. Don’t overthink your journaling. And don’t be like me, where one misspelt word or one scribble and the journal becomes unusable. This is a place for questions, thoughts, important verses, written prayers, and whatever else God is speaking to you in that time!
It’s important to remember things, to document and have something to return to, to look back on to see answered prayers, growth, and times when God was faithful. In times where it’s hard to read, or when my faith takes a hit, I always return to my journal and see what God has done.
And a nice side effect is it often keeps our attention while we read. We need something to physically do to keep our minds active, it’s just how we work.
Context and questions:
This is where the device comes into play. I like to, and recommend, having the internet or AI ready to give context before beginning a new book in the Bible.
Starting the book of John?
“Hey Alexa, give me a historical context on the Book of John, who wrote it, who it’s written too, when it was written, and some of the main themes found”
The internet is a great tool. Don’t let it be your bible, but let it help you read and understand your Bible.
Now some people might disagree with me, or say this is totally wrong. If it doesn’t work for you, that’s all good, if it does, awesome! We are all on the same team, and we are all reading the same Bible. I just like to have more information and context as I read. It helps paint a picture, helps with understanding, and as a guy who likes history, it’s fun to learn things that aren’t explicitly said in the bible.
How to read:
Start with one chapter. Read it slow (slower than you want to) and maybe re-read it. Pause when you don’t understand a word, and either try to understand it or look it up. If there is a name or a place that you don’t know about yet, take the time to look it up.
There is so much context, meaning, and intentionality in these words. Don’t skip past them without understanding. Take the time to understand.
Once you’ve read the actual words. Begin to think about the meaning. And journal as you go.
When:
Wondering when to start? Start now. The best time was yesterday, the second best time is today. I recommend finding a consistent time of day to read. But that can be hard to do. The Bible isn’t any more holy in the morning than it is at night or during lunch. Just find a time or plan a time and read!
Who:
Reading the Bible with friends, significant others, peers, at church, and with whoever is always great.
I love having someone else’s perspective, someone to ask questions too, and just someone to read with to make it more fun!
But please prioritize reading alone too.
You won’t always be able to meet up with others. Establish a rhythm that works for you! And then find time to read at coffee shops with friends along side that.
Let’s review:
Paper Bible, find a plan or start in the gospels, don’t overthink journaling, start with prayer, use the internet as a tool to help, read whenever and wherever, read with friends but also read alone, and then just begin, and begin now.
These are tips for how to read your Bible. I’m trusting (as you should too) that God is gonna do all the work in moving through His scripture. You don’t have to have it all figured out or memorized. Just be faithful in your reading and watch as our good God begin to shape you through His Word.
If you ever need help reading your Bible. Come talk to me. If you need a Bible, I’ve got one for you!
Let’s be a church and a youth ministry that is passionate about the Bible. It’s important. Let’s start believing and acting like it is!
-Isaac Fehlen
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