10 Tips to Boost Your Bible Reading

1 – Make it a habit. The single most important step you can take to grow spiritually is to commit to daily Bible reading. Don’t commit for a day, a week, or a month – commit for life! If you do so, reading your Bible will feel natural, not artificial. NOTE: committing to read isn’t the same as committing to how much you will read. There is nothing wrong with setting bite-sized goals.

2 – Plan your reading. One of the worst ways to read your Bible is by randomly selecting different Bible passages. When you do this, you miss the context. The Biblical books were written for different purposes – only as you read through the entire section do you understand why that passage was written. Whether you choose a Bible-reading plan for the year, or just decide in advance which book you will read through, come up with some sort of plan!

3 – Prepare to read. The Bible is not an ordinary book. It is filled with rich treasures. The Psalmist prayed, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law,” (Psalm 119:18). Prayers like these are an excellent way to prepare for Bible reading.

4 – Take notes. Keep a pad of paper beside you as you read the Bible. Jot down anything that stands out, and write down any questions that you have (later, ask someone who might know the answer). This simple step will transform you from a passive listener to an active reader.

5 – Observe. Make it a goal to observe all the promises, or all the warnings, or all the commands given in a section of Scripture. As you come across these sections, put a mark (maybe just a star) beside the passage. You never know what you’ll find. Recently, I read through the book of Judges, looking for any passages that spoke about prayer. Even obscure books contain rich treasures!

6 – Apply. Actively look for application that you can take away from the text. I’m not talking about reading your own problems into the Bible (or trying to ‘be a David’ and ‘slay your Goliath’). I’m talking about honestly considering how you can apply the teaching of Scripture to your life.

7 – Study God. Ultimately, the Bible isn’t about you and your problems – it’s about God and his grace. So put the focus on God, and ask each Bible passage – ‘what does this teach about God, His character, and His ways?’

8 – Share. Determine to share something from your personal Bible reading with a friend. When you do this, you must look actively. You need something else that you can pass on to someone else! While it’s not good to approaching reading just to get something to share, planning to share something helps you to pay closer attention to the words that you read.

9 – Do it together. Sometimes, we all need a little encouragement from others. If you are having trouble being consistent – or even if you just want to change the routine – ask some friends to read the Bible with you. Whether you read individually and discuss, or get together to read, this is a great way to increase your Bible intake and build relationships.

10 – Access. Create easy access to the Bible in your life. Lay it, opened, on a table or shelf. Get a pocket Bible or download a Bible app (and put it on the front screen of your phone). Think of creative ways to have the Bible around you – ways that will invite you to read during your free time.

For more tips on Bible reading, check out this excellent article from Christian Communicators Worldwide.