"Or alternately the old testament once, and the new testament three times."

Pretty close to my experience there. I'm a very slow reader. My teachers in school used to get on me for it. Slow? Maybe; but I'm moving forward nonetheless.

On the other hand; beyond three chapters and my eyes just start passing over the words with absolutly no retention of what I've just read. Everybody in their own capacities...

 

My wife can read very quickly, but when she does, her comprehension suffers.

My motto is better a slow pace with deep comprehension, than a quick pace with nothing to show.

 

Are you talking about the number of times the Bible would be read in a *year* in those first few examples?

Not unlike your wife, I prefer to take my time with the Scriptures for better 'sinking in.' That said, I found myself stalling out too long (marinating unto wrinkle stage) in Matthew for months on end, so I finally grabbed a chronological read-through-in-a-year Bible (NLT) that I had in a back closet and had used ages ago during a group on-line study. I started reading it afresh in late October just to keep moving along and not stall out anywhere.

It's difficult when one is engaged in sole private study. I'm involved in a group study at church, but we aren't reading the same passages at the same time. We just gather and watch an RC Sproul tape each week. I think that's going to change next year.

I guess I'm doing ok. I don't really set quantity read as a goal per se. Likewise, however, I don't want to neglect some books in favor of others - which is why I opted for the read-through-it-in-a-year format for now and didn't want to wait until January 1 to commence. But I am *so* looking forward to 2008 to start anew in the beginning!

 

Are you talking about the number of times the Bible would be read in a *year* in those first few examples?

Yep.

I find it more difficult if I haven't got a routine. Going to work every day means having to get up early every day - and since my reading time is in the morning that means as long as I am up I read. Likewise, I get an hour on the bus each way going to and from work in the winter, so that is two hours extra reading time five days a week. But when I have a week off or something, and no pressing need to get up - then I get to see how much of my routine is worship, and how much is actually convenience. ;-)

So for people who don't work out of the home, it requires greater discipline I think.

 

How long have I been a Christian? Too long to have done so little!

Until last year, I had never followed through with reading the Bible through in one year. I tended to skip around, so there are parts I've read several times and parts I've read only once or twice.

When I decided to do it, I simply took my favorite Bible with text only (no study notes), noted the number of pages of actual text, divided by 365, rounded up to the nearest one, and determined to read that many pages a day. I always complete the last chapter begun on the last page, so I don't split chapters. That makes for about the same amount of reading every day, regardless of chapter length.

I'll finish about December 10, giving me some time to focus on the Gospels leading up to Christmas.

 

It is amazing how easy it is once a person determines to do it.

 

Nothing to it at all. But I think it has a lot to do with your want to.

 

There's also the issue of time of day. I prefer to read in the morning, for several reasons. I can meditate on what I've read and do further study on it as time permits (having a young child at home provides interruption - blessed that it is).

I've also noticed lately that if I don't get to it right away, I find other things to do. Martha, Martha, Martha...

Those days, by the time I've opened the Word at the end of the day, it feels like I'm just "putting in time." My prayer life suffers those days as well.

I occasionally find that I have to remind myself that this time spend in the Word isn't for His benefit - but mine. I'm really doing myself a disservice when I don't sit down and read earlier in the day.

Likewise, I've noticed that when I sit at the kitchen table and read my Bible while my daughter is active around me, she's stopped to ask, "What are you doing?" I used to think I couldn't read my Bible when she was around, lest I be interrupted, but I've changed my mind about that. It's good for both of us.

 

Btw, ThirstyDavid's idea is really smart and one of those "why didn't I think of that?" ideas. So obvious once stated.

Most of my Bibles have commentaries or footnotes, which do tend to slow me down or distract (even though they aid understanding at times). But I appreciate David's suggestion for whenever I decide to migrate from my Bible-in-a-Year NLT.

 

Four years ago I was reading five chapters a day and did that for 2 years straight. Not to brag or anything. It was a good thing too... gave me a good overview of all of scripture and helped ingrain it into my head (but I had to do it for 2 yrs straight).

Now I read much slower... about 1-3 chapters a day and try to really concentrate on what I'm reading. I also try to do some sort of Bible study on top of it (i.e. researching sources, etc...).

I hope all is well for ya man... I'm actually getting read to leave the Mpls area and head off to Phoenix and go to Phoenix Seminary.

Peace.

 

What providential timing! As I commented on Centuri0n's blog (to which you replied on my blog), I just finished Genesis to Malachi, as the first two thirds of a 90-day Bible reading program some of us at our church are doing: it works out to about 13 chapters per day.

I started off with the Reformation Study Bible, but in my excitement, I was so busy making notes, chasing down cross references, etc., that I fell further and further behind. Finally, things came up in my church and family life, and I stopped reading altogether for about three weeks, halfway through 2 Samuel.

When the Holy Spirit moved me to finally resume, I started reading from a small, portable NIV Bible I have, with the deliberate goal of not taking any notes! Suddenly, by the grace of God, the reading went a lot more quickly. Within three weeks, I'd finished 2 Samuel and read all the way through to Malachi. Since comprehension was the primary goal, sometimes I had to go back and reread books I'd read too fast or too distractedly: I read Isaiah twice and Daniel three times. But all in all, once I got into a decent pace, it went surprisingly quickly.

The most interesting thing I found was while reading the Prophets. If I had to stop halfway through a book--for example, if I read in the morning on the way to work, then had to pick up again in the evening; or if I had to reread a book--God's word through the Prophets was so convicting and piercing, that I'd find myself spiritually agitated until I could finish the book and once again find peace in my soul.

I know this much: I couldn't have willed myself to do this without the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. And now, by the grace of God, on to the New Testament!

 

Oh, and like you, Daniel, having to commute to and from work by bus has turned to be a blessing: two hours per day when I can dive into God's Word.

 

Daniel, I would say this is one of the better pieces of counsel brother Bill has given you.

I think your devotion in reading is admirable and a real challenge to the rest of us.

 

Hey, I just noticed that Winnipeg Time is the same as my time zone (Eastern US) now! We used to be an hour ahead of you.

Did we just catch up with one another when Daylight Saving Time ended on November 4 this year? Did Canada (or your zone) not change your clocks at the same time - or is it perhaps the electronic clock not changing?

 

Ah, so it turns out it was Strong Tower who commented on my blog and not you, Daniel...which somehow makes your timing even more providential!

I'm off to Edmonton for two days to brave the Prairie wind chill...may the Lord be my source of strength and comfort!

 

As usual,Daniel,you have given us a challenging post. I have been a Christian for going on 8 years, and certainly have fallen short of reading the Bible through 8 times. When I was first saved it was a bit of a compulsion to read through it the first time, and was accomplished in short order. The second time through was slower, and at this point in time I have lost track of how many times I have read the Bible through, but if I were to guess I would say about 4 times. For the last couple of years most of it has consisted of a chapter a day reading out loud to my wife during our morning devotions.

 

How long have I been a "Biblical Christian?" One year on December 4th. I bought the Reformation Study Bible and ripped it apart, then bound it with note paper to take notes. I've been using it during our Wednesday night study through Romans. However, my morning study is a bit haphazard. I am reading this comment thread and so desperately want to read through the entire Bible. Oftentimes I will pick up the Bible and open it to a random prophet and think "I really love this, and I ought to be reading these other books more". I have considered the "read the Bible in a year" strategies, and with as much as I like to ruminate and chew on things, it seems like a LOT to chew on. But maybe I ought to stop expecting myself to "get" everything the first time around, and just consider the habit of reading five chapters of scripture a day as the primary goal.