Scripture Engagement Practices for 2025
Why I’m not a fan of reading the Bible thru in a year and what I recommend instead
Note: I posted this to my Facebook last week and several of you asked for a post version to share so here goes!
I love helping people engage the Bible well. When we form healthy Scripture habits, in turn, the Scriptures form us.
As we approach a new year, many of us revisit our rhythms, including engaging Scripture regularly. For some that may be to try to read the Bible through in a year.
But I’ve found that, for many, that’s not the best option. It focuses on quantity of reading rather than quality, pace, and rhythms. Therefore, here is my list of alternative ways you can engage the Scriptures in 2025.
1. Spend a year in a single book (eg Acts), author (eg Paul), or genre (eg Gospels or Wisdom literature). Study everything you can find (commentaries, devotionals, courses, monographs, etc.). Immerse *deeply* for a year.
2. Follow a lectionary like the Revised Common Lectionary (available online or in the YouVersion Bible app). It gives you an Old Testament, New Testament, and Gospel reading every day and takes three years to complete.
3.Focus on memorization. Use memorization techniques to memorize verses, chapters, or even large sections of books. You’d be surprised what your brain is capable of retaining.
4.Transcribe portions of the Bible. You’ll be shocked at what jumps out to you when you have to walk slowly enough through Scripture to write it.
5.Read familiar passages using commentaries, teachings, etc. from scholars whose culture, gender, nationality, denomination, etc., is different than yours. Read from women, majority world scholars, theologians of color, etc. Read from smart people who love Jesus but see the world differently than you.
6. Listen to Scripture on audio (again, try YouVersion for this). Up until just a couple centuries ago, most Christians heard the Bible rather than reading it. Don’t discount this practice as “not really reading the Bible.“
7. Read in community. Because both copies of Scripture and people who could read were in short supply, the primary way most Christians have engaged the Bible is in groups. Don’t let your individualism rob you of what this practice can do for your soul.
8.Use prayer books like the Book of Common Prayer. Pray Scripture. Sing Scripture. Join in the chorus of our spiritual ancestors who prayed Scripture-soaked prayers.
9.Engage the senses. Pray with your whole body, light candles or incense during your reading/prayer time, pray aloud when you’re alone, and more. Scripture engagement includes reading the Bible, but isn’t limited solely to reading.
10. Involve your children. Memorize with them, read (short) portions together. Take ownership of their spiritual formation. Your church’s kids and youth ministries are a partner in that formation rather than the primary vehicle of it. The Kids Bible App by YouVersion/OneHope is a great tool for young kids.