PP74 : How To Build a Bible Reading Routine (for pastors)
This episode is another throwback episode from the Productive Pastor Past.
In it, I share how I’ve learned to develop a Bible reading routine for ministry.
Let’s be honest. How well do you do with daily Bible reading? Yes. Even in ministry some of us stink at it. My own journey was all over the place until I found the 90-day bible plan. You can check out Why I Read the Bible Every 90 Days for a little more information. But I still felt like I stunk at it. Stuff just was janky…and I felt like I had holes missing. I needed a better bible reading routine
So a few years ago I began modifying a reading strategy I learned from Mike Slaughter of Gingumsburg Church. I want to share this with you.
Why A Bible Reading Routine Makes Sense
It helps you collect your thoughts
Lets you realize when, where, and how you are reading
You realize when you are behind, not reading, or hitting pretty heavy seasons
It’s about the 20 mile march.
Why I Read Systematically
To gain greater clarity of the Biblical Narrative
Because I love and function inside a Biblical Theological framework
I want to look back on a life of study and reading
It helps me dig deep into what I might not do regularly.
My Own Personal Bible Reading Routine
I use a pretty standard pattern. Every morning, after my 90-day read, I pull out my notebook and I make a quick outline. My paper is simply divided up into Date, Passage, and two larger section. The first is simply titled “observations” and I use it to note whatever I observe. Remember, this is done in rhythm with a larger read, so my observations are sometimes running thoughts. The second section is for application. I tend to ask myself two different questions, “What questions is this making me ask?” and “What do I need to do in order to respond?”. This is a pretty simple pattern for me. Sometimes my reading takes 15 minutes and sometimes I catch myself doing around 45 minutes.