82% of all Christians only read their Bible at church.
You may or may not believe this statistic. I’m not sure if I believe it. I think it’s quite a bit high. However, I have discovered that many Christians do not read their Bible as a daily habit.
The reasons for not reading the Bible were given in a recent LifeWay poll:
- I don’t prioritize it. 27%
- I don’t have time. 15%
- I have read enough of it. 13%
- I don’t agree with what it says. 10%
- I don’t see how it relates to me. 9%
- I don’t read books. 9%
- I’m intimidated by the size of it. 7%
For too much of my early Christian life I just read the Bible in church. But I can honestly say that reading my Bible daily has been the greatest source of strength to keep me close with God. It is now a daily habit. It’s like I’m hearing from Him every day. I encourage you to make Bible reading a part of your daily routine.
Reading the Bible for personal spiritual health is of supreme importance. In fact, prayer and Bible reading are to our spiritual health what breathing and eating are to our physical life. The Bible is real ‘soul’ food.
If you do not have a regular Bible reading plan, let me suggest NT40 Challenge. If you will take 40 days and read the New Testament for 30 minutes a day, you will read through the entire New Testament. The New Testament tells about the life and death of Jesus, the expansion of the early church, and all the major teachings of Christianity. I call it the NT40 Challenge.
The NT40 Challenge is a great challenge to accept during the 40 days of Lent. Lent is designed to eliminate something in your life so you can draw closer to Jesus in preparation for Easter. For the NT40 Challenge, you can eliminate one 30 minute television show that you normally watch or devote a 30 minute period of time that you normally spend on something else. Take that time and read your New Testament.
For those who like technology, YouVersion (Apple/Android Bible reading app) has a great plan called “The 40-Day New Testament Challenge.” You can use this schedule to keep track of your reading. It’s great if you want to read or listen to the Bible in whatever version you want.
So, I challenge you (whether it’s Lent or not) to read your New Testament in 40 Days. Let me know if you accept the NT40 Challenge.