Why & How to read the Bible

Your top tips for reading the Bible ... 

Here's what members of our congregation have said so far in response to the survey above. 

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• Read it, read all of it, read it often.  Don't use Bible Study notes. Remember Jesus thought it was all about Him!

• Understanding the Bible chronologically

• Find something that works for you / be accountable to others

• Get a version that is clear and easy to read.  Find a good commentary or help so you know what things are saying.  Start at the New Testament!  Find a good study group to help you understand.  Pray!!!!

• Try to devote time to reading the individual books from start to finish with a good commentary. Also daily devotional reading of the scriptures is useful.

• Try a new testment in a year

• I'm in my fourth year listening to Nicky Gumbel's bible in one year. Admittedly I multi-task and get ready for the day while I listen as soon as I wake up. Therefore not much meditation. Not a tip! More an admission. But is does expose me to all of the Bible over the year. A tip would more be to write notes, which I used to do. Great to look back how God spoke into my life. He always turns up! Sadly, I'm not taking the time to write down my own reflections at present. 

• I use a book by Nick Page called The Bible Book a user's guide

• Understand the authors context and intention

• In small group with others

• Ask God to lead you to a thought that you need to hear from whatever passage you read. Ask someone else if there's something difficult to understand

• Take it a small bit at a time and re-read the section a few times asking God to speak to you.  If you don't understand, ask God, if you don't hear directly from him, ask a trusted Christian friend.

• get an easier version like ERV Easy to  Read

• Read it regularly and let it speak for itself 

• Using a bible through the year App

• Perseverence

• Consider what genre of literature the book you are reading is written in when seeking to understand how to apply it to your life

• Study it with others as it is hard!

• Get a Bible that you find easy to read

• Don't rush through, think about it, don't worry if you don't understand everything, but pray about the difficult bits

• To meet with someone else to share with

• start with the Psalms and Luke's gospel. Approach it as God speaking to you in love.

• Just start!

• Use Bible notes or app like Lectio

• Study with others more wise than yourself

• Have someone knowledgeable that can explain the bible

• Start with a podcast or a simplified version if the book is daunting- if a verse catches your attention (from Memes and reels) then be curious and read the rest of the passage

• Read a stand alone book from it, rather then the whole thing

• Try and combine reading it yourself with looking at it with others, even if that is online sermons

• Have an open mind and question things

• Start with a reading plan or Bible notes guide

• Work through the challenge of building a habit

• Stop reading once youve got intrested in the passage, stew on it while your intrested and look into why rather than pushing on to read the next bit. Then go on and read the rest later, or the next day...

• Pray. Ask the Lord to open his word up to you so that you might know him better and be changed by him

• Get a commentary or daily bible notes

• Spend longer than I do each day! Use notes or a regular reminder.

• Read it carefully and thoughtfully

• Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the meaning

• By using study Bible notes

• Read and search for the meaning of difficult passages in books, friends, ministers, listening to sermons on the subject, etc

• Find any way of reading, listening to it being read or with notes