As we start a new year, many of us pause to consider how we might proceed with shaping our own discipline of reading the Bible and communing with our God in prayer. I asked those in my Facebook group what resource they use to shape their personal relationship with God through His Word and Prayer.
One of the members of Christine: Behind the Scenes noted that she wants to not just focus on reading the Bible but she wants to read it well:
“I want to read the Bible with a focus on what it says about God’s character, his promise to us and focused readings on topics such as what it is to be loving and being in fellowship with others.”
Below are some of mine and their recommendations. Rather than feeling the internal pressure to do-it-all, why not find one of the below resources that might fit with what you want to do this year and make it work for you.
Dwell
I supported this app’s launch. Dwell is a Bible listening app. If you’re not used to listening to the spoken word, it can take a bit of mental adjustment to get accustomed to it and mindfully re-focusing your mind if your thoughts stray. But it’s worth it. I enjoy listening to the same passage again but with a different voice. David (lovely older gentleman), Felix (a young man from Africa) and Rosie (an earnest woman from northern England) are my favorites.
Update 2/1/2022: They’ve added more translations and voices … including children!
Daily Prayer
I have found that in my work, new followers of Jesus desperately want to learn to pray.
This app is gorgeous and gives you different prayers to pray following the rhythms of the day and seasons of the church and also prompts you to use the structure of the Lord’s Prayer to form your own prayer. I have notifications set up to prompt me to take a moment to pray.
There’s also Bible reading incorporated in the daily prompts including reading or listening to the Bible.
A few people in Christine: Behind the Scenes enjoy using The Bible Project to give them an overview and big picture of Scripture.
The Bible Project’s mission is “to help people experience the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus.”
They have excellent series, themes and word studies on
Update 2/1/2022: The Bible Project’s weekly podcast takes the conversation between Jon and Tim (and often includes Bible scholar, Carissa) deeper into some of the language and themes addressed in their videos. It’s the only podcast that I consistently listen to every week. I’ve learned so much.
They’ve also launched an app 1 January 2022 to help bring their content together. If you enjoyed their videos, the entire library is available on the app including hyperlinks to Bible passages and blogs, podcasts and resources while you watch the video. This year videos and podcasts and the app will be introducing Bible reading skills that will focus on the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible). Rather than reading through the Bible in a year, I'm looking forward to slowing right down, reading through the different “movements” and re-reading in different translations (I’ve just bought an First Nations translation through IVP and my German Bible, as well as different English translations).
The Bible Project Classroom has also been a brilliant way to up-skill and refresh my Bible college/seminary education (15 years ago now). If you’re keen to study how the Hebrew Bible was put together or study the theme of Heaven and Earth or take a deep dive into a book of the Bible, I HIGHLY recommend the experience. There are 6 other students in the video, each from different backgrounds asking excellent questions along the way. I’d be keen to work through a class with a group of friends. And like ALL of their other content: It’s FREE!!! Paid for by generous supporters of their ministry.
Verses
I think I might try this scripture memory app out this year. I like the game aspect of it, a bit like Duolingo for memorising passages of the Bible.
One of my student leaders from last year used this app and found that it worked really well for him. I asked him how he would advise others to get maximum benefit from it:
Repeat activities, even when it says you can move on, until you are confident in your own mind. Endeavour to understand and meditate on what you are memorising and why you want to remember it rather than being too focused on memorising lots of Bible verses.
New City Catechism
I also love this resource. Redeemer Church has taken historical catechism and narrowed it down to learning one modernised question and answer per week over a year. Together as a church, men, women and children grew in their theological understanding of their historic faith.
My family used the kids’ version which led to some very interesting family discussion helping our daughters flesh out some deep theological truths. The app (or book) includes commentary from historic and contemporary theologians.
There are even songs for children to help with learning.
This year, I’m going to use the Verses App (above) to memorise the Scripture used in New City Catechism.
Lectio 365 (added 2/1/2022)
I love using this app during the occasional lunch break. It helps me slow down, focus on listening to God through his Word, reflecting on it, speaking back to God how I desire to yield to and walk in step with his Spirit.
There’s also a family version that is great for the car commute to school together facilitating good family conversation, reflection and prayer together. (We walk to school so I can’t vouch for the carpool experience LOL.)
Honourable Mentions: PrayerMate, YouVerson’s Bible in One Year and Bible Eater Plan were also mentioned in Christine: Behind the Scenes.
Join Christine: Behind the Scenes for more discussions about resources and a behind the scenes look at my ministry.