Through the Bible
If you know me, it won't surprise you to learn my approach to reading the Bible is, well, systematic. I'm a firm believer in the usefulness of the entirety of the Bible, not just the sections I happen to like. So I've divided the Bible into nine sections, and study a section at a time for six to twelve months, not returning to a section until I've studied all the other sections:
1) Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.
2) Histories: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job
3) Samuel: 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles
4) Poetry: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
5) Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel
6) Minor Prophets: Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
7) Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
8) Epistles I: Acts, Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians
9) Epistles II: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1 & 2 & 3 John, Jude, Revelation
I try to toggle between Old Testament and New Testament, so for example, right now I'm in the major prophets, having studied Epistles I, and with Epistles II on deck. I also mix in Eugene Peterson's The Message, which is the entire New Testament in contemporary English.
So that's ten units, which when studied in six to twelve month increments, usually means I'm able to get through the whole set every seven years or so. It works for me. What works for you?
1) Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.
2) Histories: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job
3) Samuel: 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles
4) Poetry: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
5) Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel
6) Minor Prophets: Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
7) Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
8) Epistles I: Acts, Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians
9) Epistles II: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1 & 2 & 3 John, Jude, Revelation
I try to toggle between Old Testament and New Testament, so for example, right now I'm in the major prophets, having studied Epistles I, and with Epistles II on deck. I also mix in Eugene Peterson's The Message, which is the entire New Testament in contemporary English.
So that's ten units, which when studied in six to twelve month increments, usually means I'm able to get through the whole set every seven years or so. It works for me. What works for you?
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