Recently, I read an article from Lifeway Research which summarized the results of a study on the effects of Bible reading on the readers. Surveys were conducted on 40,000 people ages 8-80. The results were shocking! One of the most surprising results of the study was this finding:

"No effect." If you come to church once, or even twice, a week and read Scripture, there is "little to no effect" on your life. While that initially shocked me, after reflecting on it, it actually makes a lot of sense. After all, however profound those 1-2 hours a week might be, they can't possibly undo the secular influences of the other 166 hours a week we spend immersed in work, school, entertainment, etc. in a culture that looks less and less like Scripture with every passing year. So, how much immersion in Scripture does it take to hit 'critical mass' where we start to see a difference in our lives?

Four times per week is what it takes, statistically speaking, to produce a noticeable effect. But what is really interesting is that the effect is not only noticeable, but DRASTIC. The researchers were shocked to find that increasing Scripture intake from 2 to 4 times per week did not produce a linear, gradual effect, but rather produced a seismic shift in the reader's life. After at least four times of reading Scripture per week, these were the effects in the lives of the readers:

If I were to tell you that I had a magic pill that could lessen loneliness, curb your anger issues, increase satisfaction in your relationships, make it easier to abstain from addictive behaviors like immorality, pornography, and alcoholism, make you feel more spiritual vibrant, help you share your faith and make disciples, you'd probably think I was peddling snake oil. And yet, that's exactly what God's Word does in our lives. As God's Word itself testifies:

But, it's only powerful and effective if you read it. Unlike the Matrix, it does not magically seep into your head and life while you sleep. Your Bible is powerless as it just sits on the shelf collecting dust. And what's worse is that many Christians have deceived themselves thinking that they live lives that are totally different than unbelievers when, in fact, they are indistinguishable:

"...no different than people who aren't Christians at all." Ouch. If that's you, then my challenge for you in the New Year is to make this your top priority. More than losing weight, getting physically fit, getting that promotion at work, or whatever your New Year's resolutions might be, nothing has the potential to change your life more radically for the better than being immersed in God's Word!

There are tons of daily Bible reading plans out there--check the popular YouVersion Bible app for some suggestions. One that I like a lot is the M'Cheyne reading plan. Robert Murray M‘Cheyne was a pastor in Scotland in the 1800's and he developed a plan in 1842 for his congregation. The M'Cheyne plan takes the reader through four readings each day, two from the Old Testament (OT) and two from the New Testament (NT). Following this plan, the reader will read the OT once each year and the NT and Psalms twice each year. If that volume and variety appeals to you, you can find the M'Cheyne plan all over the internet (just Google it).

I like the M'Cheyne plan for its variety. If one of your readings in the OT happens to be a genealogy (profitable as they are, they can test the resolve...), you'll also have two readings in the NT to balance it out. However, the sheer volume of reading does not allow for the kind of deep-dives that I like to do. So, after scouring several places for a plan I liked, I finally just decided to create my own.

This plan is inspired by the M'Cheyne plan, but with a reduced reading load to allow for more in-depth study. So, it is great for someone who likes to dig deep in the New Testament passages, desires the practical wisdom from the poetic books, but also wants to stay fresh on the Old Testament. Following this plan, you will read through the New Testament and Poetry books once each year and the Old Testament over the course of two years. Each day you’ll read a passage from the New Testament and Old Testament, and most weekdays you’ll read a passage from the poetry books. The average reading for each day is only 2-3 chapters, allowing either for a busy schedule or for in-depth study. The New Testament passages are intentionally shorter to encourage study and meditation. There are also periodically light reading days to allow for catch-up if you get behind.

If this type of plan appeals to you, I invite you to join me in this plan this year (and next!). There are several ways you can engage with this plan. 1) Below is a link to a printable PDF of the plan. If you print it in Booklet layout, it will fit nicely in your Bible. 2) Or, you can use the plan in the Logos Bible software/app. Download the Logos Bible app and create a free account, then you can save the plan to your account and use the plan in Logos. (Logos is the software I used to create the plan, and it has tons of study helps and tools for Bible study--I highly recommend it! Downloading it is free, but you will have to purchase the resources, much like you do for Kindle or any other e-reader app.) 3) Last but not least, you can pick up a copy in the lobby at Formosa Baptist!