BIBLE READING PLANS
A new year means a new opportunity to get back into a rhythm of reading the Word of God.
Many of us begin January with high hopes and big ambitions to finally get through the whole Bible. But maybe getting through it isn’t the point. Perhaps simply being in the Word—consistently—is a better way to approach 2026.
With that in mind, I wanted to share four different Bible reading plans that might help you find (or recover) a steady, life-giving rhythm in Scripture this year.
1. Psalms in a Month
This simple plan gives you a few psalms to read each day. If you follow it as written, you’ll read the entire Psalter(Book of Psalms) in one month. But if that feels like too much, feel free to adapt it—choose one or two psalms from the day’s reading and spend time with them in the morning or before bed. The psalms are meant to be prayed and lingered over, not rushed. This is the plan I have followed for the last few years, reading alongside friends of mine! We text each morning with a verse that resonated with our hearts which helps with accountability! I like to print this plan and keep it taped in my Bible!
2. Redemptive Historical Reading Plan (Greg Lanier)
Greg Lanier was one of my professors at RTS, and he noticed the same problem many of us experience with Bible reading plans: we start strong and fade fast—often because the daily readings feel overwhelming.
This plan is designed to take you through the whole Bible by focusing on the major redemptive-historical moments, while keeping the daily reading load lighter. You’ll still move from Genesis to Revelation, but in an intentionally abridged way that helps you see the big picture of Scripture. I’ve recommended this plan widely as a wise and sustainable approach.
https://reasonabletheology.org/wp-content/uploads/Redemptive-Historical-Bible-Reading-Plan.pdf
3. Three-Year Plan (The Lectionary)
The lectionary was originally developed in the Roman Catholic Church as a way to keep communities reading the same passages together and to ensure broad coverage of Scripture. Presbyterians and many other traditions have adopted it for similar reasons over the years.
This link takes you to the Revised Common Lectionary. You can download the full plan or simply visit the site each day to see the assigned readings. Over the course of three years, you’ll read the entire Bible. A bonus: you’ll also become more familiar with the rhythms and seasons of the church calendar along the way.
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu
4. Bible in One Year
Finally, for those with great ambition, courage, and stamina—the whole thing in one year!
This plan assumes five days of reading per week (which adds some welcome flexibility) and gives you a clear sense of what you’re aiming to complete each week. With a mix of Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs, there’s variety each day while still moving through the biblical story from beginning to end.
https://www.fivedaybiblereading.com
However you choose to read this year, my hope is simple: that we would be people of the Word—formed, nourished, and shaped by Scripture as we attend to it day by day.
Sincerely,
Rev. Fox
If you’d like to study the Word in a classroom setting with other First Pres-ers,
CONSIDER JOINING OUR WINTER BIBLE STUDY IN HEBREWS.
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