YouVersion has thousands of Bible reading plans. Quite a few of their plans cover the whole Bible. But they have three reading plans that are sink-or-swim. They have a 90 day plan (well, actually they have two different 90 day plans), a 60 day plan, and a 30 day plan. It is this 30 day plan that I'm going to be talking about today. It is called the 30 Day Shred.
Have I used this plan to read the Bible? YES. I used it in October 2021 with the Revised Standard Version. And just now in June 2022, I used it to read the English Revised Version of 1885. So while you can certainly form strong opinions about the plan just by looking at it, I have actually read the Bible through with this plan.
Does it really cover the whole Bible Genesis to Revelation? YES. This isn't an overview of the Bible spanning thirty days. I think the Student Bible has a handful of these kinds of plans.
So the whole big-mission goal of the 30 Day Shred is to have YOU the reader grasp the BIG PICTURE of the Bible. It is rush, rush, rush, rush, rush, rush, rush. Think LUCY and ETHEL in the chocolate factory episode of I Love Lucy.
The author of this plan is very blunt--for better or worse. "The point isn't to find some verse that speaks to you--don't read the way you usually do. The point is to see the BIG PICTURE. If you have to, SKIM! It's more important that you finish each day and see the BIG PICTURE than not finishing each day, giving up, and complaining."
I say for better or worse because to be honest his words can be shocking and even daring. Isn't the whole reason a Christian reads the Bible is to spend time with God. To spend time learning, praying, listening, growing, thinking??? If you're just going to skim every verse, every chapter, every book, what is the point exactly? Who are you trying to impress? Let that sink in a minute. Yourself. Your family. Your friends. God. Is this promoting an irreverent attitude towards Scripture? Is this fast-forwarding through the Word so you can get all the check marks healthy?
I do believe strongly that every single believer needs to have a big picture idea of the Bible. I believe that having a big picture foundation is necessary. Big picture foundations can help balance our theology. Having a big picture view of the Bible is like having a picture on the puzzle box. It is something that you can use/utilize AS you're piecing the actual puzzle together. It is a framework. You still have to do the actual work of building the puzzle. And it is the actual doing of the puzzle that is the HARD WORK but also the most rewarding and satisfying.
It is a time commitment. For thirty days, you are going to sit down with the Word of God and read, read, read, read, read, read, read. There will be days you think it is UNFAIR or even a bit insane. You are building the habit of reading the Bible (awesome, fantastic, wow) but you're also building the habit of skimming what you read (not as fantastic). This is a habit you'll need to break. (NOTE TO SELF, break this habit!)
Day 1
Genesis 1- Genesis 42
Day 14
Psalm 19 - Psalm 78
Day 26
Luke 16 - Acts 2
I don't think this plan is for everyone. I think it can be used sometimes by some people with great benefit.
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