New Believers / Membership · aligned to Standard Evangelical (default)
Reading the Bible This Year: Where to Start and How to Keep Going
God gave us the Bible to know Him and grow in Christ — and anyone can begin reading it simply, prayerfully, and consistently, starting today.
How this lesson was made
DiviNav AI drafted this lesson (New Believers / Membership, aligned to the Standard Evangelical statement of faith), then an automatic review checked it for Scripture accuracy, theology, sensitive content, and originality. No pastor has read it line by line, so treat it as a starting point: read it all the way through and adapt it to your group before you teach.
Lesson plan
Warmly welcome everyone, especially anyone brand-new to the Bible. Say plainly: "If you've never opened a Bible before, you're in exactly the right place — no question is too basic here." Briefly explain what the Bible is: a collection of 66 books (39 in the Old Testament, written before Jesus; 27 in the New Testament, about Jesus and the church that followed). It's one big story of God rescuing people through Jesus. Tonight's goal: not to feel guilty, but to help each person start reading and keep going. Open with a short prayer asking God to speak through His Word.
Teach from two passages. FIRST, 2 Timothy 3:14-17 — explain that 'Scripture' means the Bible, and 'God-breathed' (v.16) means God Himself stands behind these words; they carry His authority. Point out what it does: makes us 'wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus' (v.15). Define the gospel plainly: the good news that Jesus, God's Son, lived, died for our sins, and rose again, and that we are saved by grace (God's undeserved gift) through faith (trust) in Him — not by our performance. The Bible's main point is to lead us to Jesus and help us live for Him. SECOND, Psalm 1 — paint the picture of two paths. The person who 'delights' in God's Word and 'meditates' on it (simply means to read slowly and think about it, turning it over like chewing food) becomes 'like a tree planted by streams of water' (v.3): steady, fruitful, alive. The Word is the stream that keeps us growing. Then give the PRACTICAL how-to: (1) Where to start — begin with the Gospel of John to meet Jesus, then Psalms for prayer, then Mark. Don't start at page one and try to read straight through. (2) How to find a verse — a reference like 'John 3:16' means the book of John, chapter 3, verse 16; chapter numbers are the big numbers, verse numbers the small ones; use the table of contents. (3) How to keep going — pick a small daily time (even 5 minutes), read a little, ask 'What does this show me about God? What is one thing to do or trust today?', and pray it back to God. Missing a day is okay — just start again, don't quit.
Move through 3-4 of the discussion questions below, starting light and moving to real life. Keep it safe and unhurried; affirm every answer. The goal is for each person to name where they'd start and what might trip them up, so the group can encourage one another.
Hand each person an index card and pen. Together, practice finding a verse: have everyone locate John 1:1 using the table of contents (walk around and help — this is a win for new readers). Then each person writes a simple, realistic plan on their card: (1) WHAT I'll read first (suggest John 1), (2) WHEN and WHERE (a specific time/place, e.g. 'kitchen table after coffee'), (3) HOW LONG (even 5 minutes counts), and (4) one reminder step (phone alarm, bookmark, or a friend to check in with). Pair up and share your card with one partner so you leave with one person who knows your plan. Leader collects nothing — the card goes home with them.
Recap the big idea: God speaks through His Word to make us wise for salvation in Jesus and to grow us like a well-watered tree — and the way to start is simply to start. Encourage them that the Holy Spirit (God's presence living in every believer) helps us understand as we read. Close by praying over the group and their new reading plans by name if time allows. Let them know the leader is available after to help anyone find a verse or choose a Bible.
Discussion questions
- warmupHave you ever tried to read the Bible before? What was that experience like — easy, confusing, encouraging, or something else?
- digIn Psalm 1, the reader is compared to 'a tree planted by streams of water.' What do you think it means that God's Word is like a stream that keeps us growing?
- digSecond Timothy says Scripture is able to make us 'wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.' How does it change things to know the Bible's main purpose is to point us to Jesus, not to hand us a to-do list?
- applyWhat is the one thing most likely to stop you from reading this week (time, confusion, forgetting, discouragement)? What small step could help you keep going anyway?
- applyWho is one person — in this group or your life — you could ask to check in with you about your reading plan?
Scripture
Psalm 1:1-6 (BSB) — Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does. Not so the wicked! For they are like chaff driven off by the wind. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
2 Timothy 3:14-17 (BSB) — But as for you, continue in the things you have learned and firmly believed, since you know from whom you have learned them. From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.
John 1:1 (BSB) — In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Leader notes
Prep checklist
- Read Psalm 1 and 2 Timothy 3:14-17 ahead of time and pray over the group.
- Have a few physical Bibles on hand (ideally the same translation/edition) so new readers can practice finding verses together; mark the table of contents with a sticky note.
- Be ready to recommend the Gospel of John as a first book and a simple reading app or printed plan for those who want one.
- RUNNING SHORT ON TIME? Keep the 15-minute teaching and the 10-minute activity intact (these are the heart of the night). To save time, trim the Discussion to just the warmup question and ONE apply question, and drop the two 'dig' questions.
- Pastoral note: new believers sometimes open up about heavy struggles. You are a caring guide, not a counselor — listen, pray, and point toward professional help when needed. If anyone discloses thoughts of suicide or self-harm, abuse, or acute mental-health distress, connect them to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988, available 24/7); for immediate danger call 911. Never present Bible reading or prayer as a substitute for emergency or professional care.
Materials
- Several physical Bibles (same edition if possible) for hands-on practice
- Index cards (one per person) and pens
- Sticky notes to mark the table of contents in loaner Bibles
- Optional: printed list of beginner reading suggestions (John, Psalms, Mark) to hand out
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