#029 - Do I Have to Read the Bible Every Day to Be a Good Christian?

The Bible is not a reference book; it’s a story. And when we approach it like a reference book, we are susceptible to missing the story. 

In this episode, we’re going to look specifically at the question of whether or not we HAVE to read the Bible every day in order to be a good Christian. I think we all know we need to read it. But WHY? What is the Bible doing or saying that is important for my everyday life?

Since the Reformation, protestant Christianity has emphasized the Bible and personal piety often times at the expense of the sacraments and disciplines such as caring for the poor and vulnerable. 

Some people seem to really know their Bibles but not necessarily Jesus. If the Bible is about Jesus, shouldn’t spending time in it make us look a little more like Him? When those kinds of people are the ones emphasizing reading your Bible every day, it can be hard to see what doing so is important.

Another part of what might lead some of us to ask how important it is to read the Bible every day is because many of our Christian traditions have emphasized less than helpful reasons for reading the bible every day. Let’s take a look at a few of these reasons:

• 3:00 - Three WRONG reasons to read your Bible every day
• 8:08 - Three PROFOUND reasons to read the Bible as often as you can
• 12:25 - Six helpful insights for developing a habit of reading the Bible regularly

As mentioned in the episode, this is an introduction to the forthcoming course, Finding My Place in God's Story. If you are interested in the course and want to be notified when it becomes available, sign up at https://www.asherwitmer.com/how-to-read-the-bible/.