How To Create The Ultimate Bible Study Plan For Beginners!
Last Updated on 02/24/2023 by Nicky
How To Create The Ultimate Bible Study Plan For Beginners
Hey, ya’ll, I’m Nicky, the owner of Healthy As You Can. Here we talk about ways to get healthy physically, mentally, financially, and spiritually. And today we are getting spiritually healthy by learning how to create a Bible study plan for beginners!
Maybe you are a new Christian (if so, I’m so happy for you!) and you want to dive into the Word Of God but feel totally lost. Or maybe you have been a Christian for a while but you’ve never really created a Bible study plan and don’t know where to start.
If either one of these people is you or you’re just looking for new Bible study ideas, friend, you’ve come to the right place! I have
Today, I’ll be sharing some Bible reading plans for beginners that will help you stay motivated and achieve your goals.
Want to read Bible Study Plan For Beginners later? Save it to one of your faith-based health Pinterest boards!
– The Elements Of An Epic Bible Study Plan
What makes up an effective Bible study plan that’s easy to follow? Is it just that there’s a certain amount of verses you plan to read each day?
Interestingly, it’s way more than that and that’s what makes it exciting.
If you want an enriching Bible study experience, here’s what you need:
– Bible reading
Bible reading is just like it sounds. It’s when you set out to read a specific part of the Bible (or maybe the whole thing) in a certain period of time. There are Bible reading plans where you can read the Bible in 90 days, 1 year, or 2 years.
There are also themed Bible reading plans where you choose certain scriptures that talk about similar subjects. For instance, you might have a Bible reading plan centered around the love of God or allusions to Christ. You can use either a digital Bible or a physical Bible with your reading plan.
I use the YouVersion Bible app on my phone a lot but I also like using my regular Bible too.
– Devotional
Devotionals are where a writer takes a passage of scripture or a subject mentioned in the Bible and makes it applicable to our everyday lives and struggles. Using a devotional during your Bible study time helps you see how you can use scripture in whatever you are currently dealing with.
– Bible study
A Bible study is an enhanced and in-depth reading of the Word. It’s more than just reading the Bible because when you do that, you may not understand everything that you’ve just seen. But with a study, you dive deeper so that you understand the complex meanings of scripture.
There are so many layers to scripture that you can study the same book over and over and find a new meaning each time. Just to give an example, as part of your Bible study plan, you can use a concordance to see what other parts of the Bible a certain topic is mentioned.
If while reading, you see the word “love,” a concordance helps you compare other passages in the Bible that teach about love.
This helps to make your Study time more exciting as you explore the scripture. You can also study bible characters, verses, and chapters more intentionally.
– Bible Journaling
One of the things I love doing most during my Bible study time is using a journal. It helps me take note of scriptures that minister to my heart. You can also use it to write out your summary of a chapter in the Bible that you’ve just read or a Bible character you’re studying.
It makes Bible study fun, and insightful and helps you stay grounded in the faith. And of course, you can use a journaling Bible and creative beautiful worship art in the margins!
– Prayer & Prayer Journaling
Another thing you can do is schedule a time of prayer during your Bible study time. it’s best to use a prayer journal to make a prayer list of the things you want to pray about so you don’t have to remember everything.
In fact, as you study your Bible and follow through on the steps I discussed earlier, you may find that you want to pray to God for strength to fulfill His purpose in your life.
Or maybe you feel the need to pray to God to grant you a patient heart while you wait on His promises. Write down these prayer points in your prayer journal so you don’t forget them.
– Bible Study Tools & Resources
If you’re going to start doing some real in-depth Bible studies, then you will need resources and supplies. Here are the tools and supplies I recommend you get.
- Digital Bible Study Journal: Even if you read a physical Bible, you may still want to write your notes in a Bible study journal that’s on your phone or laptop. I have a digital Bible study journal in my shop that you can check out here. It has a section for every book of the Bible so you can keep your notes nicely organized.
- Bible Study Printables: If you’re a paper and pencil kind of girl but still want something a little more colorful and fun than an empty notebook then Bible study printables might be just what you need. Bible study printables have study note pages that help guide you on what to write. That blank page can be intimidating when you don’t know what to say or write. You can get 47 pages of beautiful Bible study note printables by clicking here!
- Binder: If you do get Bible journaling printables then you will also need a cute binder to keep them in. Once you have your binder, just punch holes into your printables and organize them with divider tabs.
- Divider Tabs: The beauty of Bible printables is that you can print as many sheets as you want! But that presents the problem of keeping them organized. Divider tabs to the rescue! Oh, and it would be extra cute to get divider tabs that are color-coordinated with your binder. Just throwing that out there!
- Bible Journal: I don’t think you have to choose honestly! Why not use a digital Bible study journal and a paper Bible journal? I see no conflict of interest here ;).
- A Bible App: I love using a physical Bible but I also love mixing it up by using Bible apps. I’ll talk more about it later but apps like YouVerision have Bible studies and Bible devotionals that you can use for free!
- Bible Highlighters: Many times you might want to highlight certain passages of scripture and what better way to do that than to use a highlighter (am I right?). And did you know that they actually make specific highlighters just for Bible journaling? If that is making you say “hmmm??” then let me tell you why. If you are familiar with Bibles then you know how thin their pages are. So if you use a regular highlighter on a typical Bible page, the highlighter will probably bleed through. That’s why you might want to get a special Bible highlighter if that’s a journaling method you plan to use.
- Pens: I consider myself to be a pen connoisseur (or a pen thief…however, you want to put it) and I think that’s the one thing God is okay with us stealing from others. All jokes aside (or am I joking?), once you get into a groove, you will want a set of pretty pens with different colors so you can create an array of beautiful notes on your printables!
- Journaling Bible: The one that I have is called the Beautiful Word and it lives up to its name. The cover of this Bible truly is beautiful and the illustrations inside of it are too.
– What Are Bible Reading Plans?
Bible reading plans are guides that have a daily reading structure that can help you read the entire Bible or some specific parts of it in an entire year or a timeframe you choose.
Here are various Bible reading plans that are beginner-friendly:
- Chronological: The Bible actually has a chronological order that you can follow to understand how events unfolded originally. If you use the ESV chronological Bible reading plan, you can see the Bible from a new perspective and understand better how God related with mankind during each era.
- Old & New Testament Tag Team Reading Plan: If you prefer to study the Old and New Testament readings a day, there are Bible plans you can follow. A good one is Gideon’s Bible Reading Plan. Doing a tag team Bible reading plan helps you read through the Bible faster! Sometimes in as little as 90 days!
- Read Through The Whole Bible In (1-3) Year: What if you don’t want to rush things? You can read your Bible at a slower pace by using the one, two, or more-year reading plan. One that you can try is the Three year Bible reading plan from Moody’s Church.
– What Are Bible Devotionals?
Bible devotionals are short readings based on one or more verses of the Bible, that encourage spiritual growth and a deeper understanding of God’s word.
There are lots of benefits to using Bible devotionals and next, I’ll share with you some of the best YouVersion app devotionals that can enrich your Christian life:
Here are other devotionals I found that can be of benefit to you:
Anxiety and mental health
Faith and Mental Health a 5-Day Devotional
Weight loss
Finances and money
Keep the Change: Managing Your Money Wisely
Walking with God
At any time during the day or even at night, you can read through these short but impactful devotionals to get deeper meanings of the scripture.
– What Are Bible Studies (With Examples?)
Bible studies simply mean analyzing the Bible as a way to understand the culture, Bible literature, history, authors, and more to understand the foundation of Christianity.
As a beginner, there are many benefits you can get from studying your Bible.
Spiritual Growth: Bible study is an excellent way to grow spiritually and connect with God. Reading and understanding the teachings of the Bible can help you build a stronger relationship with God.
Personal Guidance: The Bible provides guidance and direction for personal growth and decision-making. It can help you navigate through difficult situations and provide you with comfort and hope.
Improved Understanding: Reading the Bible helps you gain a deeper understanding of its teachings and how they relate to your life. You’ll also understand the context and history of the Bible, which can help you appreciate its teachings better.
Community: Going to Bible study classes can provide a sense of community and connection with others who share your beliefs. It can also help you find support and encouragement during difficult times.
Personal Discipline: Bible study requires discipline and commitment. It can help you develop a daily routine of prayer and reflection, which can improve your overall well-being and mental health.
Below are some Bible studies that I highly recommend (you might notice that I’m a fan of Jen Wilkin!)
God of Creation: A Study of Genesis 1-11 – Bible Study Book (Revised) by Jen Wilkin
God of Deliverance – Bible Study Book: A Study of Exodus 1-18 by Jen Wilkin
God of Covenant – Bible Study Book: A Study of Genesis 12-50 by Jen Wilkin
The Sermon on the Mount – Bible Study Book by Jen Wilkin
– What Is Bible Journaling (With Examples)?
Bible journaling is exploring your creative side in ways that give glory to God. As a beginner here are some fun ways to study and reflect on God’s word using Bible journaling.
Verse mapping: Choose a Bible verse and break it down into its key elements such as the context, the meaning, and the application. Write it down in your journal and decorate it with colors, doodles, or illustrations.
Illustrating Bible stories: Read a Bible story and create an illustration of the scene that speaks to you. You can use watercolors, colored pencils, or any other art medium that you prefer.
Lettering Bible verses: Write a Bible verse in your journal or journaling Bible using beautiful lettering. You can use different fonts, sizes, and colors to make it stand out.
Prayer journaling: Use your Bible journal as a place to write down your prayers, reflections, and thoughts on the Bible. You can decorate it with stickers, washi tape, or any other decorative element that inspires you.
Creative journaling prompts: There are many creative Bible journaling prompts available online that you can use to get started. These prompts may include things like writing down your favorite Bible verse, creating an art piece inspired by a Bible story, or journaling about a Bible character.
– What Is Prayer And Prayer Journaling?
Prayer, a 2-way spiritual relationship, is talking to God and giving Him our attention. In prayer, we communicate our thoughts, and desires to God and also listen to what He has to say to us.
One reason it’s so important to pray is that it provides strength for us in times of difficulty. Prayer can also be a means to receive guidance and direction concerning your job, family, career, and any matter of concern.
It’s through prayer that we build a bond with God and can express gratitude to Him for the good things in our lives.
And there are different ways to make your prayer life more effective, let’s go over them together:
- Prayer journaling: this is a spiritual exercise where you write down your prayers, thoughts, and reflections in a journal for the purpose of documenting your conversations with God, your requests, and as a means of gratitude.
- Using a prayer list: Write a list of items you want to commit to prayer about. The best place to do this would be in your journal. You can create prayer categories for your job, family members, etc. If there are people you want to pray about under any of these categories, write them down as well.
- Writing a daily prayer: Doing this helps you stay in touch with God daily. It’s also a way of letting Him know you’re not depending on your own strength and ability.
- Praying out loud: There are times you want to mumble words of prayer under your breath. But there are also times when you should pray out loud to drown all other voices in your head that don’t align with God’s plan and purpose for you.
- Praying silently: Yes, you can pray silently too, like when you’re around other people and don’t want to disturb them. Praying silently also helps you focus your mind on God and deeply brood on what He’s saying to you.
– Putting Together A Bible Study Plan That’s Perfect For You
Putting together a Bible study plan can be a challenging task, especially if you’re a beginner. But I’ll share some thoughts that’ll make the process easier for you.
Determine your goals: The first step in creating a Bible study plan is to determine what you hope to accomplish through your study. Do you want to deepen your understanding of God’s word? Do you want to improve your prayer life? Are you looking for guidance on a particular issue? Identifying your goals will help you choose the right resources and study materials.
Choose a version of the Bible: There are many translations of the Bible available, and each one has its strengths. Some versions are more accessible to beginners, while others are more scholarly. You may want to try out a few different versions like The Message Bible or The New Living Bible to see which one resonates with you.
Decide on a study method: There are many different ways to study the Bible, and the method you choose will depend on your goals and preferences. Some people prefer to read through the Bible in a year, while others prefer to focus on a particular book or topic. You may want to try a few different methods to see what works best for you.
Find study materials: There are many resources available to help you study the Bible, including commentaries, study guides, and devotionals.
Create a schedule: Once you’ve chosen your study method and materials, it’s time to create a plan. Determine how much time you can devote to Bible study each day or each week and create a schedule that works for you. You can also set specific goals for each session or week.
– Recap Of Bible Study Plan For Beginners
Learning about God and yearning to communicate with Him is not only for Bible scholars and theologians. As a beginner, you too can start to learn more about the God of the Bible and His purpose for you!
In this guide, I’ve taken you through steps, like the framework of an epic Bible study plan, what Bible study really means, how you can use Bible journaling to improve your faith walk, and other tips. Now is a good time to go over the Bible study plan for beginners again and determine to start taking steps from today.
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