In my experience, many people who become Christians find it hard to grow in their faith. They stay at the earliest stage of spiritual life, and without continued nourishment and exercise, their faith can become weak and underdeveloped. So what are the "exercises" that help us grow?
From the very beginning, God's words have been central to faith. How people respond to God's words is what shows whether they believe or not. Jesus, in one of his most famous parables, says the one who builds their life on rock is the one who hears his words and does what he says.
How do I hear God's word?
Regular exposure to God's word is what makes us spiritually fit — and it's also what protects us from false ideas that go around under the label of Christianity. How can I know what I'm supposed to believe and how I'm meant to live? By reading my Bible and having it faithfully taught to me.
The early church devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching. These men had been set apart by God to be the authorised messengers of Christ — promised the Holy Spirit's help to remember and record what Jesus taught, so we could have a faithful written record.
"For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty." 2 Peter 1:16
This isn't religious myth — it's eyewitness testimony. And the Old Testament authors were also inspired by the Holy Spirit to write. So what we have in the Bible is God speaking through people, giving us timeless wisdom.
How to get started
1. Find a reliable translation
While we're grateful for the King James Version, its language can be hard to grasp today. A modern translation makes things clearer. Here are a few good options:
- New Living Translation (NLT) — Great for starting out. Very readable.
- New International Version (NIV) — Clear and widely used.
- English Standard Version (ESV) — More literal, slightly harder to read, but good for study.
2. Find a private space
Jesus said to go into your room, shut the door, and pray to your Father in secret. That's good advice for Bible reading too — somewhere quiet where interruption is less likely. If you use your phone, try switching on Do Not Disturb.
3. Pray before you read
This is God's book, and he is the original author. We need his help to understand and obey it. A simple prayer before you start makes a real difference:
"Father in heaven, thank you for giving me your words. Help me to read, understand, and obey. Amen."
4. Work to a plan
Start small. Walk before you run. Two minutes of Bible reading is better than none. Maybe start with a Gospel — Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John — and read one chapter a day. Then try a short letter like Philippians or Ephesians.
Daily reading notes can help. Our Daily Bread is free and widely used. But don't become dependent on the notes — the Bible itself is the main event.
"A Bible that's falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't." Charles H. Spurgeon
Reading plans
At some point, aim to read the whole Bible. It always rewards the effort. Robert Murray M'Cheyne's Bible-in-a-year plan — adapted by D.A. Carson into a two-year version — is one of the best. You can download it free at edginet.org.
There's also a simple 12-month whole-book reading plan in Appendix B of this site.
In short
- Get a Bible in a translation you can understand
- Read it each day — even just a little
- Pray before you read
- Make it part of your daily rhythm