Mostly at the beginning of every year most of us have a New year’s resolution to study the bible in one year and we ask ourselves, how do I read the bible in one year? In many cases, many do not eventually achieve this lofty idea. Many start with a plan to read the Bible chronologically from starting from Genesis all the way to Revelations and somehow, the whole exercise gets boring and then abandon the exercise. 

As a busy Accountant, I have been in your shoes in the past. With my busy schedule and endless end-of-the month deadline pressure creeping into my personal time and disrupting my regular flow, I knew there was a better way to tackle the task of reading the Bible in one year as a Nigerian. 

At the end of this post, you’ll see that  you will have a realistic , doable plan to achieve your aim of reading the Bible in one year with no guilt even though you miss a day due to life’s challenges. 

 

Why One Year? (Not 90 Days or 30 Days)

This plan is scheduled for a year in order not to overwhelm you because if you look at it mathematically, a 30 day or 90 day plan would be too tasking for a busy professional, businessman or businesswoman. In life, it is expected that sometimes, there would be some days where you less busy than normal days. On days like this where you are trying to catch up on days you could not achieve your goal, if you devote 30 minutes to your reading plan, which is double the required 15-20 mins for daily plan, this wouldn’t overwhelm you. Also, it is easier for most people to squeeze out 15-20 minutes everyday, which will be 45 minutes even up to an hour if you were on a 30-90 day plan. Essentially, what you need is not more than 20 minutes daily as we see in Psalms 1:2 which reads “Blessed is the one whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on it day and night.” (Not all night – just daily).

Choose Your One-Year Bible Reading Plan

To make the exercise interesting, I have presented below three options. Option 1 is for people like me who love history and want to know the underlying stories behind decisions and why things are the way they are. However, if you are one who gets bored easily and requires variety to keep you interested, you can go for option 2. For busy people, option three suits them best. I recommend option 3 because it suits most Nigerians because of our busy schedules especially those who reside in Abuja and Lagos.

 Here is the link to different plans you can use.

Plan Name	Structure	Best For
Chronological	Reads events in order	History lovers
Old & New Testament Together	2 chapters OT + 1 chapter NT + Psalm	Variety seekers
Blended (Beginner-friendly)	1 OT + 1 Psalm + 1 NT (shorter)	Very busy people

The Accountant’s Schedule – Where to Find 15 Minutes

• • Option A – Morning (5:30–5:45am)

It is recommended that you start your day by observing your quiet time before doing anything else like logging into your email and social media apps. You’ll have a clear mind and your sole focus would be solely on God. All you need is fifteen minutes so you can adjust your alarm to accommodate it, i.e. waking up fifteen minutes earlier.

• • Option B – Lunch Break (12:30–12:45pm)

Observing your quiet time during your lunch break is another option if you are unable to do it in the morning. During your break time at work is a good time to spend time with God. Look for a secluded place, for example, your car, turn on your AC, and have your quiet time. If you don’t have a car, close your office door and have your earbuds on to avoid distractions.

• • Option C – Evening (8:30–8:45pm)

Evenings are another good time if you are unable to observe your quiet time in the morning. You can easily replace the 15 minutes that scroll on Instagram for a 15 minute time with God.

• • Option D – BRT Buses

During your commute to work is another good time to have your quiet time with God if you are not driving. You can easily read the passage for the day on your phone and meditate on it during the rest of the journey to your destination.

Tools to Make It Stick

Top Tools

Below are tools you can use to ensure you stay on track:

• • YouVersion Bible App– This is a free app that’s got lots of plans for beginners. It also features daily reminders. 

• • Printed One-Year Bible– If you visit Christian shops in any major cities in Nigeria, you would find one year plans that are affordable. 

• • Accountability partner – Accountability partners are an important way of staying committed to accomplishing the task of reading the Bible in one year as a Nigerian. It is quite simple. You need to find someone who is committed to the plan and you will text each other everyday as soon as you complete your daily task.

• • Trello or Notion tracker – Project management apps like Trello or Notions is another way to track your progress. You will need to build a checklist for your reading of the Bible in one year or you can find free or paid templates online.

• • Sticky note on your laptop – having a sticky note on your computer is a simple way to serve as a reminder.

What If You Miss a Day? (Grace, Not Guilt)

You may be asking yourself right now, what if I can not stay consistent and I miss a day? I have the perfect answer for you. Like I wrote earlier, this plan is blame or guilt-free. If you miss a day, you have not failed. All you need to do is read the current day’s passage first, if you have time to read the days you have missed, read it and move. If you are short of time, schedule them for another time you are certain you can complete the task.

Lamentations 3:22–23  reads that God’s mercies are new every morning. It says every single morning, so do not panic and try to stay committed even when you falter.

A Sample Week for a Lagos Professional

Below is a sample schedule for you to understand how doable it is. 

• • Monday: Genesis 1 + Psalm 1 + Matthew 1 (15 min)

• • Tuesday: Genesis 2 + Psalm 2 + Matthew 2

• • Wednesday: Genesis 3 + Psalm 3 + Matthew 3

• • Thursday: Genesis 4 + Psalm 4 + Matthew 4

• • Friday: Genesis 5 + Psalm 5 + Matthew 5

• • Saturday: Catch-up or review (only if needed)

• • Sunday: Listen to audio Bible while cooking or driving to church

I particularly like the idea of listening to the audio version of the Bible as I tend to cover more ground and it gives me a whole new experience different from it myself. As Apostle posited in Romans 10:17, faith comes by hearing the word of God

FAQs for Nigerians

• • Q: Can I listen instead of reading? Yes. God hears your ears too. Audio Bible counts.

• • Q: What if I don’t understand what I read? Write down one question. Google it later or ask your pastor. Or just keep going – understanding comes with time.

• • Q: Must I read in English? No. Try Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, or Pidgin Bible. The goal is comprehension.

Conclusion 

Now that you understand how easy to read the Bible in one year, I will recap that all you need is 15 minutes in a day to accomplish this task. All you have to do is to stay committed, do not panic or habour guilt that you missed a day instead remember that God’s mercies are new every day. When you are on a bus, or waiting for your turn at the hospital, you can listen to your audio Bible. When you do this, you can catch up if you are behind of your schedule, or listen again to areas you do not fully understand.

 Remember the goal is not performance but building a solid relationship with God. Joshua 1:8 says “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful”. Stay blessed as you embark on this amazing journey.

Download the free plan here. Which time of day will you read? Morning, lunch, or evening? Let’s motivate each other.