Meet my new friend, Mark West.
Mark has a voracious Bible-reading appetite. Currently he reads through the Bible every 21 days! How does he do this? Mark shared with me his Bible routine.
It starts with one hour of audio listening while simultaneously reading the Bible app on his phone. Throughout the day, he finds other opportunities to listen to his Bible—while taking walks and driving around town.
Over the years, reading the Bible has gone from being something that he feels he “needs to do” or should do as a Christian, to something he energetically looks forward to.
Mark says with each completion, reading the Bible becomes easier.
Mark’s fastest Bible read was a ten-day read. He was in Las Vegas for a conference and he just felt the need to plug in with God. (Walking the Vegas strip will do that to a person). During off-session hours, Mark would listen to the Bible.
One of my favorite parts of Mark’s story is the family legacy he shares.
In 1943, before Mark was born, his Grandfather Oscar Werner made a commitment to God. At 50 years old, he committed to faithfully read the Bible for the rest of his days.
Being a man of action-oriented faith, he specifically committed to read the Bible four times a year, for the next 25 years (should the Lord give him those years on earth).
God did give Oscar those years, and at age 75, he completed his 100th read through the Bible. He kept detailed notes of each Bible completion, reading it 130 times to the end of his lifetime in his 80’s.
“Grandpa Werner was an incredible example to me and so many others — of the commitment to a goal, the power of discipline, and the priority of God’s Word.”
Here are two blogs from Mark I believe you’ll enjoy:
A Wisdom of the Ages: My Grandfather’s Example
How my Bible Reading Went from Sporadic to My Most Important Daily Activity
In 2016 Mark decided to take his own Bible reading to another level. Mark read the Bible 10 times in 2017, and 17 times in 2018. He’s inspired to pass along this hunger to others.
What’s interesting is that I also began to take Bible reading more seriously in 2016. And in 2017 I launched my first Power Reading experience.
I’m honored that Mark has found our Power Read plan on the YouVersion Bible app, and Mark has enjoyed that reading plan for many of his recent reads.
Mark was inspired by his grandfather example. And I am inspired by Mark’s example.
Your goal may not be to read the Bible three or ten or twenty times in a year. It might be to just pick it up and start reading. Maybe you want to complete it for the first time. Or maybe Mark’s story is speaking to you and you want to read the Bible 4 times this year, like Grandfather Werner.
Either way, we have many plans to help you, and all are absolutely free.