John Piper Reveals Three Spiritual Challenges to Reading the Bible in a Year
Pastor and theologian John Piper outlined three challenges Christians will face when reading through the entire Bible in a year as well as nine benefits. In the latest episode of his "Ask Pastor John" podcast, Piper responded to a question from a listener named Mike, who asked for advice as he is reading through the Bible this year.
"Let me give you three negatives to scare you off and nine positives to suck you back in," Piper, chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary, said.
As reported by The Christian Post, Piper warned that the first challenge will be opposition from Satan, who will attempt to "disincline you, blind you, distract you, bore you."
"He will fight with all his might to keep this from happening. So pray and fight and ask God to make all four of those things that Satan tries to do to backfire, to blow up in his face as you become a stronger warrior against him — your heart inclined, your blindness removed, focus instead of distraction, excitement instead of boredom," he added.
Secondly, Piper noted how the Bible's portrayal of sin and judgment can leave one shocked and unsettled.
"The outrage of sin and its graphic descriptions and the horrors of God's judgment and the failures of God's people are appalling in the Bible," he stressed. "The Bible is stunningly graphic in its description of both our outrageous sin and God's breathtaking judgment on sin. You will want to throw up if you have any kind of sympathetic engagement with the Bible at times when you see what God ordains against sin in this world. So, expect your views of man and God to be blown up — in a good way."
The third and final challenge is becoming confused in reading complex biblical texts and to "pray for illumination."
"Do whatever digging in study helps you. Put things together that you can put together, and what you can't figure out, put on the shelf for later attention and keep on moving. If you get bogged down with what you can't understand, you'll never finish the reading for the day."
The Desiring God founder proceeded to provide nine benefits when reading the Word of God including increased faith, sanctification and unshakable joy.
"Expect new power in war with Satan because that's the way Jesus defeated him in the wilderness. He quoted Scripture to the devil, and the devil could not stand before it. He won't stand before you, either. He's a liar; he's a deceiver. He can't abide the truth. You're filling your head up with the truth. You're going to be a valiant warrior more than you dreamed against Satan," he said.
"This is a great resolve before you," Piper concluded. "You've got a great intention on your heart. Be valiant. Make a vow to the Lord to keep it, and you won't regret it."
According to a recent survey by The American Bible Society, two times as many Gen Zers (21%) reported reading more Bible in the previous year than those who reported reading less (9%). There was also an increase in Bible reading among Gen X individuals by 15% and among baby boomers and those born before 1946 by 16%.
Conversely, 9% of Gen X individuals and 10% of the oldest adults said they read less Bible.
In recent years, there has been a growth in popularity among podcasts and digital platforms centered on Bible reading and discussion.
Prior to Piper's response, he stressed the use of Navigators Bible Reading Plan, which he has followed for over two decades. The plan entails two readings of the Bible each day, 15 minutes each, and is meant to be completed in 300 days.
Two of Apple's Top 10 podcasts include The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) and The Bible Recap podcast with host Tara-Leigh Cobble, which receives about 6 million downloads a month. Last year, Pastor Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, launched his "Bible in a Year" podcast and has since reached the No. 1 spot on Apple's charts for religious podcasts and has surpassed 70 million downloads worldwide. The podcast began premiering episodes in Spanish last week.
Photo Credit: © Facebook/John Piper
Originally published January 07, 2025.
