50 Creative Ways to Engage with Scripture

Do you ever feel that you are in a rut? Doing the same things in the same ways without even giving them much thought? I’d say most of us have found ourselves here from time to time – even in our Bible reading.

Perhaps in a rut doesn’t describe you. As a nonreader, you can’t possibly be in a rut, because you can’t even bring yourself to sit and open your Bible to read.

Whether you are in a rut, a nonreader struggling to engage, or simply enjoy getting your hands on some fresh ideas, I hope you will find this list of ideas helpful.

50 Ways to Engage with Scripture

1. Read the Bible daily.
2. Study and meditate on the attributes of God.
3. Do a study on God’s love for you.
4. Read the Bible in a different translation.
5. Put yourself in the Bible account you are reading.  Observe.  Ask questions.
6. Write out Scripture – by hand.
7. Set aside time to meditate on the Word of God.
8. Paint as you reflect or meditate upon a Scripture passage.
9. Memorize key verses and passages.
10. Take time for daily review of your memory verses.
11. Read Scripture for pleasure.
12. Try Lectio Divina.
13. Personalize Bible promises.
14. Read the Bible out loud.
15. Choose a life verse.
16. Verse Map a favorite Bible verse or one from a current study.
17. Select a Bible verse as the screen saver on your computer.
18. Decorate your home with Scripture art.
19. Use a Bible verse-a-day calendar.
20. Study and meditate on the names of Jesus.
21. Keep a devotional book in the bathroom.
22. Teach a Bible study or Sunday School class.
23. Join a weekly Bible study.
24. Write a key verse on the top of each day’s to-do list.
25. Make a list of what you learned about God every time you read the Bible.
26. Try your hand at Illustrated Bible Journaling (search it on Google).
27. Read God’s Word privately and publicly.
28. Keep a pencil and paper handy during your quiet time to keep your brain engaged and to remember what you are learning.
29. Choose a favorite spot outdoors. Settle in and read the Bible.
30. When reading a Bible passage imagine the scene in your mind: listen for the sea gulls, feel the scorching sun on your face, taste the fish, hear the thunder, smell the smoke… become one of the characters in the account and recreate the scene in your mind.
31. Read the Bible chronologically to gain a new understanding of how the events in the Bible fit together or pick one of many other Bible reading plans.
32. Teach your children a memory verse each week. 
33. Read three chapters of the Bible a day, but don’t stop there.  Talk to God about what you read and what you have learned about Him in the text.
34. Write down 15-20 observations on the Bible text you are reading.  (The first few are easiest, but the last ones are the most rewarding.)
35. Use a commentary when studying a passage to gain a broader understanding of the text.
36. Read the Bible in a short period of time, like four months, to get a birds-eye view of the entire storyline.
37. When reading a Bible passage, ask yourself: “What does this passage teach me about God? About myself? About the Christian life?”
38. After reading a Bible passage, apply what you have read by identifying one action you will take that day in response to God’s Word. Make it SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound.
39. Listen to the Bible on tape, CD, or via a Bible app.
40. Read the Bible out loud, using intonation and expressions like you would while reading to a child.
41. Download a Bible app and have a Verse of the Day delivered right to your phone or other device. 
42. Read the Bible with a friend or two.
43. Study and meditate on the roles of the Holy Spirit.
44. Build Scripture playlists.
45. Listen to Scripture music as a means for memorizing Scripture. 
46. Read God’s Word with a pen in hand.
47. Post truths from Scripture around your home. When negative thoughts begin to seize your mind, stop right where you are. Put your eyes on the truths of God’s Word and preach them to yourself.
48. Read biographies of the saints.
49. Carry a physical copy of Scripture or an online app with you. Make good use of wait times by pulling it out to read or study.
50. Pray verses of Scripture as breath prayers throughout the day.

Which idea will you try this week as you practice the foundational Spiritual Discipline of Engaging with Scripture?