Episode Overview

Title: Simple Steps to Commit to Reading the Bible This Year | More Days Than Not
Podcast: Life.Church with Craig Groeschel
Date: December 28, 2025
Speaker: Pastor James (Guest Speaker)

This episode centers on building spiritual growth in the New Year by establishing sustainable Bible reading habits. Pastor James challenges listeners to “read the Bible more days than you don’t,” sharing practical steps and personal anecdotes to illuminate the transformative power of consistent engagement with scripture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Lure and Challenge of New Year’s Resolutions

• Everyone starts the year wanting to improve something.
  • Pastor James uses a humorous personal goal—beating up his younger brother—as a metaphor for setting challenging, specific goals.

    “There is a chance that just one more time I can beat my little brother in a fight. …For me, having that as my goal helps me make the process of being physically healthy way more enjoyable.” (02:21)

• Resolutions often fail quickly.
  • Most people abandon resolutions by the second Friday of January ("Quitters Day").
  • The real issue isn’t knowledge—most people know what to do—but sustaining action.

2. Making Change Enjoyable and Sustainable

• Enjoyment makes habits last.
  • Initial attempts at healthy eating or discipline often feel miserable, but discovering enjoyable approaches makes new habits sustainable.
  • Analogy: Healthy food doesn’t have to be bland; similarly, Bible reading doesn’t have to be dry.

    “If we want to make lasting change going into this new year, I think one of the best things that we can do is figure out how to make the process enjoyable.” (05:34)

3. The Transformative Power of Regular Bible Reading

• The ‘Rule of Four’: Reading Four or More Days Each Week
  • Study from the Center for Bible Engagement: reading less than four days a week yields minimal life change; four or more days brings noticeable transformation.

    “Those who read the Bible four or more days a week are 228% more likely to share their faith…400% more likely to memorize scripture…59% less likely to watch porn…30% less likely to struggle with loneliness.” (06:44)

  • Bible engagement is the “single most powerful predictor of spiritual growth,” defined as becoming more like Christ. (07:24)
  • Key summary: “To read the Bible more days than you don’t.” (06:01)

4. Making Bible Reading Enjoyable and Meaningful

Three Essential Steps:

• Know the Goal (08:49)
  • The aim is not reading for reading’s sake, but intimacy with God and Christlike transformation.
  • “Winning is always more fun than losing…we walk away from our time in God’s Word not having enjoyed it because we don’t actually know if we’re winning or not.”
• Find a Guide (09:05)
  • Progress comes more easily when following a guide (pastor, app, reading plan).
  • Pastor James shares his own struggle with understanding the King James Bible as a new Christian—until a guide helped him discover easier-to-read translations. (12:06)
• Refuse to Give Up (09:16)
  • Endurance is key; the rewards of pushing through outweigh the initial discomfort.
  • Shared fatherly wisdom:

    “Bring your body and your mind will follow.” (11:30)

  • “The joy that we experience after we do the thing outweighs us not wanting to do the thing before.” (11:30)

5. A Fresh Appreciation of the Bible

Deep Dive: Genesis 1—Context and Patterns

• Reading for Context, Not Just Facts
  • The Bible’s goal isn’t to answer every scientific or historical question.
  • It’s to introduce us to God and our relationship to Him. (15:05)
• Key Patterns in Creation
  • “God said” (occurs 10 times), “God saw that it was good” (7 times), and the breaking of patterns to highlight meaning.
  • The 7th day—a day of rest—was radical for the original audience, former slaves who had never rested.

    “It is an invitation to believe deep in your bones that your value does not come from what you do. Your value comes from the God who made you.” (21:39)

• Resolution of Apparent Contradictions
  • Scientific difficulties (e.g., creation of light before the sun) can be addressed with context or by focusing on the intent of the text.
  • John’s Gospel reframes Genesis:

    “God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all… The light of Jesus…shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (23:27–24:07)

  • Takeaways: Every scripture points to Jesus; understanding context deepens revelation.

6. Tools for Success: Practical Recommendations

• Bible App & Reading Plans
  • Use the Bible App’s guided plans to make daily practice easier and ensure you “find a guide” (26:33).
  • Includes recommendation for group reading (“Plans With Friends” and family involvement for accountability and encouragement). (27:57)
• Community Matters
  • Reading in community amplifies joy and makes perseverance easier.
  • “Community actually multiplies our joy and it divides the misery because we don’t have to carry the full weight on our own.” (28:09)
• Grace, Not Perfection
  • It’s about progress, not perfection. If you miss a day (or several), simply get back on track.

    “If you miss one day, miss two...get back on the wagon and commit to read the Bible more days than you don’t. Because our God never gives up on us.” (28:29)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Setting Enjoyable Goals:
  “If you want change to be sustainable, make the process enjoyable.” (04:55)
• On Bible Impact:
  “Reading the Bible four or more days a week is the single most powerful predictor of spiritual growth.” (07:24)
• On Perseverance:
  “Bring your body and your mind will follow.” (11:30)
• On Worth and Work:
  “It is an invitation to believe deep in your bones that your value does not come from what you do. Your value comes from the God who made you.” (21:39)
• On Grace:
  “If you miss one day, miss two…get back on the wagon and commit to read the Bible more days than you don’t. Because our God never gives up on us.” (28:29)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:21] – Pastor James’s humorous and relatable New Year’s goal
• [03:44] – “Quitters Day” and why resolutions usually fail
• [05:34] – The secret to sustainable change: enjoyment
• [06:01] – The “read the Bible more days than you don’t” challenge
• [06:44] – Center for Bible Engagement “Rule of Four” statistics
• [07:24] – Reading the Bible as predictor of spiritual growth
• [08:49] – Three keys: know the goal, find a guide, refuse to give up
• [11:30] – “Bring your body and your mind will follow” story
• [15:01] – Deep dive into Genesis 1
• [21:39] – True value rooted in God, not performance
• [23:27–24:07] – John’s Gospel reframes Genesis, focus on Jesus as the Light
• [26:33] – Practical tools: Bible App and group plans
• [28:29] – Grace in practice; don’t quit, recommit
• [29:32] – Closing prayer and spiritual commitment

Action Steps for Listeners

1. Commit to Read the Bible “More Days Than Not”
   Don’t aim for perfection—aim for consistency.
2. Use Resources
   Download the Bible App, pick a Bible reading plan, find a reading guide or group.
3. Engage in Community
   Invite friends or family to join in group plans; consider joining a small group or “life group.”
4. Extend Yourself Grace
   If you fall off, simply start again; every day is a new chance.
5. Seek to Know Jesus
   Remember, the ultimate goal is knowing Jesus and being transformed to be more like Him.

Tone and Takeaways

Encouraging, personal, and practical. Pastor James balances humor and humility with deep biblical insight, ensuring all listeners—no matter their stage of faith—feel empowered to make Bible reading an integral, enjoyable, and sustainable part of their new year.