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Over the years I’ve become increasingly conscious that many people in our churches—perhaps even most—aren’t in a daily Bible reading routine. They sense that they’re “meant to”. Maybe they want to. But they don’t. They’re either out of the habit or unconvinced that they can understand it for themselves. 

A while ago I read a blog by an Oak Hill alumnus that suggested, in passing, that for someone starting the year with no devotional habit, rather than embarking on an ambitious Bible-in-a-year plan, and quickly getting demoralised, perhaps it was better to set a smaller goal and actually achieve it.

perhaps it was better to set a smaller goal and actually achieve it.

It got my publishers’ brain thinking: what would a resource look like that helped people to move from a standing start to something more substantial? Like a Couch to 5k, but for reading the Bible? 

I had done couch to 5k myself a few months previously. Over nine weeks, the app aims to get you from “couch potato” to someone who can comfortably run five kilometres. You start off running for 60 seconds and then walking for 90 seconds, on repeat. You have the voice of a friendly celebrity coming through your headphones, offering generic but surprisingly effective encouragements. As the weeks progress, you gradually increase the amount of running and decrease the amount of walking, until you’re jogging for 30 minutes solid. I was surprised to find not only that it worked but that I also enjoyed it. 

I thought it would be fun to have a Bible-reading resource that took a similar approach: beginning with just a handful of verses and building up over time. And with the voice of a “coach” along the way who offers simple tips, areas to focus on, and lots of encouragement—recognising that for many people, simply getting the Bible open each day for a week is cause for celebration. 

I floated the idea at work. Then I sat on it for the best part of a year. And then, finally, I put together a proposal for our Publishing Board—and eventually, after the usual long gestation and tumultuous labour, The Quiet Time Kickstart was born.  

I found myself drawing on lots of modules from my part time study at Oak Hill.

As I was writing, I found myself drawing on lots of modules from my part time study at Oak Hill.I was particularly helped by Tim Ward’s first year “Scripture for Theology and Ministry” module, and the way it boiled down Bible interpretation to “the what” and “the why”. The opportunity to think deeply but simply about how to understand Scripture really helped me to communicate that to others. 

But the Oak Hill effect has been broader than that too. For example, church history modules opened my eyes to the breadth of Christian practice across time and space—enabling me to write with confidence that a solo daily quiet time is not, in fact, a compulsory part of the Christian life and infusing the project, I hope, with a sense of Christian liberty. More generally, church placements, chapel services and the friendships I’ve built at college have deepened my love for Jesus and my conviction that feeding people with God’s word is one of the most powerful and vital things we can do. 

To that end, I hope the book is a blessing to you and your church family. Why not make it something you pass along to others? 

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Rachel Jones is the author of A Brief Theology of Periods (Yes, Really), Is This It? and several books in the award-winning Five Things to Pray series, and serves as Vice President (Editorial) at The Good Book Company. She helps teach kids at her church, King's Church Chessington, in Surrey, UK. She is a part-time student at Oak Hill College.

Photo credit: @thegoodbookcompany