I do think deep down, we do treat these kinds of things as kind of spiritual checklists that we can feel good about ourselves if we do them.

And so rather than hearing from God in his voice and being transformed by His Word, when we reduce it to something we have to get done, then we can start feeling good about ourselves for just having do it.

And then we treat it like we treat so many other things in life

that we just, it's important to get them done.

And so we just feel good about doing spiritual things

or then despairing and guilty if we don't do them.

And it's because it's detached from viewing this

for what it actually is, which is hearing

God himself speak to us.

Welcome to the Crossway podcast, a show where we sit down with authors each week for thoughtful

interviews about the Bible, theology, church history, and the Christian life.

I'm Matt Tully, and today I'm talking with Drew Hunter.

Drew currently serves as the teaching pastor at Zionsville Fellowship in

Zionsville, Indiana.

He's written a number of books and most recently contributed to a brand new Bible resource from Crossway,

called Unfolding Grace, 40 guided readings through the Bible, and for which he also wrote

the study guide. Today, Drew and I discuss advice for Christians eager to reinvigorate,

or maybe jumpstart for the first time, a consistent Bible reading habit. He reflects on

how to avoid viewing time in God's Word as merely a task on a checklist, shares his thoughts on the pros and

cons of reading plans, and highlights the importance of seeing God's Word as one unified

story, culminating in the person and work of Jesus Christ, and why that perspective fundamentally

changes how we read Scripture. Let's get started. Well, Drew, thank you so much for joining me

...