We would really love to hear what’s worked for other couples here (structured reading plans, devotionals, anything like that). Any resources or tools that helped you as a couple either get started with or further your Bible study?
My partner and I have been believers for years, but we’re only now feeling the pull to actually sit with Scripture together rather than just on our own. We’ve both tried Bible study by ourselves but never as a group, so we thought we’d try doing it together.
So what are good resources for a married couple’s Bible study?
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One chapter of a Gospel at the kitchen table after dinner, read out loud taking turns, then each of us naming a verse that stood out and why. That’s what finally worked for us.
YouVersion’s ‘Plans with Friends’ is the easiest way to start, you both read the same passage and leave each other short notes. Don’t turn it into a theology debate too early though (see this thread).
Philippians or James, read a section separately then compare notes! What stood out, what questions came up… BibleProject app for a book’s structure. Once a week is plenty.
Downloaded four Bible apps and finished none of the plans! What worked for my partner and me was a slow hunt through the ‘one another’ verses in the Blue Letter Bible app, one command a week like ‘forgive one another’ or ‘bear with one another’… then we talk until it gets specific about our week.
20 minutes, same night every week.
Good enough idea that I’m a little annoyed I didn’t think of it. I spent a year getting good at the ‘Pause Plan’ button on three different apps instead.
The week my spouse and I landed on ‘bear with one another’ I had forgotten to take the trash out twice so those 20 minutes got specific about my week faster than I wanted. Did you two start with easier ones like ‘encourage one another’?
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Every chore left undone. That’s what I was noticing, and saying almost nothing about the good things my spouse did.
We kept the question simple: ‘What would encouragement look like this week?’ and it gave us a way into the harder verses later.
Philippians especially. Clear structure, not too long… I’d also watch the BibleProject overview together first, then read separately.
“Bear with one another” got “specific” fast for my partner and me, mostly about dishes left in the sink overnight.
Starting with Matthew worked well for us as a couple, the story pulls you in and gives you something concrete to talk about together.
Mark’s even shorter if you want quicker momentum though, 16 chapters. Faster pacing too.
YouVersion’s built-in Bible study feature. My spouse and I didn’t even know it was there until someone mentioned it, but it’s been solid for reading together.
The Holy Bible app with the Plans feature works well for couples… You can both do the same devotional plan, tons focused on marriage.
Reading the same passage and then talking about what stood out to each of us, that’s my favorite part.
Try Dwell (audio Bible app). We listen on the Sunday drive and pray in the parking lot.
What clicked for us was ending with prayer instead of talking.
We started using Tim and Kathy Keller’s “The Songs of Jesus,” a daily devotional through the Psalms. One short page each, with a little prayer at the end. We read the psalm, read the page, each of us prays one line of it back to God in our own words.
The first few nights were awkward since we’d never really prayed out loud in front of each other. Hearing your spouse pray about the thing they’re anxious about gets real fast.
Colossians, inductive style.
During the week we’d each read a short passage twice… Then when we sat down together, 2 questions: what does this show us about Christ and what would obedience look like before next week?
One night Colossians 3 turned into a conversation about tone of voice and how we handle tired evenings.
Starting with a shorter epistle helped.
It doesn’t have to be elaborate.
Audio Bible, one chapter at a time, Genesis to Revelation over a year and we discussed it as we went. Some chapters put us to sleep but others sparked debates that went way past bedtime.
Maybe read the Bible itself before stacking up devotionals and study guides.
Crammed The Bible Project’s year-long plan into three months like a maniac. Each reading comes with short videos and historical context right when you need it.
You two could pace it properly.
Ours turned into quoting Ephesians 5 at each other, so don’t just pick marriage-themed studies. Reading a Gospel together did more for our marriage.
My wife finishes a chapter in 4 minutes, I’m still chewing on verse 3. So we keep one paper notebook on the nightstand and each write something during the week, a line or a question.
YouVersion has a feature (Plans with Friends, under the plans tab) where you start a plan together and see each other’s notes. Saved us on nights one of us was traveling or working late.
The bigger thing was deciding ahead of time what happens when we miss days. We pick up wherever we are. No catching up. Being behind is what made us quit before.