Updated November 2026 · a conversation we have every December
Which Bible reading plan should I start this New Year? I have quit three in a row.
What is the best New Year Bible reading plan for men?
The best New Year Bible reading plan for a man is the one with a daily target small enough to finish on his worst day, not his best one. For most men who keep quitting, that means 10 minutes or less, tied to the same moment every day. The chooser further down picks a plan type in three taps.
Fine. But be straight with me: is your app the answer for everyone?
Who a 90-day men's plan is not for
No. We make FORGED, and it is the wrong pick if:
- You want to read every chapter of the Bible in 2027. FORGED gives one passage a day; use a cover-to-cover plan.
- You want a group plan with chat and shared progress. FORGED keeps everything on your phone, with no account.
- You prefer audio Bibles or a translation other than the World English Bible.
And the catch?
Honest limits, before you start
- Free: Day 1, Bible Basics, Bible Words, What Do You Need? protocols, Sermon Notes and a daily verse.
- Premium: Days 2 to 90, Focus Forges, Weekly Council, Bastion and armor progression, The Watch. Monthly, annual (14-day free trial for eligible new subscribers) or lifetime.
- iPhone only, English only. The Body challenges are a devotional practice, not fitness or medical advice.
A decision we made: the Knight, Bastion and rank can be hidden from Home in Settings, for men who find streaks distracting.
So what does a day actually look like?
How a FORGED day works, in 3 steps
- Body. Pick Gentle, Standard or Challenging. Bad knee or a rough week? A mobility option or an act of service counts.
- Mind. One passage, quoted word for word from the World English Bible, with a plain-English explanation and one action for today.
- Spirit. A 3, 5 or 10-minute prayer timer. The screen dims to a single ember, with no button sounds and no scores.
Keep all three and you set a stone in your Bastion. Day 7 earns the Belt of Truth, Day 35 the Shield of Faith, Day 90 the Sword of the Spirit.
Here is what that looks like on the App Store screenshots:
OK. Help me pick, then.
Which New Year Bible plan fits you? Three taps
Daily minutes for 5 common plan types
We counted words in the public-domain World English Bible and divided by the average adult silent reading speed of 238 words per minute from Brysbaert's 2019 meta-analysis. Reading time only; prayer and notes are extra.
| Plan | Words a day | Minutes a day |
|---|---|---|
| Whole Bible in a year | ~2,080 | ~9 |
| New Testament in 90 days | ~1,950 | ~8 |
| Four Gospels in 90 days | ~900 | ~4 |
| Proverbs, a chapter a day for a month | ~470 | ~2 |
| FORGED, 90 days | one passage + notes | ~10 in total |
Summary: every plan here fits in ten minutes. The difference is how much it asks you to read versus do.
A 90-day start that ends on Easter 2027
Easter Sunday 2027 falls on March 28. Count back 90 days and you land on Tuesday, December 29, 2026.
- Tue Dec 29, 2026 Day 1, Wake Up phase
- Mon Jan 4, 2027 Day 7, Belt of Truth
- Mon Feb 1, 2027 Day 35, Shield of Faith
- Sun Mar 28, 2027 Day 90, Sword of the Spirit, on Easter morning
Prefer January 1? Day 90 is Wednesday, March 31. Miss a few days along the way and the dates slide; nothing you earned is erased.
New Year Bible plan questions
When should I start a New Year Bible reading plan?
Any day works, but if you start a 90-day plan on Tuesday, December 29, 2026, Day 90 lands on Sunday, March 28, 2027, which is Easter Sunday. Starting January 1 puts Day 90 on March 31.
How many minutes a day is a Bible-in-a-year plan?
About 9 minutes of reading per day at an average adult silent reading speed of 238 words per minute (Brysbaert, 2019), based on our count of roughly 759,000 words in the World English Bible.
What is a good first Bible plan for a man who has never finished one?
A short plan with a daily target small enough to finish: the Gospels in 90 days (about 4 minutes of reading a day) or a structured devotional plan like FORGED. Finish one, then go bigger.
Is FORGED free?
Day 1, Bible Basics, the Bible Words glossary, the What Do You Need? protocols, Sermon Notes and a daily verse are free. Days 2 to 90 are part of FORGED Premium: monthly, annual (with a 14-day free trial for eligible new subscribers) or a one-time lifetime purchase.
Does FORGED read through the whole Bible?
No. It gives one passage a day with a plain-English explanation and one action, over 90 days. If your goal is to read every chapter this year, pick a cover-to-cover plan.
Can I do FORGED alongside a church reading plan?
Yes. A FORGED day takes about ten minutes, and the Sermon Notes feature lets you capture Sunday in 90 seconds, which pairs well with a church plan.
Make it a habit with FORGED
Try Day 1 before New Year's Eve. If ten minutes feels doable, you have your plan.
Related
- FORGED: the 90-day Bible plan for menA 10-minute daily Bible plan for men: one challenge, one passage in plain English, quiet prayer. Day 1 is free on iPhone.
- How to stick with a Bible reading plan (6 myths)Quit your Bible reading plan again? Six common myths checked against habit research and real word counts, plus a catch-up calculator.
- A 10-minute Advent devotional for menA free 27-day Advent devotional for men, Nov 29 to Christmas Day 2026: four men of Christmas, one short reading and one action a day.
- A men's accountability group format that lastsA simple men's accountability group format: a timed agenda builder, three weekly questions with verses, and a 10-minute daily habit to share.