Devotionals Resources
What are Devotionals?
The Protestant Reformation made the Bible accessible and Bibles were soon found in most homes in Western Europe. During the Reformation, the parents, particular fathers, were given the primary responsibility to pastor their kids. One of the earliest examples of this is found in the Directory of Family Worship (1647) which accompanied the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) where worship, prayer, reading of Scripture, and catechesis were central to family worship. The primary responsibility for spiritual growth shifted from the church to the parents.
During the eighteenth century, the intersection of revivalism, common sense realism, and republicanism in the US shifted the primary responsibility for spiritual growth from churches and parents to individuals. According to historian Mark Noll, American evangelicals believed that the message of the Bible “provided moral guidance, personal empowerment, and direction for self and society.” This trend continued to develop into what many Christians today call individual “quiet time” or “devotionals” and was exported to other parts of the world during the nineteenth-century missions movement.
However, during the early centuries of the church, Bibles were not as accessible as they are today. In fact, assuming the Bible existed in the form we now recognize—a bound, widely available book—is historically inaccurate. So how did believers engage with Scripture? They did so communally: “We come together to read the divine writings” (Tertullian, 160-220 CE). Laypeople often heard only a few verses each week, typically during the sermon, and would meditate deeply on those passages throughout the week. In short, their practice prioritized quality over quantity, prompting us to ask a sobering question: despite our unprecedented access to Scripture, are we truly more spiritually mature than the early church?
How should they be done?
Bible fluency involves the ability to reflect on the teachings of Scripture and to extend its insights and practices into contemporary situations, even when the variables differ from the ancient context but the underlying principles remain the same. Devotionals, therefore, are not solely for individual spiritual growth. The ancient practice of communal reading reminds us that Scripture was meant to transform not just individuals but entire communities—and, by extension, society. As such, healthy devotional practices should include both private meditation and public, communal engagement with God’s Word.
Here are some practical application points:
The quality of your devotionals matters more than the quantity.
Focus less on consumption and more on formation.
Biblical context is informed by both the immediate chapters surrounding the text and the broader story of salvation in the whole Bible.
Devotionals in groups (such as families, roommates, etc.) are encouraged in addition to doing them individually.
Resources
Lectio365
Lectio 365 is a free devotional app that guides users through daily Scripture meditation and prayer—typically via morning, midday, and night sessions—inspired by ancient rhythms like Lectio Divina and the Examen. Each session lasts around ten minutes and follows structured practices, such as the P.R.A.Y. rhythm in the morning and reflective Examen at night, to help deepen your connection with God throughout the day.
Target Age: Teens to Adults
Format: Devotional and prayer app
Lectio for Families
Lectio for Families is a free daily devotional app designed to help families engage with the Bible together through short daily sessions which includes a memory verse, a Bible reading, discussion questions, and simple prompts for prayer and reflection. Each session follows the P.R.A.Y. rhythm—Pause, Rejoice/Reflect, Ask, Yield—and is offered in both text and audio formats so families can read aloud or listen together wherever they are.
Target Age: Parents and children 7 to 11
Format: Devotional and prayer app; daily frequency and memorization
InnerRoom
Inner Room is a free prayer-list app that turns your smartphone into a personal “inner room” to pray intentionally by visually capturing prayer needs, setting reminders, and guiding focused prayer sessions through playlists or audio prompts throughout the day through daily rhythms like morning, midday, and evening prayer. It helps you organize prayer items with photos and notes on a visual prayer board, offers a “Quick Pray” mode for praying three random items in three minutes, encourages listening to God during prayer, and supports gratitude through a “Thanks” board that automatically tracks answered prayers .
Target Age: Everyone
Format: Prayer app
Monthly Personal Retreats
This is a practical guide that helps ministry leaders and lay members nurture their inner life with God by setting aside regular time for intentional solitude, reflection, and prayer. Structured around listening, emotional inventory, and prioritization, it offers a repeatable framework for spiritual renewal, clarity in leadership, and deeper communion with Christ.
Target Age: Adults
Format: Monthly or bi-monthly frequency; set aside at least three hours in solitude (not in your home)
Westminster Shorter Catechism
This is a proven guide to understanding the basics of the Christian faith. Used by the Reformed tradition for over four hundred years, this new, illustrated version aids children and parents in engaging with and meditating on each entry.
Target Age: Children three and up
Format: Go at your own pace
Other Honorable Mentions
The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones
The Child’s Story Bible by Catherine F. Vos