If you grew up in a Southern Baptist church, like I did, and serve in one now, you’ve heard the phrase “quiet time.” It’s our simple way of saying, “Daily time with the Lord in the Word and prayer.” It isn’t a badge to earn or a rule to keep—it’s a relationship to enjoy. The heart of a Southern Baptist quiet time is straightforward: open Bible, open heart, open hands—anchored in Scripture, fueled by prayer, connected to the local church, and aimed at the Great Commission.
Here are five practical ways to strengthen yours.
1) Make a plan and pick a place
Spiritual growth rarely happens by accident. Choose a consistent time and place. Maybe have the same chair, same mug, same Bible. Then, put it on your calendar like any other important appointment.
Choose a reading plan. Start with one of the Gospels or a short letter in the New Testament. Or pick the Psalms and use it as a time of reflecting on God and His sovereignty. Then set out to read a manageable section each day. Consistency is key.
While you are reading, attempt to minimize distractions. Silence notifications, keep your phone face down, and bring a paper Bible and a pen when possible to this time with the Lord.
Make sure to have a simple aim. You can pray something like, “Lord, meet with me through Your Word today” (cf. Ps. 119:18).
If you are a template person, here is an easy way to block it out: Time given 20 minutes: 2 min prep time, 10 min read/reflect, 6 min prayer time, and 2 minutes of silence and reflection.
2) Read the Bible to meet with God, not just to check a box
As a Southern Baptist, I believe that God speaks through His sufficient, inerrant Word. It’s for this reason that we should read slowly and expectantly. Try the H.E.A.R. method:
H — Highlight: Note one verse that stands out.
E — Explain: What did it mean to the original audience? What does it teach about God, people, sin, grace?
A — Apply: What should change in your beliefs, affections, or actions today?
R — Respond: Turn your insight into a sentence of prayer or a step of obedience.
Here are a few questions to ask as you read:
- What does this passage reveal about God’s character?
- How does it point to the gospel of Jesus?
- What command should I obey or promise I should trust today?
3) Pray Scripture back to God
Prayer is an essential part of the Christian life. We should allow the texts we read in our quiet time to shape our prayers. A simple structure I’ve found helpful is the A.C.T.S. model of prayer. It goes like this:
- Adoration: Praise God for who He is (start with what your passage revealed).
- Confession: Be honest about sin the Word exposed (1 Jn. 1:9).
- Thanksgiving: Thank Him for specific mercies today.
- Supplication: Ask for what you need—and pray for others.
During supplication here are a few key ways you can pray for others. (1) Remember your church family and the mission, (2) Pastors & small-group leaders: Ask God to fill them with wisdom and endurance. (3) IMB/NAMB missionaries and the unreached: Pray for boldness and open doors. (4) One person who is adrift from God: Ask the Lord for an opportunity to share Christ this week with that person.
Also, if prayer feels dry, pray the passage line by line. Or you can paraphrase it to the Lord, add names and needs, and keep going.
4) Tie your quiet time to your church family
I believe disciples grow best in community with one another. It is for this reason that our quiet times should be shared as an encouraging word with others. You can share one takeaway each week with a friend, your spouse, or your small group. Memorize the Word of God together. You can choose a short verse from your reading and text it to someone to review, or as an encouragement to them.
Also, don’t hesitate to pray with others and ask people how you can be praying for them during Sunday School and the time before and after church.
Use your quiet time to prepare for Sunday. We are working through Romans in the church I pastor in. It is a great practice to read through the Romans and focus on the next set of verses or chapter that week. In reality, your private worship fuels the church’s public worship, and the church’s public worship fuels your private worship. They belong together.
5) Aim your quiet time toward obedience and witness
James tells us to be doers of the Word, not hearers only. Each day, write one clear next step and one person to bless:
For example, it can be something like this:
- Obedience step: “Today I will reconcile with ,” “I will fast from ,” “I will encourage __.”
Then there is the witness step: Keep a simple “Who’s Your One?” list of 1–3 names of those you’d like to share Jesus with. Then pray for them daily, send a text of encouragement, share a meal with them, offer to pray with them, etc. The point is to let your quiet time overflow into mission.
A quiet time that stops at information will stall. A quiet time that moves to obedience and witness will flourish.
Getting Started
Here’s a simple one-week starter plan:
- Day 1: Psalm 1 — Ask God to root you by His streams.
- Day 2: Mark 1 — Meet Jesus at the start of His ministry.
- Day 3: Mark 2 — Watch His authority and compassion.
- Day 4: Philippians 2:1–11 — Consider Christ’s humility.
- Day 5: John 15:1–11 — Abide in Christ’s love and bear fruit.
- Day 6: Psalm 23 — Rest in the Good Shepherd.
- Day 7 (Sunday): Gather with your church; review your notes and share one takeaway.
Use H.E.A.R. each day, pray with A.C.T.S., and write one obedience step and one person to bless.
Tools that help “keep it simple:”
- A readable translation you’ll enjoy reading from and a pen.
- A small journal for H.E.A.R. notes and prayer lists, and a spot to write your A.C.T.S. prayers.
- A printed plan or bookmark so you always know what’s next.
Final encouragement
You don’t need a perfect quiet time; you need a present Savior. Start small, stay consistent, and keep your eyes on Jesus. I’m convinced that when God’s people open the Bible, bow in prayer, walk with the church, and step into the mission the Lord has given us, the Lord grows us, day by day, into the likeness of Christ.
