Developing a Daily Devotional

Don Atkinson

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Author of Day by Day in Ephesians

Founder of Day by Day Ministry

   

       Regarding content and structure, there are two basic types of Christian daily devotionals—thematic and expository.  The majority of Christian devotionals fit the thematic category in which the author moves from one Christian theme to the other with each daily devotional.  In the expository category, the author explains one or more verses of Scripture in each daily devotional.  In Day by Day in Ephesians, I ranged from part of a verse, to one verse, to two or more verses in each daily devotional.   

    

      The author first decides what Scripture will be covered.  The thematic devotional usually revolves around a biblical topic such as faith.  Then, Scriptures are normally utilized from various books of the Bible.  Or the author may wish to base the devotional (expository) on an entire book of the Bible.  This was my approach in Day by Day in Ephesians.  In most cases, the Scripture verses are dealt with chronologically.  This methodology maintains the organization and thought patterns of the biblical text.

  

      For the thematic devotional, the author can enlist the aid of variety of biblical resource materials on the selected theme.  Bible commentaries are particularly helpful for the author of the expository devotional.  If a fairly technical commentary is being used, one must remember not to include detailed or complex theological information in a daily devotional.  The daily devotional is oriented toward the typical “person in the pew”—not toward Bible college or seminary students and graduates.

     

      Because of the brevity of a daily devotional (approximately 300 words), the author must be careful to select only a few verses for each devotional.  The subject matter of the specific verses helps the author make this decision.  The theological depth of the verses also impacts the author’s decision.  In Ephesians, Paul wrote from a  deep theological perspective.  Consequently, I usually dealt with just one or two verses of Scripture in Day by Day in Ephesians.  This enabled me to adequately interpret the Scripture covered in the devotional.

     I always include the entire verse or verses covered that day just below the title.  I like to put the Scripture quotation in a different font than the remainder of the devotional text.  I believe this draws attention to the Scripture, which is the basis for the expository devotional.  To further set off the Scripture, I indent the quotation a few spaces from both the left and right margins. 

   

      To help draw the reader’s attention, I suggested the author develop catchy, attention-getting titles for each daily devotional.  In some cases, the title may seem strange to the reader until the Scripture and its accompanying narrative are read and reflected upon.  Then the reader can see the theme or concept being emphasized by the title.  Often I used a portion of the Scripture for my title.  For instance, one title I used in Day by Day in Ephesians was:  BE CAREFUL HOW YOU WALK.  This was taken directly from a part of Eph. 5:15.  In Ephesians, Paul frequently used “walk” as a metaphor for the Christian’s day-to-day lifestyle or conduct. 

     

     

      Subheadings are useful in alerting the reader that the author is shifting from one idea to another.  This feature is especially important when dealing with Scripture that is fairly deep theologically.  I frequently use a portion of the Scripture verse as a subheading.

      In addition, I often italicize what I perceive to be key theological concepts or terms in each daily devotional.  I believe it is helpful to the average reader to highlight these concepts so they will not be overlooked.

     

      Most daily devotional readers have not attended a bible college or seminary.  Therefore, the typical reader is not familiar with jargon such as “pneumatology.”  In the Greek language pneuma means “spirit.”  Consequently, pneumatology is the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.  When writing devotionals, I continually avoid using terms such as pneumatology so I do not lose the reader. 

     

      In some devotionals I include a short summary paragraph.  I believe it is beneficial for many readers to reflect on just one or two sentences that summarize all that was said above.  Always I conclude with a literary device that I entitled: Thought for the Day.  As here, I bold Thought for the Day (located at the bottom of the page) to bring it to the reader’s attention.  Frequently, I ask one or two questions of the reader which flow out of the truth presented in the daily devotional.  In other cases, I ask the reader to reflect on a thought found in that day’s devotional.

May you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”  (2 Peter 3:18) as you read, reflect on, and apply the truths God presents in His epistle to the Ephesians.

—Don E. Atkinson

Today we're talking about a different kind of writing. Outside the usual fiction. Let's talk about ideas YOU have to wander in your writing life. Have you ever written a devotional? A different genre in fiction? Any non-fiction? How about a poem or a song? Blog posts are their own style of writing, too, any bloggers who want to speak up? Leave a comment to get your name in a drawing for a copy of Day by Day in Ephesians. 

Find Don online at:
www.daybydayintheword.org

   Blog written by Don E. Atkinson, author of Day by Day in Ephesians.  For more information about Don and his daily devotional, visit his website:  www.daybydayintheword.org 

 Don E. Atkinson was born and raised in Lincoln, NE. He attended Southern Nazarene University (formerly Bethany Nazarene College) and Colorado State University securing a Bachelor of Science degree. Later he obtained his Master of Science degree from Texas A&M University. He completed a significant amount of coursework towards a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS).

     Don is the founder of Day by Day in the Word ministry. He has been active in his local church teaching adult Bible studies and preaching, as needed. Married in December of 1982, Don and his wife have three grown children.