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The Summer of the Bible

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Paolo Rosa (2015), public domain

Today marks the unofficial start of summer in the U.S. The next three months promise sunshine and thunderstorms, lightning bugs and mosquitoes, picnics and sunburn. Summer is here, whether you’ve gathered your frisbees and watermelon or not.

Summer has a rhythm of its own. The children are out of school, we’re anxious to travel, and the longer hours of daylight call us outside for yard work and play.

Though it seems we should have more time in the summer for spiritual pursuits, for many the opposite is true. We float into the fall like a dry leaf, wondering why we feel so distant from the Lord.

Let’s make this summer different. Let’s fill this summer with the Bible.

Seven Reasons to Read the Bible

As I urge you to pick up your Bible this summer, I realize some will consider this a stuffy burden. But if you think the Bible is boring, you’ve got the wrong book.

The Bible is the word of God! It is our light in the dark, it is our way back to our Father, it is the food we need for life. There are millions of reasons to read and study the Bible. Consider these seven.

  1. We read the Bible to know Christ.
  2. We study the Bible because knowing Jesus is eternal life.
  3. The Bible gives us wisdom (Proverbs 1:1–7).
  4. The Bible makes us fruitful (Psalm 1:1–3).
  5. The Bible warns us about sin and folly (Psalm 19:11).
  6. The Bible gives us hope (Romans 15:4).
  7. The Bible gives us the truth, and there is freedom in knowing the truth (John 8:31–32).

Five Suggestions for a Bible-filled Summer

There’s no need to wait until January 1 to make a life change. If you’ve been neglecting God’s word or if you’d just like to make the most of the summer, here are five ways to get started.

Read and study the Bible yourself. You’ll never regret focusing on the Bible. If you’ve never studied the Bible before, don’t be intimidated! We’ve got you covered. If you need the refreshment of simply reading the Bible, three months is plenty of time to read the whole thing. Really!

Join a Bible study group. A small group study can be just the thing to get you out of the house and into God’s word. Ask around at church to see what’s available this summer, and if you don’t find anything that works, start your own group!

Read the Bible with a friend or spouse. Groups can be great, but the simple practice of reading the Bible with one other person is powerful too. This really is as easy as it sounds: find a friend, find a time, and dive into the Bible together.

Read the Bible with your family. Pick a book in the Bible and start reading out loud. Once you finish, start again with a different book. Keep going. A family reading time will be fruitful for everyone (especially if the children ask questions).

Point your children to the Bible. School-age children invariably have more free time in the summer, and they can’t spend the whole time blowing bubbles. Whether your children can read or not, the summer is a great time to help them develop a daily devotional habit. Follow up and show them how the whole Bible fits together.

Three months of summer stretch out before us; let’s use them to immerse ourselves in the Bible!

You Can Read the Bible to Your Kids

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When my oldest daughter was about to turn 6, she endured a season of feeling great burdens for people who don’t know Jesus. She prayed for them often. She wept. She brought Jesus into conversations. On occasion, she would wake in the night from sadness for unbelieving friends and family members. She spoke of becoming a missionary when she grew up so she could tell more people about Jesus.

My wife and I did all we could to foster such missionary zeal. We’d be delighted to see one or more of our children dedicate their lives to full-time Christian service, whether at home or abroad. So we spoke about this calling with our daughter. We gave her missionary biographies. We prayed fervently with her. Our church even invited her to join the Missions Committee.

And one day, out of the blue, she asks me an innocent question that cuts me deeply. “Papa, how can I tell people about Jesus when I grow up, unless you first read the whole Bible to me?”

The Quandary

I’m embarrassed to say it, but it’s true: It had never occurred to me to simply read the Bible to my kids. We fill our home with things read. We read fiction and non-fiction. We listen to audiobooks during rest time and in the car. We read at the dinner table. We read independently and together, silently and out loud. We read and read and read. But, before my daughter’s question, our reading rarely included the Bible.

To be sure, we tried our hand at family devotions. I wasn’t as consistent as I wanted to be, but we still did it a few times each week. Such devotions involved a few short Bible verses, a passage from a wonderful children’s devotional, a few good questions, and prayer.

But if we were going to sit and just read something, it wouldn’t be the Bible. It couldn’t be the Bible, right? Children aren’t ready for that. Instead, we’d read The Chronicles of Narnia, or The Penderwicks, or the latest wonder from N.D. Wilson. Maybe The Jesus Storybook Bible. But not actually The Holy Bible. No way.

Yet my daughter’s question cut me to the quick. The shocking realization rocked my world: You can read the Bible to your kids. I can read the Bible to my kids.

So, on her 6th birthday, my daughter received my solemn promise, with the Lord’s help, to read her the entire Bible by her 18th birthday. She just turned 8 a few weeks ago, and so far we’re on track to fulfill that promise.

Jan Rowley, Creative Commons

How We Do It

I have more than one child, so as family patriarch, I made the call to include all the children in our Bible reading time. To help you picture the context, my children are now 10, 10, 8, 6, 2, and 10 months. Sometimes we exempt the baby from Bible reading time if she needs to be fed. And sometimes the toddler is still finishing her nap. Beyond that, however, nobody gets an excused absence.

To make time for family Bible reading, we actually had to drop out of a Bible club, where four of my children attended and I taught a class. The club was great, and everybody was learning and growing in Christ. But we decided to place higher priority, this one night a week, on our own family Bible reading.

So we gather Sunday evenings for an hour. The children get notified 60 and 30 minutes prior to Bible reading time, so they have enough warning to finish up whatever they may be doing. At 10 minutes before, we ask them to begin the transition by using the bathroom and bringing to the living room whatever they want to have with them during Bible reading time.

The children can have books, toys, games, legos, coloring books, painting supplies, dolls, matchbox cars, chess sets. Whatever. Just nothing electronic. They can do anything they want during Bible reading time, as long as 1) it is silent, and 2) it can be done without leaving the living room.

Then they sit, play, and listen while I read for about an hour.

We began with Genesis 1 and have gone straight through. Occasionally, I’ll stop to clarify something or to take a question. This way, we’ve discussed covenants, circumcision, uncleanness, prostitution, dreams, altars, ancient dating customs, the best ways to kill Philistines, and what it means for a woman to be violated. We’ve befriended Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Deborah, Barak, Gideon, Samson, and David. We’ve read long lists of names. We’ve jeered Saul. We’ve mourned for Absalom, our son, our son; if only we had died instead of him. We’ve climbed on the coffee table to picture Goliath’s scornful mocking and his brutal fall. And we’ve joined the tribes of Israel in shouting “Amen” after each covenantal curse (Deut 27:14-26).

Of course, the Pentateuch was a challenge. But the children are used to enough rituals, rules, and procedures that it was probably harder for me than it was for them. We’re just about to finish 2 Samuel. And yes, we’ve hit some dark content. But, as we allow the Scripture to drive our spiritual discussions, the children have been more than mature enough to handle the subject matter. I can’t yet comment on how we got through the Psalms or Prophets.

Before we start a new book, we always watch The Bible Project’s overview video of that book, and this proves to be a highlight for the children. They refer to the videos as we then work our way through the book.

Conclusion

Of course, you don’t have to do it the same way I do. But I hope to encourage you with a simple proposition: You can read the Bible to your kids. You don’t need a perfect schedule, or a perfect set of devotions from an expert. Your children can handle it, as long as you are enthusiastic about it. Who knows how God might use his knowable word in your family?

The Most Important Component of Children’s Ministry

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In a blog post last week, Russell Moore makes an critical point about “The Cosmic Importance of Children’s Sunday School“:

Sunday school transformed my life.

What I needed was the slow repetition, over years and years, of the Word of God. What I sometimes find among Christians is knowledge of systematic theology in one tribe or of biblical moral principles in another—without knowing the narrative of the text itself. Some Christians know how to argue their view of whether Romans 7 describes pre- or post-conversion experience but don’t know the difference between Rehoboam and Jeroboam, between Abigail and Michal. We would all—as gospel Christians—affirm the entirety of the Bible as necessary and profitable but still might, if we’re honest, think that knowledge of the text’s details—rather than the theology or life principles arising from it—is more about Bible trivia than the Christian life. If so, we are wrong.

Now the exact structure of the education—that is, what we think of as “Sunday school”—is much less important than the form of the education—the slow repetition, over years and years, of the Word of God. And Moore nails his point here. The next generation needs to be fed God’s Word. Principles of theology are important, but not sufficient. Lessons in morality are important, but not sufficient.

The Church’s little ones are depending on us to get this right. Please consider what Dr. Moore has to say on this topic. Check it out!

The Radical Book for Kids: More Fun Than a Homemade Catapult

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If I had a drachma for every new Christian children’s resource that disappointed me, I’d be about as wealthy as that second guy in the parable of the talents.1 I don’t want to be overly negative, but let’s please face the brutal facts of this present evil age. Some resources are all hip and no guts. Others are so theologically self-conscious they can’t avoid sounding pretentious. Yet others are simply ugly or shoddy. As our Master rightly lamented, “The sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light” (Luke 16:8).

And with what shall we compare the delight that erupts when a new resource defies all expectations of mediocrity, planting itself firmly in the soil of young readers, unto the bearing of much good fruit? I’ll tell you. It shall be like the olive harvest on the 15th of Tishri.2 I’m pleased to recommend one such resource to you.

radical-book-for-kidsThe Radical Book for Kids: Exploring the Roots and Shoots of Faith is something of a handbook of the Christian faith for 8-14 year-old kids. With its large size and stunning production quality, it looks and feels like a coffee table book. But it’s the type of coffee table book that’s more fun than a homemade catapult.3 Kids and their parents won’t be able to keep their hands off it, nor would they want to. This book’s 67 short chapters cover a wide, and somewhat random, spectrum of topics ranging from character development to church history to science and theology to practical Christian living to Bible reading skills.

And it’s that last category that interested me the most. How does this book do at helping young people learn to study the Bible for themselves?

Chapter 1 demonstrates the value of being able to summarize the Bible’s teaching, and then it offers such a summary in one sentence: “Through Jesus, God is restoring everything that sin ruined.” Chapter 2 then describes “How to Understand the Bible” by concisely explaining all the main genres of Bible books. Later chapters return to each genre, offering suggestions on how to get the most out of studying them:

  • Chapter 8 on the Pentateuch
  • Chapter 11 on narratives
  • Chapter 28 on wisdom literature
  • Chapter 34 on the Psalms
  • Chapter 41 on the prophets
  • Chapter 56 on the gospels
  • Chapter 59 on the epistles

Along the way, there are chapters on how to read the Bible every day, how we know the Bible is true, famous trips in the Bible, jewelry in the Bible, money, the calendar, animals, and many more. One chapter offers single-sentence summaries of all 66 books of the Bible, and another recounts the full plot line of the whole Bible. Each of these chapters delivers accurate truth winsomely, motivating readers to dive into the Scripture themselves.

Now these chapters won’t satisfy someone looking for a graduate-level education, but they are just great for 8-14 year-olds and their parents. And because parents aren’t perfect,4 I must make two confessions:

  1. I stayed up late reading the book for this review, and not because I was running out of time.
  2. I was surprised by how sad I was when I finished the book. I would love more of it. Lots more.

This book is deep, meaty, biblical, beautiful, delightful, and very sturdy. This thing is ready to take a beating and continue delighting more young disciples.

Champ Thornton has done a great work in writing this book, and New Growth Press has done a great work in producing it. I can’t wait for my kids to grow into it, and I’m happy to recommend it to you.

1You’ll have to read chapter 49 of The Radical Book for Kids to see exactly how wealthy this would make me in modern American currency.
2You need to read chapter 18 to get this one.
3Chapter 65 this time.
4A marvelous chapter 38.

Disclaimer #1: Should a Canaanite with a sickle sword (see chapter 65) visit these here parts, he’ll want to know I notified you all that “New Growth Press generously provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.”

Disclaimer #2: Because God is my boss (see chapter 44), integrity demands I disclose the fact that clicks of Amazon links and resulting purchases will provide a small commission at no extra cost to yourself. That way, I can continue learning my Hebrew (chapter 16) and Greek (chapter 52) alphabets.

Choose Good Sunday School Materials for Children

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Sunday school materials for children—they fill the earth as the waters cover the sea. The sheer number of options is dizzying.

Organizations produce these materials using a lot of thought, time, and talent. The illustrations are professionally designed. The coloring pages and craft ideas are creative and instructive. The projects and activities are memorable and moving.

But the core of a Sunday school curriculum is the content. How should churches choose what their children study?

Anonymous, public domain

Anonymous, public domain

What’s the Substance?

Below, I’ll argue for the Bible as the cornerstone of a Sunday school curriculum, but there are many other approaches in use.

  • Moral lessons/examples — We’ve all seen these lessons that don’t quite ring true. Dare to be a Daniel! What are the five smooth stones you need to defeat the Goliath in your life?

    Sunday school lessons as moral examples spring from the belief that a child’s behavior is of primary importance. The main lesson each Sunday is either be good, be nice, or be courageous. They treat the Bible as a baptized version of Aesop’s Fables.

  • Theology — Theology is inescapable when talking about God, but some curricula focus only on theological lessons. Children hear about angels, tongues, baptism, heaven, or the end times, often using extra-Biblical stories or dramas.

    Materials like these are often tied to a provincial, denominational approach to Christianity. Parents and elders want the children to grow up and agree with all their theological points, large or small. They want more members of their church or denomination.

  • Christian life issues — This approach applies a vague Christian morality to common youth concerns. Some churches try to pick “edgy” titles in the hope of attracting teenagers.

    Applying the Bible means that Sunday school lessons should land on all the difficult and interesting parts of life. But without a grounding in the Scriptures, to kids these lessons can sound like finger-wagging warnings from adults.

The Bible gives us morality, theology, and practical instruction for life. But a Sunday school curriculum addressing only these topics is incomplete and imbalanced.

Teach Children the Bible

For Christians, the Bible is essential. In it, we learn who God is, what he has done, and what he demands from us. Most importantly, in the Bible we learn the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Church leaders confess the importance of teaching these truths to children. So perhaps it seems obvious to teach children the Bible.

But there is a strong pull, for both children and adults, to move on from the Bible. Whether due to boredom or spiritual dullness, Sunday school lessons are often Bible-adjacent instead of Bible-focused.

Because children need the Bible, they must learn to study the Bible. Any Sunday school program that neglects Bible study skills sends warriors into battle without the sword training they need.

Broad Recommendations

Here’s my big-picture recommendation: Find a Sunday school curriculum that points children to the Bible and trains them to study it. The material you choose should accomplish this in age-sensitive ways.

In early elementary school, children are ready to observe and ask interpretive questions. Sunday school materials can provide structure to develop these skills. Patient teachers can guide the children toward the main point of a passage and help them to apply it.

In late elementary school, children should be able to go through the OIA process themselves. They might benefit from worksheets or Sunday school supplements, but this age group is ready for full-fledged Bible study. The emotions and changes in their lives provide plenty of opportunities for application.

Middle school students might not need a curriculum at all. Churches can invest those Sunday school dollars into Bibles for the children. Tell them to bring a notebook and pen on Sunday morning and show them how to study the Bible.

As you look for material for children’s Sunday school, make sure the kids take long drinks from the Bible. And as they get the Bible, make sure they learn how to study it themselves. Training the children with these skills is a sure way to build a Bible study culture in your church.

Here are two follow-up links: our resource page for teaching Bible study to children, and a review of an Advent family devotional and classroom curriculum.

Dos and Don’ts for Teaching Children the Bible

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John Wells has a helpful article on teaching children the Bible. He gives 4 things to avoid and 5 things to embrace.

Don’t:

  1. Teach narratives as moralistic fables
  2. Use excessive extrapolation and subtext
  3. Imply prosperity theology
  4. Exclude non-narrative genres (letters, prophets, poets)

Do:

  1. Read and talk with your children about the Bible
  2. Give them the full Scripture, not just children’s Bibles
  3. Teach them to think through paragraphs in the letters
  4. In narrative, read the whole story and then ask questions
  5. Be okay with not knowing the answers to all their questions

I think Wells overstates his case at a few points. For example, his first “don’t” almost sounds like the Bible doesn’t teach ethics (but it does). And his second “don’t” misses an important part of interpretation: Putting yourself there, and using your imagination to picture the scene. In arguing against an extreme situation (ignoring the text in favor of one’s own interpretation), Wells might react too far the other way.

But that said, I heartily agree with most of what he says. Give your children the Bible, not just children’s Bibles. Give them the whole Bible. Teach them to read, think, study, and apply. Show them Jesus. You can read the full article for more explanation of each point.

Check it out!

Don’t Be Afraid to Teach Children’s Sunday School

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Ralph Häusler (2013), public domain

Ralph Häusler (2013), public domain

As reliably as winter gives way to spring, churches need teachers and helpers for children’s Sunday school.

Not everyone is called to this ministry, but far more are equipped than are enlisted. Why do we have a shortage?

A High Calling

Sunday school is not just a way to occupy the children. For those 45 minutes, teachers talk to students about God, point them toward Jesus, and train them in Christian disciplines. What a high calling! What an opportunity!

We can become fearful when facing a weighty mission like this. Like a pot on the stove, the heat accelerates the anxieties in our hearts, and they bubble to the surface and pop.

Four Fears

Teaching children is difficult work, to be sure. But if we put the difficulty aside, I suspect fear and doubt are at the heart of our reluctance to step into this service.

1. Doubt about calling

Some people think they’re not the teacher type. They worry about connecting with children, answering their questions, and handling crises. They’re afraid of causing long-term damage.

But if you love the youth of your church and are willing to serve, you are ready to talk about teaching. You don’t need to be perfect. In general, children are resiliant and eager to forgive. And your mistakes will be more evident to you than to your five-year-olds.

An additional note: The church at large needs more men teaching our children. Boys and girls need to see godly men and women serving and caring for people of all ages.

2. Fear of missing out

Many people don’t serve the children because they want to hear Bible teaching themselves. They’re jealous for their own sanctification.

However, your Christian growth will not be stunted by teaching children. In fact, you’ll likely mature more through service than through study.

The crucible of preparation and explanation brings a unique clarity and conviction. And your growth isn’t just intellectual. God refines our character through challenges (James 1:2–4) because we’re forced to rely on him. So as a teacher you’ll have tremendous opportunity to flourish, especially if you don’t think you’re a natural.

3. Doubt about the Bible

The Bible should play a central role in Sunday school instruction. But many people think the Bible is too difficult for kids to understand.

They shrink from teaching because they fear the material won’t be engaging, relevant, or meaningful. They yearn for supplements that do all the work and leave nothing to chance. But when we pull the Bible away from our children, we keep them from the fountain.

Children might not understand every passage right away, but they’re usually ready for the Bible before we hand it over. Because it is God’s word, it is powerful and appropriate for Christians of any size, height, or age.

4. Doubt about your skills

Some shy away from teaching because they don’t feel qualified. They know they will be teaching the Bible, and they don’t consider themselves intelligent, studious, or insightful. They would rather the duties of studying and teaching the Bible be left to the pastor and elders of the church.

But the Bible is for everyone. You need no degree, certification, or minimum IQ score. The Scriptures are for the children in the classes and the teachers. Everyone can learn to study the Bible.

While churches need pastors, the most vibrant churches foster a Bible study culture where everyone embraces the privilege and responsibility of digging into God’s word.

Who Will Go?

I don’t write to provoke guilt. Rather, think of the vast opportunity! The children of your church need a teacher, someone who loves God and is committed to His word. Someone who wants to help young people follow Jesus and be changed by the Scriptures. Someone who wants to influence the next generation for the kingdom of God.

Might God be calling you to step forward?

Teach Your Child to Listen to the Sermon

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A trip to the beach is the high point of my family’s summer, and we think about it for weeks before and after our feet hit the waves. My children bubble with excitement when we stuff the car with kites and sand toys. Lovingly prepared lunches and snacks stay untouched in the cooler as they splash and dig and run and build. Back at home, they pore over their shell collections and the pictures we’ve taken.

Ulrike Mai (2014), public domain

Ulrike Mai (2014), public domain

Most parents naturally use these three phases mentioned above (before, during, and after) to help their children get the most out of many experiences. These categories provide a useful structure to help our children listen to the weekly sermon at church.

Before the Sermon

Start by introducing the sermon text to your child during the week. If your son has personal devotions, give him the relevant passage for a day or two and see what observations and questions he generates. For younger ones, read them the passage or play the audio version a few times during meals or at bedtime.

Family devotions are a great way to help your children learn to study the Bible. Why not take a night or two each week to prepare for the sermon? This helps both parents and children think through the passage, understand its context, and pray for Sunday morning.

During the Sermon

As with adults, the main challenge for children during the sermon is to listen.

Though children usually enjoy the singing and can hang on during prayer and the offering, the sermon can be tough. How much we should expect from our children varies with age and development. Parents can train their children to sit and listen by providing direction and materials.

When children are very young, tap into their love of crayons and markers. Provide some pictures relevant to the sermon text for them to color. If they like to draw, encourage them to create a picture inspired by the sermon. (Plant picture ideas as you discuss the Bible passage during the week!)

When my oldest could read and write but was not yet able to listen for long stretches, I made a sermon worksheet for her each week. These sheets had some short-answer questions, some blanks to fill in, and some questions requiring more thought. During the sermon I asked her to read the relevant passage and fill out her sheet. After that, she could read or color something else of her choosing.

Older children should be able to pay attention to most sermons. Taking notes usually helps them to focus. Parents can nurture this skill by providing some examples of note-taking and some simple instructions.

After the Sermon

To help your child process the sermon, talk with him about it afterward. Lunchtime on Sunday is perfect for this.

Read the passage again as a family and ask your child to explain his drawing or notes. Find out what he remembers from the sermon. Expand the conversation so that parents and siblings have a chance to share their thoughts.

Parents should lead a brief discussion here: What is the main point of the passage? How does this relate to Jesus? How can we apply the passage individually? As a family? As a church?

Be gracious and understanding as you lead your child through this process. Listening, focusing, and remembering are difficult skills that take practice and maturity to develop.

A Final Note to Preachers

Preachers, remember there are young sheep in your flock. They may wiggle and fidget more than most, but they need the Shepherd too.

I’m not advocating you turn your sermon into a ten-minute Vacation Bible School message, complete with song and costume. But keeping the whole flock of God in mind will affect your preaching.

  1. Take care in your vocabulary. Don’t use unnecessarily complicated words. Define terms that might not be familiar.
  2. Choose illustrations that will capture children’s attention. Don’t be ashamed to pull from nursery rhymes or fables. Throw in some animals, princesses, or battle scenes from time to time.
  3. Finally, remember the children in your applications. Prepare several applications and include some specifically for children. Don’t tire of repetition—children need to hear the commands to obey parents, love siblings, and tell others about Jesus over and over. And remember Jesus in all of your applications! We communicate a lot about God’s grace in the way we frame applications of the Bible.

In some churches, children make up almost half the congregation. By helping them to focus on the Bible through the sermon, we train up the next generation of Christians and add to the Bible study culture of the church.

Mark’s Marvellous Book: A New Kind of Storybook Bible

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While the children’s book market offers a number of beautiful, theologically rich, and gospel-centered volumes, Mark’s Marvellous Book by Alan Mann offers something I haven’t seen before: A children’s story Bible driven not by topic but by the text. Mann presents Bible stories from Mark’s Gospel with clarity, precision, and a simplicity worth imitating. If you want to learn how to teach Bible stories to your children, read this book to them and learn to do what Mann does.

Mark's Marvellous BookMark’s Marvellous Book has 18 chapters, each focusing on a single episode in the life of Jesus. Each chapter has:

  • a one-word title stating the main point
  • 5 storybook pages, applying the story’s main point to a 4-6-year-old child
  • a single-page explanation of the Bible story and its main point
  • a memory verse from the story, again highlighting the main point

Perhaps you see where I’m going: Alan Mann gets the main points of these stories! And he centres his storytelling around those main points. (Dear fellow North Americans: Please don’t be put off by the anglicized spellings of words like centre and marvellous. This book will serve all English-speaking families.)

Since Mann doesn’t cover every episode from Mark, I felt a little misled by the advertisement labelling this book “A commentary on Mark for kids.” Yet the book still won over both me and my two young daughters. I could barely get the book away from them so I could finish reading it for this review.

The physical volume meets all my standard expectations for a children’s book: strong cover, good binding, shiny paper, sturdiness to take a beating. I’m grateful to Christian Focus Publications for providing a review copy.

I hope we see more books like this in the future. Mann has a great thing going here, and I would love to see similar storybook Bibles that expound texts with such skill.

————

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Teach Bible Study During Family Devotions

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skeeze (2014), public domain

skeeze (2014), public domain

My daughters have gone dance crazy this fall. Everywhere I look, I see pointed toes, pliés, and skipping, twirling children.

My girls will join their dance studio’s production of The Nutcracker in a few weeks. You can imagine the preparation this requires—buying costumes, reserving a venue, and cramming gobs of detailed instructions inside little heads. What an undertaking!

Train Them Up

Just as my daughters need months of ballet lessons before they hit the stage, they also need training in the skills and habits of Christians. Following Jesus is the central calling of their lives, and I cannot send them off unprepared.

It is vital that we provide our children with a solid approach to Bible study. At this blog, we advocate the OIA method. While the terminology isn’t sacred, we think the skills of observation, interpretation, and application show up in all faithful descriptions of Bible study.

So how do we pass along these crucial skills to our children?

Gather as a Family

We have opportunities throughout each day to equip our kids to study the Bible. Chief among these chances are meals and times of family worship. It’s a privilege to engage all of your children at once about the most important things in the world!

But most parents know that family devotions can feel more like a chore than a privilege. The adults are exhausted, the baby is crying, and the older children are feeding spaghetti to the dog. It is difficult to steer a ship this large (especially with a mutinous crew).

Let me encourage you to stick with it. Family devotions can be a source of deep joy and they can prepare your children for a life of loving and obeying God. Family devotions are worth the effort.

Realistic Expectations

If you’re feeling guilt about family devotions, you may need to adjust your expectations. We must be both faithful and realistic. If we set the bar too high, we will frustrate everyone.

First, consider your weekly schedule. For most families, our weeks bear more resemblance to each other than do our days. Survey a typical week for your family and seize a pocket of time on each lightly-scheduled day for family worship. Don’t beat yourself up when you miss a few days.

Next, consider the content. I’ll advocate for the Bible below, but ponder what else you might do. Involve your children as much as possible and make it fun. Let them choose praise songs or hymns. Ask them about the best parts of recent days and join in a rousing prayer of thanksgiving. The elements of worship can vary. If you make family worship memorable and fun, your children will anticipate and remind you about it!

Study the Bible

Given my push for realistic expectations, it might seem strange to suggest Bible study. Doesn’t Bible study require long, private periods of concentration?

No! Since the Bible is for everyone, so is Bible study. Training children to study the Bible is as simple as asking three questions: What? Why? So what?

What? Children should observe the Bible. You may want your older children to help out with the Bible reading, but anyone can listen and observe! Ask your children to pick out the main characters, the actions, the commands, and so on. The younger your children, the more time you’ll probably spend on the “what” question.

Why? As children get older, they should move into interpretation. Follow their observations with “why” questions. Why did Jesus heal that blind man? Why did Joseph’s brothers sell him? Why does Paul say we should always pray? Ask questions like this to move your children toward the main point of the passage.

So what? With this question we enter the land of application. What difference does all of this make? Children usually need the most help with this question, but you might be surprised how eagerly they suggest applications once you get them started.

Final Remarks

Let me leave you with a few recommendations as you consider how family devotions might work in your home.

  • Don’t neglect the Bible. Story Bibles can be a blessing for young children, so feel free to incorporate them. (My youngest really loves the pictures.) But don’t let them replace God’s word. Your children can handle more than you think.
  • Involve the whole family. Ask questions of all the children—and all the adults! Children should see the adults in their lives modeling good Bible study habits.
  • Revisit Bible passages. If your family devotions bog down, return to the same passage the next time. You might also consider studying the same passage with the family that you (or your children) are reading in personal devotions.

We have several articles on teaching Bible study to age-specific children, along with devotional guides for readers and non-readers, at our children’s Bible study page.