Helping Your Children Learn to Read the Bible on Their Own
Teaching our children to love and value the Word of God is a noble desire. But how do we do so when so many things seem to fight for their attention? The newest iPhone app, TV shows, video games, et cetera!
In a world that’s so busy, how do we teach our children to quiet their hearts before the Lord?
There are no fool proof methods to short circuiting the Spirit’s work in their hearts, but here are some helpful practices:
1.) Lead by Example—The number one reason I developed a consistent personal devotion time as a young child is because I saw other family members doing it. They never verbally told me I should read the Bible every day but their actions made it more than evident the importance they placed on reading the Word of God on a Daily basis.
2.) Talk about Scripture and what God is teaching you—Make discussion about the Word of God a natural part of your life, as natural as standing up or sitting down. Talk about it whenever the opportunity presents itself (cf. Deut. 6:6–8).
3.) Show them where to Start—All of Scripture is useful and edifying, but some places are better than others for new readers. For example, Leviticus and Numbers are probably not ideal starters. The Gospels or other portions of Scripture with narrative stories are great reads for kids. A good Pauline epistle to start with is Philippians as it tends to be easier than many of the others.
Sarah Bowler
Sarah is the author of Bathsheba’s Responsibility in Light of Narrative Analysis, contributor to Vindicating the Vixens, and contributing editor for The Evangelism Study Bible. Some of her previous ministry experiences have included teaching and mentoring of adults and children in a wide variety of settings. Her small claim to fame is that she has worked with children of every age range from birth through high school over the past 20 years. She and her husband Ben reside in Richardson, Texas with their four children.
