teach them how to use this tool

“The B I B L E, yes, that’s the book for me.  I stand alone on the word of God, the B I B L E.”

I attended a Children’s Ministry conference at DBU a couple of years ago where the key note speaker revealed some startling statistics.  In his presentation, he offered the results of a poll taken where conservative evangelical Christians were asked about basic ‘Christian’ practices.  One of the questions asked how many of those polled used the Bible as their moral compass for decisions in life.  While I do not recall exact numbers, I do recall the number was quite high, in excess of 75%.  That tells me more than 3 out of 4 conservative evangelical Christians polled do indeed use the Bible as their moral compass.  Another question asked of those being polled was whether or not they read the bible during the week (any time other than Sunday morning church).   While this response did not surprise me, it did reveal a disconnect that I suspect is occurring among believers today.

“The B I B L E, yes, that’s the book for me.  I stand alone on the word of God, the B I B L E.”

I attended a Children’s Ministry conference at DBU a couple of years ago where the key note speaker revealed some startling statistics.  In his presentation, he offered the results of a poll taken where conservative evangelical Christians were asked about basic ‘Christian’ practices.  One of the questions asked how many of those polled used the Bible as their moral compass for decisions in life.  While I do not recall exact numbers, I do recall the number was quite high, in excess of 75%.  That tells me more than 3 out of 4 conservative evangelical Christians polled do indeed use the Bible as their moral compass.  Another question asked of those being polled was whether or not they read the bible during the week (any time other than Sunday morning church).   While this response did not surprise me, it did reveal a disconnect that I suspect is occurring among believers today.

Of those questioned, less than 30% admitted to reading Scripture at any time other than during Sunday morning services.  This presents a dilemma:  How can we use Scripture as our moral compass when we are not taking the time to read it and know it so that we can use it to guide our decisions?  What is it about the Bible that we find so uninteresting and uninviting?

Could it be that we simply do not use this tool that God has given us because we have never been taught how to use it? 

I was teaching a class this past Sunday morning and asked the children to look up some verses in the bible.  To my surprise, none of the students in the class could find the verses.  They did not understand the simplest things like chapters and verses and whether particular books of the bible are found in the Old Testament or in the New Testament.  I understand that this particular class may not be representative of all children, but I suspect there are many more children like these.  Think about it.  We do not need to bring our Bibles to church anymore.  Scripture is presented on big screens as the pastor reads it.  Sunday school teachers teach out of quarterlies or teaching books that paraphrase stories of the Bible emphasizing those details that serve to highlight the main point for the lesson.  I am not opposed to big screens and teaching books; I believe those are great things especially if there is a guest who does not own a bible.    Let us be careful, however, that we do not become accustomed to modern tools that we neglect to use the most important tool God has given us.

If our children are to stand on the B I B L E alone and on nothing else as the song suggests, they must learn how to use it.  Take some time, children’s teacher/leader, and teach the children the books of the bible.  Teach them what the big numbers represent and what the little numbers represent.  Teach them the difference between history books and poetry books and Paul’s letters.  Read stories directly out of the bible so that the children will learn that the bible is a book worth reading.  If we do this, then perhaps when another poll is taken many years from now, the results will be different.

“All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)