The most important book we could ever read to our children is the Bible. It is within it’s pages that we can teach them of life, pride, anger, selfishness, love, mercy, forgiveness and grace. What single other book holds such a broad scope of topics for us to teach our children? What other book reveals God’s truth alone? What other book will enable our children to go through life not requiring any other book source for knowledge, encouragement and direction?
The Bible isn’t just a book for us to read as adults. It is THE book that we must read our children from the time that they are young. In order for them to grow up desiring to read and learn from God’s word, they need to be taught from the Bible as a little one throughout their childhood.
How to Disciple Our Kids by Reading the Bible
1. Read to them from the Bible when they are tiny tots. Recall to memory David and Goliath, Noah and the Ark, Jesus and the Little Children, Joshua and Jericho; share these Biblical accounts with them and they will learn to love hearing God’s word.
a. Use sticker and/or coloring books, flannel graphs, baking, etc. to encourage their interest and memory.
2. Daily have devotion time as family. Gathering everyone together to read God’s word, to learn and discuss it’s teachings will draw your family together and grow each of you in your spiritual walk with the Lord.
a. Be intentional in your family Bible study time. Select a Bible study based on what you know your family needs to work on, pick a book of the Bible to read through as a family.
3. Teach your children to have their own quiet time. If we do not train them to read God’s word on their own apart from family devotional time, then they will be unlikely to do so on their own as an adult.
a. Find a kids devotional that will engage them to read the Bible and find the answers themselves. Having a question section is important for them to learn to dig into God’s word for the answers. They will need this ability throughout life, when they need answers for bigger questions.
4. Allow them to bring a Bible to church. I know that it can be hard for kids to follow the Pastor, so by letting our kids bring a Bible with them, we are providing an opportunity for them to read God’s word instead of squirm and distract those around them.
a. You must determine at what age you require your kids to keep their Bible open to the passage the Pastor is teaching. My son is 10 and this is required, while my 8 yr. old daughter can read her Bible so long as she is quiet.
5. Be the example. Keep your personal devotion time visible to your kids. Require them to honor your quiet time with the Lord, this will teach them the importance of personal devotions.
a. Remember that our children learn most from our examples. Just by watching what we do in our personal lives with the Bible will greatly teach them what they should do. Our example must point them to Christ and who we desire them to be as adults.
A new year has just begun, it’s the perfect time to make changes in your personal and family devotion time. Get into God’s word alone and together this year, see what amazing things God will do in your family! I’m praying for you!
