I realize that so many of my readers are grandparents, like me. You might be tempted to skip over this article, but it could help you encourage your grandchildren to read the Bible. Or maybe it could encourage a young parent that you know. So please read it and pray fully consider how you can use it or to whom you should pass it on.
Just because you have a packet of seeds doesn’t mean you will have a great garden.
The truth is, gardens don’t just happen, they are cultivated.
Cultivation requires
diligence.
hard work
persistence
fertlizer
and some things you can’t control
sunshine and rain.
Raising Godly kids doesn’t just happen, they are nutured purposefully and regularly. They must be nourished by the bread of life- God’s Word.
If you only ate once a week, you wouldn’t be very healthy.
You would probably be susceptible to diseases and suffer with a variety of health problems. You gotta eat the right stuff, often enough to nourish your body if you want to be healthy.
Spiritual health works the same way.
If you want to be healthy spiritually, then you need to feed your spirit- Soul Food! While that thought makes this Southern’s mouth water, the Soul Food your kids need is even better. But most kids don’t seem to know that. Still developing the discipline of reading the Bible is vital to spiritual health.
So how do we help children develop the habit of reading their Bible?
They need a plan that fits them.
They are kids! Surprise Surprise! Huh! But they still need more than candy!
While they might need their food cut into bit sized pieces, they can enjoy nourishing food. And they can develop a taste for different foods, when you give them the opportunity.
If it looks good.
If it tastes good.
If they like it.
If they’re hungry.
If it tastes good.
If they develop a taste for it.
Does it look good?
This means…
attractive
colorful
interesting
age appropriate.
A Picture Bible is a great place to begin.
The comic book like pictures and balloon brief dialogues are perfect to captive children’s attention. Especially boys. My son loved his. We spent hours reading that book. The stories in this Picture Bible were far more accurate than most Bible Stories books. (I hate to see the Bible stories watered down instead of simplified.) I think the Picture Bible has done an awesome job.
I love the stories for young children on the YouVersion Bible for Kids App. The games and the stories are awesome. These stories can be used for family devotions. There are games to play as the children go through the stories. Then you can talk about the story together. Ask questions. Talk about a suggested take away from the story.
Then there’s the Fire Bible Kids App. But you must purchase the Kid’s Fire Bible for the app to do it’s thing. After you select the book in the Bible, you turn the Bible to the first page of that book. Click the corresponding Book on the app, answer the question correctly. Then hold the phone or pad over the first page of the book you selected. When it scans the icon it starts the app. I love this app.
Both apps are free app available in the App store for iPad and iPhone.
Superbook Kid’s Bible and The Beginner’s Bible are also available for free in the App store. I haven’t spent as much time playing with them as I have the other two that I mentioned above.
Bible Reading Plan
Children can start reading their own Bible earlier than you might think. With a Bible reading cart they can read as little as a verse a day or five verses a day depending on their reading ability and interest. Even if you use Bible reading chart has one or two Bible reading assignment a week, that’s better than not having a plan at all.
Reward them with small treats when they return with their completed Bible reading chart on a weekly or monthly basis.
Parents get involved.
Read the verses with your children and talk about what you’ve read.
After they read their verses have them think about what they have read. What does it mean? What is God saying?
By giving them a chart you are helping develop a habit of feeding their spirit with the Word of God.
Help children develop the Bible reading habit. Help them discover how important the Bible is and fall in love with it’s author.