Exploring the Bible together

How do we get the children in our congregations excited about the Bible? They might be familiar with many of the stories from the Bible, through being told them at home or in our children’s church groups. But how can we encourage families to see the Bible as not just a book of ‘stories’, but as something ‘living and active’ and totally relevant to their lives? This month we’re looking at different ways to engage our children in exploring the Bible for themselves, and discovering how it can help them live with their family and friends, at home and in school. 

Ideas this month

I still remember our Pastor speaking on these verses from Colossians 3 on our wedding day. But he didn’t just talk about them on our wedding day – we’ve had the privilege of also seeing him live it out in his family life. The Message translation puts it this way: “Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense.”

We’ve seen him letting it have the run of the house –  we’ve witnessed him always having the Bible close to hand and exploring it with his kids, whether that’s been telling bedtime stories, acting it out, or using it to guide and shape their decisions and choices. He’s not only given it plenty of room in their lives, but has made it central in a fun and relevant way – simply making it the foundation on which they live their lives.

That doesn’t mean their family life has been plain sailing or there have never been poor choices or arguments, but it’s been a foundation in his family life and one that he’s talked about from the front of church.

Seeing it modelled has meant that it’s something we’ve caught too. We’ve spent time thinking of simple, fun and relevant ways to bring the scriptures alive to our daughters – including memorising Bible verse using actions, to help my youngest who has some learning needs and is a visual learner. It’s been amazing to see her really grasp what those verses mean to her as she has struggled in school and remembered how God takes hold of her right hand and says, “Do not fear: I will help you,” or when she playfully reminded me and my husband lately, after we argued in front of her, that “Only fools quarrel”.

And that got me thinking about how finding little ways to bring the Bible into everyday life really gives our children a solid foundation. As church leaders, we can model this and talk about simple ways we’ve explored the Bible together in our own families, or we can share ideas from other families.

Maybe take some time this month to think about how you can encourage parents to find ways that they can explore the Bible with their children and consider signposting them to some of the resources included in this email.

Blessings

Claire and the Kitchen Table Project team

Please send us your stories of inspiring faith at home – good and bad – we know it’s a rollercoaster! We’d love to include them in our emails and on the blog.