Compiled by Rev. Maury G. Gill and Nan Gill
Teaching the Word of God to your child is one of the most important aspects in parenting to produce Godly adults. It is not a guarantee that your child will be a Godly adult. However, while no parent is perfect, each parent must strive to do their best to give their children the values, principles and habits, which will serve them best as adults. There will be a day that your child will make decisions and choices as an adult. The goal of every parent is that their decisions will be based on the framework that you built in them as a child.
For example, Psalm 119:9 answers the questions about how to instill purity in your child, “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.” And Psalm 119:11 reveals the source in how to fight off temptation, “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
Nan and I want to share “9 Ways to Teach Your Kids the Word of God” to help you lay foundations to produce Godly adults.
1. READING GOD’S WORD ALOUD:
Like many books written in a predominantly oral culture, the Bible was written to be read aloud. This is what God told His teachers to do and we can do this with our children.
“You must read this Book of Instruction to all people of Israel when they assemble before the Lord your God at the place he chooses.” Deuteronomy 31:11
“Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.” 1 Timothy 4:13
“After you have read this, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it, too. And you should read the letter I wrote to them.” Colossians 4:16
“Shaphan also told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” So Shaphan read it to the king.” 2 Chronicles 34:18
There are some great children’s devotional Bibles that you can use to read aloud to your child. I like the following suggestions because they go along with the church wide curriculum that we use in the Adult Life Groups and Life Kids.
Ages 6-10
The Big Picture Interactive 52-Week Bible Story Devotional: Connecting Christ Throughout God’s Story (The Big Picture Interactive / The Gospel Project)
Bring the Bible to life each week of the year!
This unique 52-week devotional is packed with value and includes interactivity kids will love. A Bible story is at the center of each weekly devotion, and a two-to-four minute video is available by scanning a QR code. Plus, a free downloadable app lets kids experience a digital "pop-up" (using Augmented Reality) of each Bible story along with narration by Jenna Lucado Bishop. The Big Picture Interactive Bible Story Devotional is the perfect way to bring the Bible to life in a kid's heart!
Ages 2-5
The Big Picture Interactive Bible Stories for Toddlers New Testament Connecting Christ Throughout God’s Story
Introduce early learners to the Bible with The Big Picture Interactive Bible Stories for Toddlers New Testament, Board Book, featuring twenty New Testament Bible Stories in this fun, interactive and engaging new Bible storybook designed just for toddlers.
Each story features enhanced four-color illustrations that used in conjunction with the B&H Kids AR [Augmented Reality] app brings the pictures to life with pop-up imaging and read-a-long narration from Jenna Lucado.
The Big Picture Interactive Bible Stories for Toddlers New Testament, Board Book is the latest in the family of Big Picture Interactive books – a series designed to grow with families and strengthen relationships in Christ through Bible-centered, multi-platform products that engage readers of all ages.
2. PERSONAL READING:
By reading the Scripture with our own eyes, we can reflect more deeply and prayerfully about what they mean. Daniel 9:2 states, “During the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, learned from reading the word of the Lord, as revealed to Jeremiah the prophet, that Jerusalem must lie desolate for seventy years.” We can teach our children to get into the rhythm of daily Bible reading. I have already given you a children’s Bible reading tool.
3. MUSIC:
He inspired gifted song-writers and musicians His Word in song. (1 Chronicles 15:1-24 & Psalms). Start a collection of scripture songs for your children to listen to. A great resource for scripture songs is Pandora and iTunes. My son, Micah and his wife Ann, used YouTube for great children’s music videos with motions for my grandsons.
4. CONVERSATION:
In Deuteronomy 6:7, Moses instructed the parents of Israel on how to have scriptural conversations with their children, “Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.” Having scriptural conversations with your child must be a focal point of everyday life.
5. PERSONAL REPETITION:
God commands his people to meditate on His Word, or more literally, “growl”, “utter”, “mutter” or “speak” to ourselves. Joshua 1:8 states, “Study this Book of instruction continually. Mediate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” And Psalm 1:2 states, “But they delight in the Law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.” Choose verses for your child to memorize and teach them recall to the verses under breath through out the day.
One of the fun things that Nan and do with your children, that come to KIDS JAM each Sunday is the memory verse. We always ask them what the address is for the verse, the book, chapter and verse. We have them repeat it several times. Then we read the verse in fun ways, such as: read it as loud as you can, read it in a whisper, read every other word loud and soft and we even have boys read it like a girl would and the girls read it like a boy. We try to make the memory verse as fun as possible for them to remember it! The memory verse is on the Devotional Hand Out that your child is given each week when you pick them up.
Also, in Life Kids each week your child has a memory verse that goes along with the lesson. In fact, it is the same lesson you are studying in your Adult Life Group.
There are countless of memory verse flash cards that you can purchase and even helps on how to make your memory verse flash cards on the Internet.
6. PARABLES:
Jesus often used parables to draw his listeners in, provoking the curious to search for more understanding (Matthew 13). Look for ways that you can use everyday rhythms of life to teach Biblical truth to your children just like Jesus did.
7. STUDY:
God wants us to rightly handle and analyze His Word of Truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 states, “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the Word of Truth.” As your child gets older, you can teach them how to study the Bible for themselves.
I personally use the hand method to study the Bible. Take a piece of paper and draw your hand on it, then write down the following words:
For the thumb write READ IT
For the index finger write LISTEN TO IT
For the middle finger write STUDY IT
For the ring finger write MEMORIZE IT
For the pinky finger write MEDITATE ON IT
Then write APPLY IT across the palm.
I tell your child almost every week that when we hold the Bible in our hands we are actually holding the mind of God. The Bible contains everything that pleases God, everything that grieves God, how he wants us to live and treat others and what will hurt us, and what will bless us. 8. VISUAL DEMONSTRATIONS: Often, God would command his prophets to not only proclaim His Word but act it out in some symbolic fashion, making the message take on a new life (Ezekiel 1:1-17 & Isaiah 20:1-6). When telling Bible stories, have your child act out what is being read. 9. WRITING: When we write the Words of God with our hand, it allows us to study His Word in a new way. In Deuteronomy 17:18, God is giving instructions for a king, “When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees.” Instruct your child to write out the memory verse or a selected passage that they have read in order to see it in their on hand writing. By selecting a few of these “Ways” or doing all of them you are setting the foundation for your child to be a Godly adult. Nan and I love your children and partnering with you in teaching your children about God. Grace and Peace, Pastor Maury and Mrs. Nan Look for the next Blog: “15 Ways to Exasperate Your Child”
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