Encouraging Children to Connect to God’s Word
by Amy Diller
When I was on staff at our church, we enjoyed creating our own VBS material. One of my all-time favorites involved a malfunctioning time machine that accidentally sent a couple of people to an Old West town. Not knowing how long it would take to fix the machine, they quickly realized they had no idea how to take care of themselves without all the modern conveniences they were used to. Then a lone cowboy came along, handed them a book, and told them it was everything they needed – light, food, protection, provision, and rescue. That special book, of course, was the Bible, and we loved spending the week teaching the kids its importance in our lives.
When you think about it, God’s Word really does contain everything we need. It’s living and active (Hebrews 4:12). It teaches, corrects, and trains (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It’s a light for our path (Psalm 119:105). It is food for our souls (Matthew 4:4). The Word helps keep us from sin (Psalm 119:11), and the Bible never becomes outdated (Isaiah 40:8).
As ministry leaders, we have the opportunity to help children develop a life-long love of God’s Word. We get to encourage them to have a growing relationship with Jesus through the Bible.
When we spend time reading God’s Word, we discover wonderful things about His character and His promises. We learn that the Bible is an exciting, epic adventure of God’s love for people throughout time. We come to know that it’s filled with stories, poetry, history, prophecy, letters, and so much more. Best of all, we come to understand that the Bible focuses on our Hero, Jesus, and His perfect sacrifice in order that all people can be forgiven. To top it all off, the amazing thing is that He invites all of us to become part of the narrative. What exciting things to talk with children about!
Before we can sincerely communicate the wonders of the Bible with children, we need to examine our own habits. Sometimes, in ministry, it’s easy for us to fall into a rote relationship with God’s Word. If we’re not careful, we can find ourselves opening the Bible only to prepare lessons. God can certainly speak to us through what we’re teaching, but if that’s the only time we’re devoting to hearing from the Lord, we’re missing out on what He wants to say to us and teach us in a deeply personal way. When we can speak about the Bible out of a full heart, what we share with kids is genuinely real.
What we do and say makes a meaningful difference in the lives of kids as they grow in their walk as a disciple of Jesus. It’s a privilege to teach them to hold God’s Word in high esteem while understanding He wants to speak to us personally through it. Following are some things to think about as you share the Bible with the children you serve.
Always use your Bible as you teach. Many curriculum lessons are designed with a script so teachers can have the story and verses printed right on the sheet. Although convenient, it doesn’t give kids a visible connection of the lesson to the Bible. In an age of digital versions of everything, holding and using a Bible in book form helps children link the lesson with God’s Word.
Another idea to help kids engage with the Bible is allowing time for them to look things up in their own Bibles or classroom Bibles. Even for children who aren’t yet independent readers, it’s important to them to find the verses or passages you’re teaching. This could happen during small group time or in a large group setting. Doing this can be very time-consuming, but with the help of volunteers and kids assisting one another, the benefit is children learning how to use their Bibles. Memorizing the order of the books of the Bible is a great method for kids to figure out where to look, but don’t forget the value of the table of contents. Giving children different ways to locate books, chapters, and verses is beneficial.
From time to time, have small group Bible conversations. Share with your students what you are learning through your own time in God’s Word. Talk about how the Lord speaks personally to you through the Bible, your a-ha moments, and your questions as you seek to gain more understanding. Invite and encourage kids to do the same. Children have such a unique, faith-filled connection with the Lord. It’s often humbling and awe-inspiring to hear their experiences. Investing in these kinds of conversations where you’re communicating on equal footing shows kids that they don’t have a lesser relationship with the Lord just because they’re young or that only adults hear from the Lord.
Consider hosting a Bible event. This can be a time for kids and parents to learn about the importance of the Bible together. At our church, we invite 3rd graders and their parents/grandparents to attend a special event. Since many 3rd graders are reading more independently and are starting to understand symbolism, it’s a great time for a “big kid” Bible. We start by showing a video (The Gospel Project for Kids has “The Big Story”) or reading a book (The Big God Story by Michelle Anthony is a good one) about the overarching story of the Bible. Then, we talk about what makes the Bible different from all other books, including how we can highlight and write in it. The kids leave to decorate cloth bags to put their Bibles in while we share a short message of encouragement with parents. Before the kids return, we supply a Bible, highlighter, and pen for each child. Parents take time to highlight a favorite verse and write a personal note in the Bible. When the kids come back, they join their grown-ups, who present them the new Bible, share the note and verse, and pray together. It’s a beautiful time for all involved. This is one example of an event you could tailor to fit your church family and available resources.
As always, provide resources to parents for at-home engagement. Giving them memory verses, Bible lesson references, and questions for discussion allows them to continue their child’s learning beyond Sunday morning. You can show them methods older kids could use for their own Bible study. One familiar tool is SOAP – Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. In a journal, kids can write down a Bible verse or passage (S), what stands out to them in the verse (O), how it applies to their lives (A), and a short prayer based on the verse (P). Encourage families to do this together to teach kids how to do it on their own. Another resource would be Bible reading plans for kids. You could design your own based on church lessons or find them online. Anything you can put into a parent’s hand or in their inbox to help them encourage their child to develop a personal practice of connecting with God’s Word is a benefit.
What we do for children now helps start them on the path to a personal understanding of their Savior through the message of His Word. It teaches them that they can hear from God when they read the Bible, just like adults can. What an awesome privilege it is to help kids grow to love the Bible and its Author!