We can grow in our Bible literacy one day at a time—not out of guilt or legalism but because Scripture is God’s gracious gift to us.

We can help our kids connect meaningfully to Scripture by using storytelling tools to show them the relevance and richness of the text.

Jesus cares deeply about our heart towards our children, and the call to love our neighbors starts with them.

We believe the Bible is trustworthy and true, but how do we explain that to our kids? Here are four helpful reasons from a theologian and dad of three.

Even when our hearts feel cold, we can come to God’s word trusting in the promise of his presence to meet us.

Large blocks of free time can be hard to come by for moms. But turning to the Lord in our little moments can make a big difference.

Whether we read the Bible yesterday, five years ago, or never before, we can come to God’s Word in faith, believing that he meets us there with grace and truth.

While it may not be the first book we think to study, Leviticus is a gift from God to teach and sustain us. Consider grabbing your coffee and mining for its treasure.

We don’t pretend story bibles are the real thing, but they can be really helpful. Here are some helpful things to consider as you figure out how to (or not to!) use story bibles in your home.

Maybe you grew up like me, running around the white-steepled church smack in center of your small-town.

Maybe you heard stories of a different Jesus, an imposter Jesus that sent you running from the church building as soon as you grabbed your diploma and your own set of keys.

Maybe you met Jesus in small doses, spread here and there.

But whatever your story, now we’re here, wanting to lead our children to the face and hands and words of the real and risen Savior, the greatest treasure we meet in scripture.

From beginning to end, the story of redemption has always been about God. The God who shot twirling planets across space by the words of his mouth chose the weak and broken things of this world to make himself known. Our God used mud to give sight to the blind, water to bring wine to the wedding, children to feed the multitudes. So, don’t sit there stressing Bible degrees and church pedigrees, unread book lists, and unlistened podcasts.

Instead, sit there celebrating a God who is enough.

This God who wrote the greatest story ever told in the pages of eternity, also wrote a new story, this gospel incarnate, inside of us. A story painted in sweeping brush strokes of Redeemer blood. A story that rewrote our past and redirected our future.

The Author of the greatest story is present in the pages of scripture, and he’s present in you as you tentatively whisper and confidently shout his words to your children.

The greatest gift we give our children isn’t handing them the all answers to life, wrapped in a sparkling red bow. It’s bringing them along with us as we live out the redemptive reality of Christ in us. When we come to God’s word with them, asking with utter confidence, ‘God, show us yourself today,’ we are modeling for them how to live this life on earth. This is what they need.

So become treasure hunters together.

Next time you open the Bible with your children, take a moment to pray your eyes will see the wonderful story of redemption on every page.

When my son was just about a year old, I heard a mom friend say that she was doing scripture memory with her three-year-old because he was, “Such a sponge.” I had other friends reading a story from The Jesus Storybook Bible every night as part of their routine. And still others who were taking their school-aged children to Wednesday night church to learn the Bible with a group.

I remember feeling intimidated and wondering if I was behind. “Should I be doing more scripture memory with my baby?” (I literally thought that, even though he couldn’t talk yet!). Instead of focusing on the long road, making it a goal to consistently expose him to the word of God, I felt apprehensive about each method and strategy.

How do you know what to teach your children about the Bible?

Well, the goal is to equip them to be a disciple of Jesus Christ — to be able to follow him in obedience as adults if they place their faith in him.

Let them see you authentically loving God, repenting when you fail, turning to God in prayer, and studying sound doctrine along with the local church. Involve them when you host neighbors for dinner, encourage them to work hard when no one is looking, and love them as an image-bearer of God. It’s hard to be faithful in this work..., but what to teach them is actually fairly simple. 

Teach them to be a follower of Christ.
 

This post is part five of a six-week series on how to start and facilitate a women’s Bible study group. Today, we're walking through how to love group members well and maximize discussion.