As a Christian author and mom mentor, I hear a lot of questions from women in the trenches of parenting and married life. They range in topic from “Is it okay to want time for myself?” to “What are your favorite Bible studies for kids?” to “How can I stop yelling at my children?” But one question comes more often than any other and sticks out above the rest.
How can I teach my children to love God’s Word?
I love this question because if we can get a handle on it—instilling a love for the Bible in our children’s hearts—then our kids will possess the solution to most other questions and struggles in life. The more they know God according to Scripture, they closer they’ll grow to God, and the wiser they will become when faced with decisions of every kind.
So how do we help them fall in love with God’s truth?
1. It starts with knowing God personally.
Do you love God’s Word? Are you, the parent, demonstrating delight in God? Are you a living example of how important it is to study and apply the Bible? Let your kids see you reading Scripture, filling the blanks in your Bible study workbook, or listening to a sermon podcast.
Then live out James 1:22 in your household—not merely going through the motions of reading God’s Word, but actually doing what it says.
Be loving, gentle, forgiving and self-controlled. Offer grace and mercy daily. Serve your family with humility and compassion. Teaching our kids to love God’s Word begins with knowing it and demonstrating it in action. We won’t be perfect, but that’s not the goal. It’s more important to be faithful—and to show our kids by example why that’s a good choice.
2. Make time for God’s Word as a family. Ruth and Patrick’s new family devotional, Faith Forward, is a fantastic tool for bringing the Bible to life in your household! Studying Scripture truths together can be a wonderful experience that helps you grow closer to each other as you grow closer to God.
(Pat and Ruth have an incredible giveaway on Instagram for your family devo time)
Also, aim to use Scripture in everyday conversation, not solely to point out wrongdoing, but especially to affirm smart choices (“I’m proud of you for studying hard for your math test. You’re working for the Lord, and that honors Him—Colossians 3:23.”) as well as to appreciate God’s blessings. (“Wow, look at that sunset God painted for us tonight! Isn’t that amazing? Psalm 19:1 says, ‘The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.’”)
3. Make God’s Word fun! Who says studying the Bible has to be boring? Try acting out Bible war scenes, reading Bible stories with character voices, playing memory games or rewarding the kids with prizes for answering Bible quiz questions correctly. Jesus is not a killjoy! He ought to be the life of the party.
By instilling in our children a love for God’s Word, we’ll be preparing them to face a lifetime of battles fully armed—and win.
Blessings,
Becky Kopitzke
BeckyKopitzke.com
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Faith Forward Family Devotional by Patrick and Ruth Schwenk is available now everywhere books are sold including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBook.com.
Faith Forward is written for families with children of all ages to help equip and inspire you to raise another generation to love and serve Jesus. In just a few minutes a day, at your own pace, you can take your family through the entire Bible in one hundred devotions. Grow closer to your kids as they grow closer to God.
To celebrate our release, we are giving away a Faith Forward Family Bundle to accompany your Faith Forward Devo! ENTER TO WIN HERE ON INSTAGRAM.
