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A biblical discipleship journey equipping parents to engage their children in biblical truth.
The #1 predictor of a spiritually healthy young adult is the “child regularly reading their Bible while growing up”. Use the plan below to inspire your child to regularly read their bible on their own.
Seek the Lord’s help in your child developing a love for God’s Word.
Provide your child with a reading level-appropriate Bible.
Choose a shared reading plan that each family member reads on their own. Pick a plan that is best for your family:
Write a mission statement, as a family or individually, on “why we/I read the Bible.”
Make biblical conversations normal, encourage family discussion, and help apply biblical truth.
Offer fun challenges and encouragement along the way.
There is no perfect parent or perfect family. Deuteronomy 6 states that we are to have God’s Word on our hearts first, then teach it to our kids. However, it does not say that we are responsible for what they do with our teaching. We are called to pass our faith on to our kids—not force them into faith.
As a believing child reads, God will illuminate truth to them. They will better become convinced of their faith and grow closer to the Lord. This intimacy with Jesus will carry them into young adulthood (Psalm 119:18, Ephesians 1:18).
Be honest about your love for reading at their age. Then tell them about your love for reading the Bible today and what the truth it contains means to your daily life. Let them see the change in you and experience the positive conversations that can result from reading the Bible.
Use this research as a jump start for you to begin reading your Bible regularly following one of the three plans listed above. Oftentimes in parenting, more is caught than taught. So, you modeling Bible reading is very important to your kids. People talk about what they get excited about. Have faith in what God can do in your life and your kids' lives and begin your journey in the Word daily. Read 2 Timothy 3:16.
Be encouraged and know that you are not alone. The Lord has placed His Holy Spirit within you to empower you (Ephesians 3:16). Also, step back and tell yourself, “this is not complicated.” Then pray and follow the six steps above according to your family’s abilities.
Talk with your kids about it. Share why you want them to comply. View “Game Changer” as a fresh approach and have faith that some or all six steps will help engage your child.
Lifeway’s book, Nothing Less by Jana MacGruder, showcases these findings after conducting a study of 2,000 protestant families.