We started/renewed a conversation this morning at our leadership meeting, talking about how we can better help people follow Jesus and develop a love/appetite for the Bible. I don’t know what the statistics are, but I don’t think very many people read the Bible regularly (found it, thanks Barna). We’ve tried a few things, like reading the same passages across the church body, the Life Journal, preaching through a book of the Bible and encouraging people to read ahead/along…I’m not sure that it’s working. We didn’t discover the answer we’re looking for this morning, but we’ll continue to explore.
I know what works for me: I’m using the Life Journal method. I read the Scripture for the day, write down the verse(s) that speak to me, note what I Observe about the passage (why it stands out), draw a few Applications (how my life is affected by what I’ve read), the write out a Prayer, asking God to help me walk out what I’m learning. I keep a journal, which allows me to look back over the things that I’ve written down and notice any themes or trends. It’s a discipline that I’ve grown to love.
I’m working with my kids, trying to instill this same love for God’s word. I wish I could say that they all spend hours each day devouring the Bible, but it’s not happening…yet. Annabelle is reading in her Chinese/English story Bible each night, though. As I read to her and Sadie, Annabelle plows through several pages of her Bible. I make a point to ask her about what she’s reading, trying to answer any questions that she has.
I’d love to hear how any of you with kids have worked on getting your kids into the Bible. Kim and I are going to try to set aside one night a week to read/talk/pray together with Levi and Lilly. We do a lot of talking on the go, but I think there’s value in sitting down together as a family to talk about where God is moving in our lives.
In an unrelated reading note, we finished the book that Sadie brought home, and started Mary Poppins tonight. I was pretty good with developing voices for each main character in the last book, but my British Nanny accent is admittedly lame. But it’s fun to say “Mary POPpins” like Dick Van Dyke did.
Sweet spot of the night: Annabelle called shotgun to sit beside me after her bath while we watched a few minutes of American Idol. Annabelle on one side, Sadie on the other. Daddy wins!
3 Comments
karl · April 7, 2010 at 12:51 am
Agreed. This is something I’ve thought about as well, although on Sabra’s first day we did read Romans 5 together. Perhaps a budding theological giant?
stacy · April 7, 2010 at 9:31 am
Great start, Karl! Have you got her memorizing scripture yet? 🙂
mel · April 7, 2010 at 11:02 pm
I’ve been trying out Kim’s age – old suggestion of having “bible study” time for me right out there in the open…gave the girls their own “bible study journals” and all. My girls, apparently unlike yours at this age, like to take these opportunities to climb all over me… or all over each other. I’m planning to keep trying though!
Anyway, they “read” their bible in before nap time and lately we’ve mostly been doing specific memory verses. Although, the resurrection eggs & Easter story gave us a full 2 weeks of discussion. At 2 & 4 yrs old, I think just having things out and around, talking about it and posting their verses up on the wall are the primary players in laying the groundwork of “we value God’s Word around here.”