Three tips for growing biblical literacy in young children
As a mom, grandmom, and children’s book author, the topic of biblical literacy is very important to me.
My heart is to see this next generation fall in love with the Bible! To see them trust God’s Word and understand it’s the place to go for guidance and answers to the important questions of life!
This is important because our culture has grown very dark over the past 5 years, more so than any other time I’ve seen in my 50+ years of living. Mainstream culture targets our precious children with many deceptions. Deception about creation and Who created this world. Deception about their identities and what makes a male and female. Deception about marriage and the blessing of commitment.
All it does is create confusion and sorrow for young people who are trying to find their place in the world.
“It’s not just facts and the ability to recall them, but the ability to use them to create meaning: about life, about God, about the world, and my place in all of it. It’s one thing to read a book, and another to be able to recall facts contained in that book. But it is quite another thing entirely to allow the narrative contained in that book to shape your thinking.” The Chaplains Report
As parents and grandparents, we can choose to be counter-cultural and make biblical literacy a priority in our homes, from the time our babies are born. This is the key to the development of strong, God-confident identities.
If you’re nodding your head in agreement then here are three simple things you can do to help instill in your young child a love for the Bible, from the time they are born. It’s never too early to start sharing God’s Word with your child.
Three things you can do to grow Biblical literacy in young children:
Sing over your babies and speak God's word over their identity from the time they are born. Psalm 139 is a great place to start. Do it in the morning when they first wake up, at night before bed, during those middle of the night feedings, and as you’re driving in the car. Memorize scripture about your child’s identity and speak that over them often. The word of God is living and powerful. The Bible says there is life and death in the power of the tongue. When we combine our spoken word with God’s ordained Word, powerful things happen! Here’s a free resource to pray over your children Scripture to pray over your children
Be diligent to protect your child’s innocence and strict when it comes to what you allow your children to be exposed to. You’re the gatekeeper of your home. No other person has the right or role to monitor what your children hear and see, especially when they are young. Fill your home with God-honoring books, videos, and audio recordings of stories that align with the Bible. Create a colorful library of supplemental resources that are engaging and age appropriate. This is important for any age (don’t we all like devotionals? :-). But when kids are very young, this will make the Bible come alive for them. It’ll help make the people, places, and concepts of the Bible easier to understand. The main thing is to make it clear that these ‘stories’ point to the truths in God’s Word. Here are a few resources I highly recommend:
Adventures in Odyssey (geared towards ages 8-12)
Answers in Genesis (all ages)
Guess How Much God Loves You (ages 5-10)
Pray often together. I’m not talking about long, eyes closed shut type of prayers. Say a prayer when you lose something, asking God to help you find it. When you see something beautiful in nature, talk about God the Creator, and thank Him for His blessings. When your child is hurt or angry, pray with them that God would help them to have peace and be comforted. I have found that naturally including the Lord into each day goes a long way in helping your child grow an intimate relationship with Him. You’ll be setting an example for your kids that by God’s grace, they will want to follow.
***
Karen Ferguson is a freelance writer and the author of the Questions for Kids picture book series. A lover of words, family, animals, and Jesus, Karen is a passionate advocate for truth that transforms lives. Her mission is to write stories that grab and hold young readers’ attentions, teaching them all about God’s unchangeable truths and His unchanging love for them. Karen is married to her best friend. They have two grown daughters, a growing tribe of dearly loved grandchildren, and one crazy golden retriever furbaby. Her favorite part of the week is eating dark chocolate and spending time with her family exploring new places. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and sign up for her free newsletter to be the first to know about special events, book updates, freebies and giveaways.
