1. Let them see your excitement.
Let’s face it, excitement is contagious. How else
would explain the “Stadium Wave” phenomenon
that still rears its ugly head at sporting events. People
get caught up in the moment. They get caught up in the
excitement. Children are no different. Let them see you
reading your Bible and enjoying it. Make certain that
they hear you talking about the exciting things you’ve
found in the Bible. Let them sense your excitement at
the things the Bible has taught you. When they ask questions,
refer to the Bible for answers. Let them see your excitement
about the Word of God, and they are likely to feed off
of that.
2. Hold your Bible.
When you are teaching kids, make sure that you physically
hold your Bible. Whether or not you refer to it during
your teaching, the mere fact that you are holding it
implies to the kids that the story you are telling them
in from that book. If they are interested in the story
you are telling (say, David & Goliath), they are
more likely to seek out the Bible to see what other exciting
stories might be in there.
3. Teach them how to use it.
Some kids avoid the Bible because it is just so daunting.
Take the mystery out of it. Show them how it is organized.
Teach them where it came from and how it is arranged.
Show them how to look up a verse. Teach them how to use
a concordance. Help them to memorize the names of the
books of the Bible. Show them the maps at the back. All
of this will turn the Bible from a frighteningly thick
book into a useful tool in the hands of a child.
4. Explain where it comes from and what is.
The Bible is not just any ordinary book. It was given
to us by God. Children need to understand that what they
have in the Bible is a recounting of the history of the
Creator’s interaction with his creation. Furthermore,
they need to understand how they fit into that story.
5. Give them a place to start.
Some people, including children, never get started into
their Bibles because they just don’t know where
to start. Challenge them to start reading somewhere.
Figure out what interests them and suggest they start
there, or pick a specific book and have them start reading
it in small segments. The book of John is a great place
to start.
6. Show them how it can be useful to them.
It is more than just a bunch of cool stories. It is the
very words of the God who created everything they can
see. When kids are playing video games (at least my teenager
is this way), they love books full of cheat codes that
show them the hidden levels and how to win the game.
The Bible is just that kind of cheat book for life. Apply
the Bible to real life circumstances and trials in a
child’s life, and show them how to apply biblical
precepts to the situation.
7. Encourage them to memorize it.
The Bible tells us that we should write the Word of God
on our hearts. Kids should start memorizing scripture
as soon as possible. Start with some core fundamental
verses like John 3:16 and work on those over and over
until they start to know God’s Word. Kids are capable
of memorizing scripture before they are even capable
of reading it. Playing music based on scriptural passages
is another great way to help them memorize Biblical passages.
8. Find out what excites them and show it to them in
the Bible.
The Bible is a cool book, and we should let kids know
that. What other children’s book has God raining
fire and brimstone from the sky, action and adventure
like the flood and soap operas like the story of Esther
or Ruth? There is something in there for everyone. Find
out what interests an individual child and encourage
them to read that story.
9. Use it in your class regularly.
Jesus should be at the center of everything we do in
children’s ministry, and the Bible is what tells
us about him. Therefore, make sure that the Bible is
central to what you are teaching. Don’t just tell
kids that the story you are telling them is from the
Bible, put it in the context of the larger biblical story
and tell the story from the Bible. When you use a verse
as part of your lesson, read it directly from your Bible,
not just your notes. Let the kids see and hear that the
Bible should be central, and a guiding force, in everything
we do.
10. Pray
We should do everything we can to get kids excited about
God’s Word, but our efforts pale in comparison
to what God Almighty is capable of. Accordingly, prayer
is critical is your efforts to teach kids about the Bible.
Pray that God would grow a sense of excitement and wonder
about his Word in the hearts of your children. Pray that
he would give them a burning desire to study his Word,
and pray that he would help them to write his Word on
their hearts.
taken
from ministry-to-kids.com