All family Bible studies should begin and grow at home, as God intended. Yes, God has designed the church as a larger family unit that complements and validates what is taught at home, but God has also designed the family as the consistent environment for daily spiritual growth.
Nothing we can teach our children is more important than the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the depths of God’s love for each of us. Sports, academics, musical abilities, and a number of other things are all fantastic, but none of these will give abundant and eternal life for them.
The Bible often encourages us to teach God’s Truth to our children as a family. Here are a few of my favorite Bible scriptures on the subject:
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
“Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
Deuteronomy 29:29
“The hidden things belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things belong to us and our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law.”
Family Bible Study Lessons
Taking time to spend with family Bible study not only develops our individual spiritual life, but it also strengthens our family by bringing us closer together as we grow closer to God.
You don’t have to be a Bible scholar or theologian to sit down with your family and study the Bible together, and it doesn’t take as much time as you would imagine. Our days already include “family times” where we can teach our children about Jesus.
Mealtime, on-the-go time, sleep, and even recreation can all be used for family Bible study. Use your imagination when it comes to sharing God’s Word with your family. Children will see that it is not just a formal time where we sit for a few minutes with the Bible and then walk away, but that it is intended to be a living part of our lives.
As We Go Bible Lessons…
15 Interactive Family Bible Study Lessons
These lessons for “Bible-Seekers” are ideal for family devotion time. They start with a brief devotional with Bible scriptures that focus on a certain thing, such as water, light, sheep, GPS, and so on. Each one offers engaging interactive Bible exercises that you can do as a family to help you remember what God’s Word says.
Bible Object Lesson
Every day, God leaves “Godprints” all over the place. We may teach our kids that one of the ways He shows Himself is through the world He created. We are educating our children to perceive and experience God’s presence all around them as we connect everyday objects with the Bible.
Object teachings are a fantastic method to accomplish this.
We instill in our children the importance of brushing their teeth. We can utilize this opportunity to teach children about the importance of the words they say and the importance of thinking before speaking.
There are several opportunities to teach God’s truth while we go about our daily lives…as we sit in our homes, walk down the street, and rise and fall. ( Deuteronomy 6)
Family Bible Study Devotion
We used to conduct Family Worship or Family Time Devotions with our children when they were younger. Since we had four kids in an eight-year span, these were a little more structured and geared to hold the interest of various ages.
These were sometimes turned into a game, such as Bible Baseball, or a treasure hunt!
We’re currently working on a series called “Layed Lessons” for Family Bible Study times that will include a variety of activities and ideas for different ages so that everyone in the family can learn and grow in Jesus. Keep an eye out for them in the near future!
Family Bible Study Video Devotions
Use these free Bible study videos to jump into your family Bible study time! Great informative videos that will capture kids’ attention.
Then read the Scriptures with your family and discuss what it teaches about God, ourselves, and how we can live out these truths.
Family Bible study devotion videos for 1 John, 1 Peter, Philippians, and Ephesians are available from “Mr. Phil.”
Reading Children’s Books & Storie
I’ve always liked books, even before I became a school librarian! I was one of those parents that began reading to their children when they were very little, and I believe I enjoyed it even more than they did!
There are a plethora of Christian children’s books that teach valuable teachings about God! Dr. Seuss books can also be used to teach family Bible study topics!
Jesus understood how a story might aid in the recall of spiritual truths. During His teaching, He employed numerous stories and parables!
Although you may not have many children’s books in your home, stories can be discovered anywhere! Tell a story of how God has worked in your life in the past. A true story from your own life or a Christian biography can speak louder than anything from another source…Apart from the Bible, of course! These spark fantastic family Bible study conversations and help our children make the connection between the Bible’s reality and serving Jesus.
With my husband being a pastor, I have heard many sermon illustrations or inspirational stories that teach wonderful truths from God’s Word. Stories like the “Duck & the Devil” – a lesson on forgiveness or “The Cracked Pot” that goes along with 2 Corinthians 4:7.
Mother-Daughter Bible Study Lessons
When one of my neighbors inquired about a Bible study for her and her adolescent daughter, I set out to find one. Annie Pajcic @ThouArtExalted.com is one of the most imaginative ones I’ve found.. It’s called “Journal with Me: Mother/Daughter Devotional Study on Philippians 4:4-9,” and she offers the first lesson FREE! They also offer a free devotional app designed for girls/teens which could be used to begin your own mother-daughter Bible study journaling using this first lesson as a pattern.
There are several things that I love about journaling family Bible study together:
- It’s not all just devotional; it’s Scriptural. It encourages looking up Scripture and digging into God’s Word while recording what we learn.
- It’s relational. This is something mom and daughter work on together and separate, but sharing many bonding moments while revealing heart matters and thoughts.
- It can begin a lifetime habit of journaling. I love keeping a spiritual journal! There have been times I have needed to look back and see how God was speaking to me and at work in my life to encourage me in the valleys. Journaling is therapeutic, giving a place to put thoughts to paper while also lifting them to our Savior.
- It helps mom set the example. One of our daughter’s memories she has shared with us that made a difference in her life is seeing her mom and dad in their own private quiet times with the Lord.
- It’s a win, win as mother and daughter or family member to family member grow closer to God while also growing closer to each other. Building that solid foundation will help our daughters stand firm when the world tries to pull her away.
Bible Verse Memory
What a great challenge it will be to learn Bible verses with our kids and set a good example for them! This can become a regular feature of your family’s Bible study time or a one-time addition. Make it entertaining by keeping score or making a chart to illustrate how everyone in your family is working together as a team, or create a game where one person quotes parts of a verse and the other responds with the remainder throughout the day.
Our children and families are worth the time and effort it takes to teach them about Jesus! As someone once put it:
“The world will teach our children not to follow Jesus if we don’t teach them to.”
The fight has been fought, and the war for our families continues. Jesus has triumphed, but it is up to us to maintain our resolve and guide our children.
Thanks For your time, If you love it you can share
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