As a Christian, you know that teaching your kids about the God of the Bible is the most important thing that you can do as a parent. There’s no question about this.
Yet, if you are like me, you struggle with making consistent family Bible study or devotions a reality in your home.
Between crazy busy schedules, resistant family members, active kids, and the never ending search for a good devotional that will appeal to all members of our families, we can feel defeated before we even begin.
But, you don’t have to feel this way!
You CAN succeed in family devotions. You CAN teach your children from God’s Word.
Here are four super-simple ways to make consistent family Bible study a reality in YOUR home:
1. Keep family devotions short.
Far too often, we seem to feel that 30 minute family devotions are more spiritual then 10 minute family devotions. Then, when we cannot find 30 minutes in our schedule or when our toddler won’t sit still for 3 minutes (let alone 30!), we become discouraged and stop having family devotions altogether.
Family devotions doesn’t have to be super long. Match the length of your family devotions to the attention spans of your children.
If that means that you only get through a couple of verses each day, that’s fine! Read a couple of verses, talk briefly about them, and pray. It doesn’t have to take a long time.
Don’t underestimate the cumulative effect of 5 or 10 minutes of Bible study a day. These little bits of time really add up!
For example, if you only manage to have 10 minutes of family devotions four times a week, you will have spent over 34 hours in God’s Word with your kids by the end of one year.
Pause for a moment and let that sink in. 34 hours in the Bible with your kids.
If you consistently spend 10 minutes a day, four days a week, for 15 years, you will have spent 520 hours reading and discussing the Bible with your kids by the time they enter young adulthood. Now, that’s a Biblical foundation to strive for!
2. Keep family devotions engaging.
Reading God’s Word to your kids is excellent! But, reading and discussing God’s Word with your kids is even better.
How can you do this? The easiest way is to ask questions after you read each passage.
Pick out super-simple questions for preschoolers, making sure to reread the verse the answer is found in.
Ask elementary aged kids how they think the characters in the Bible story felt or how they think they themselves might have responded in those circumstances.
Ask your tweens and teens how they think this Bible passage should be applied to their own lives.
Teach your kids to interact with God’s Word.
3. Keep family devotions relevant.
Regardless of how old we are, our culture, our race, and the time in which we live, the Bible is written for us!
Show your kids how the Bible is relevant to their lives. Ask them what each Bible passage that you read means to their lives. What is God teaching you in this passage? How does God want you to change based on what you have read?
As you read a Bible passage, think about how that passage has affected your life personally. Our kids love to hear true stories about our lives! Use examples from real life as you discuss what the Bible is telling your children.
4. Keep family devotions Fun.
Jesus Christ was anything but a dull preacher. He used stories to engage His audience. He pulled them in with parables that they needed to solve. He even used humor to get His points across.
As you discuss Bible passages with your family, look for ways to make it fun. Can you act out a portion of the Bible story? Can you incorporate an object lesson? How about a word game or a sword drill? Look for ways to make family devotions interactive and fun for everyone involved.
You can have consistent family devotions!
Regardless of a busy schedule, resistant family members, and active kids, with God’s help you CAN faithfully and intentionally teach your kids the Bible. Keeping your family Bible time short, engaging, relevant, and fun will help you do just this!
How about you? Do you have any suggestions, thoughts, or questions about family devotions? I would love to hear from you. Please scroll down to comment.
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May God bless you!
Still feeling overwhelmed? Check out The Astonishing Story of Salvation Bible study to see exactly how you can have short, engaging, relevant, and enjoyable family devotions today!