Lately I’ve been thinking about how to encourage children to embark on a journey of regular, independent, time with God’s word. It’s not a new topic of contemplation for me – I often find myself revisiting it as my children grow and our family schedule changes or adjusts as the year continues. The ultimate aim is that by the time children reach adulthood they will have an almost natural inclination, and knowledge of how to approach, reading God’s word. 

Having said that, I’m also mindful against training children into legalistic ritual and a false sense of guilt. We all have different personalities and schedules that change as life continues. So to me, the important thing to teach isn’t so much the type of Bible reading done, or even the length or frequency, but the ongoing commitment to feeding our mind and spirit with God’s truths.

So how can we purposefully encourage this type of habit in children?
With younger children it can be done very simply. A Bible story or devotion style book can be gifted and then enjoyed as part of a regular bedtime routine. As the children grow, however, and may move out of this shared reading routine, there are new challenges to face.

One factor is schedule. Children accumulate extra curricular commitments as they grow: sport, dancing, homework and the necessary wind down at the end of such a day. Between the ages of 8 and 14 they likely have the technical skills to be able to do a personal quiet time on their own, but lack the time management and theological independence required to tackle portions of scripture. It’s almost like we need to provide them with training wheels as they build confidence and enthusiasm to explore God’s word in their own way and own time. If we don’t do this adequately they may subconsciously feel reading the Bible is either a grown-ups only thing, or something done with little children and picture story Bibles.

But the Bible has always been a book for all ages. It’s just the level of support that may change over time. This is why we need to continue to role model, encourage and facilitate their increased confidence with this text and ultimately support their eventual move towards ownership. And this is where it requires extra creativity and energy from the adult mentor.

It is no easy task to consider the individual needs of each child. We need to think through what time suits each child (as mentioned above, before bed-time might suit the 4 year old, but not the 12 year old who tends to lose concentration the later it gets)? What resources could provide the best support towards both independence and growth? And how much interaction from a spiritual mentor is required along the way (interaction that may involve one on one time)?

In our house, we’re still learning and experimenting. I imagine it’s something we’ll continue to do for many years to come. But it’s worth it. God’s word is a light our children need to feel comfortable wielding.

I wonder what resources or habits you’ve seen to pass on this important spiritual discipline?
Please leave a comment and share your ideas, suggestions or experiences below.

Penny 

Penny Reeve has written a series of Bible study guides for 10-12 year olds called ‘Dig In Discipleship‘. These guides have been purposefully written to be useful for both small group or independent use.