Teach Your Child the Bible At Home

Marsha Wilson • April 21, 2026

Why and how to get started teaching your children the Bible at home!

Growing up in my family there were many traditions. Thanksgiving at my Grandparent’s home every year; my Aunt Nancy, Uncle Charlie, and 3 cousins visiting every summer; New Years Eve parties at our church until midnight; and the list could go on. One particular tradition, receiving our first Bible from our Grandparents at age 8, followed by a study Bible from them upon graduation from High School, is my favorite memory. I happened to be the youngest of 6 children so I watched my brothers and sisters get their Bibles and I waited with great anticipation for my turn.


This waiting and longing created a conviction in me, children should have their own Bible at an early age. Not a picture book about the Bible. Not a children’s story book Bible. An actual Bible! One with the Old Testament and the New Testament. A Bible that they “read” and take to church. With my own children, they received their first Bible at birth. It was small in size, but the whole Bible. We created our own tradition where each child would pass down that Bible to their younger sibling when they were born and the older child would receive a new Bible.


I believe children can be responsible to take their Bible to church and bring it home each week, when they can walk. My children would feel so “grown up” taking their Bible to church. Mom or Dad should help them to find the scripture passage in their Bible during the sermon so they can follow along. At home you should take turns using everyone’s Bible to read from even before they can read. Children LOVE it when you read from their Bible.


At different ages or “life passage moments” children should receive a new Bible. One designed for the developmental stage they are at. Give them something to anticipate and something to commemorate. These are some suggestions of life passage moments: birth, starting school, their salvation or baptism, learning to read, turning 13 (entering their teenage years, about this time they need to begin make their faith their own, not because dad & mom have faith), graduation from High School (going off to college establishing their own Christian identity), marriage (establishing their own family). Make some choices that will work for your family and create some cherished memories, and maybe a bit of anticipation.


Having a Bible of their very own is a great place to start teaching your children the Bible. You need to believe the Bible is true! Teach your children the Bible is true!


2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,”

 

Romans 15:4 “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”


It is full of actual events about real people. These are not mythological stories or allegories. Look up archeological evidence that prove the people and places are real. Consult maps of where the towns mentioned in the text are located, show them where those places would be on today’s map. As your kids grow older, have them research and read about these proofs. The Nabonidus Cylinder is one of my favorites, also the ruins of ancient Jericho, the method used by the Medes and Persians in the fall of Babylon is well documented, it really did happen in one night as the Bible says. Enjoy the process of learning the truth of scripture together with your children.

The Bible needs to be read and talked about everyday in your home, this is how you teach them that scripture applies to everyday life. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 says,


4 “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.


This passage clearly states that we should teach our children diligently. It tells us what to teach them and how to teach them. For the purpose of this article, I want to focus on the “how to teach them” that is described. In verse 7 it says “… and shall talk of them…” Talk to your children about God. The verse describes times of the day, lying down and rising up, at the end of the day and at the beginning of the day. It describes different activities during the day, sitting in your house and walking by the way, hanging out at home and going places. God expects that talking about God should be normal in your life.


This passage also expects that loving God should be a visible reminder to you, your children, and anyone who comes into your home. Hang scripture in your home, hang it where you eat, where you play, by your beds so you see it as you drift off to sleep and as you wake up. Make it yourself, have your kids make it, or buy it - a daily visual reminder of a favorite truth from God is amazing, encouraging, and uplifting.


Another way to teach your children the Bible is to tell them the stories involving children who were used by God in the Bible. Many times, children get this message that they have to be “old enough” to be used by God, so they put that desire “on hold” until they are an adult. That is so far from the truth. God uses people of all ages to do His work on earth, even children. I love to tell what I call the “Kid Bible Stories.” It makes such a difference for all of us to understand that age is not a prohibiting element to doing God’s work.


Naaman’s servant girl (She cared for her master, his health and feelings, even though she was a slave, a prisoner in his house. From this story we learn that God loves every person ever created and we should do the same.)


Samuel’s call from God (God did not think Samuel was “too young” to be called. God trusted a very important message to this young boy.)


Paul’s nephew (He alerted the guards about a plot to kill Paul. He exhibited courage and did the right thing.)


David fighting Goliath (David had NO doubt in God’s power to defeat Goliath. He trusted God for the victory not himself.)


Read the Bible aloud to your children like you would read a novel aloud to your kids. The Bible is for everyone, let’s not act like it is too difficult for children to understand. Genesis and Acts both read like a novel. Proverbs are great at developing Godly character. Psalms are beautiful pictures of all the things we can sing and pray about, God cares what is making us happy or sad or scared. Little children love the action stories of Joshua, 1 & 2 Samuel, and the Kings. Read from the Gospels about Jesus’ life. His compassion and care for others is comforting to them. Even when they are old enough to read it on their own, children still love it when you read to them.

Tell your children often that God created them unique and for a purpose. Tell them that God loves them. Scriptures I love to read (or quote) often to my children are Psalm 139:13-17 - God formed us, each and every one for a purpose, hand crafted by God is our “label” I tell them. Jeremiah 1:4-5 Before I formed you, I knew you, I ordained you a prophet… - God knows you and He knows why He created you, no one is an accident or a mistake in God’s eyes.


My version of Deuteronomy 6:4&7 goes like this: “Teach your children diligently, to Love the LORD their God with all their heart, their soul, their strength.”


Go make memories and have some fun!


Ever Wonder

Why are there two genealogies?

By Jim Wilson • April 21, 2023
Agnostics and atheists often point to the differences in the genealogies of Matthew and Luke as a reason not to trust scripture. However, it actually points to the superior wisdom of God. Both are correct because they trace the ancestors of Christ through his respective earthly parents. God had a purpose for it that is really ingenious. First, it is important to note that in Matthew 1:12 it refers to Jeconiah, who is sometimes referred to as Coniah or Jehoiachin in the Old Testament. Jeremiah 22:28-30 reveals a curse that God placed on Jeconiah, which resulted in him and his descendants being excluded from the throne forevermore. Second, notice that this genealogy leads to Joseph – who is called the “husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ” in Matthew 1:16. The words show that Mary is the mother, but Joseph is not the biological father. This biological path stops at Joseph. Third, this is important because Joseph is in the lineage of Jeconiah and therefore subject to the curse. If Joseph were the biological father of Jesus, then Jesus would have no right to the throne. However, as the adopted son, Jesus would have avoided the impact of the curse and have the royal right to the throne. Fourth, Luke’s genealogy of Mary actually places Jesus as a descendant of Nathan who was Solomon’s older brother. If there were some reason that Solomon’s line could not continue, Nathan would be able to claim legal right to the throne as the elder brother. In other words, the two genealogies are brought together in Christ, who is the only one capable of claiming the throne and thus the ability to be the Messiah. Note the words of Donald Grey Barnhouse: “But when God the Holy Spirit begat the Lord Jesus in the womb of the virgin without any use of a human father, the child that was born was the seed of David according to the flesh. And when Joseph married Mary and took the unborn child under his protective care, giving him the title that had come down to him through his ancestor Solomon, the Lord Jesus became the legal Messiah, the royal Messiah, the uncursed Messiah, the true Messiah, the only possible Messiah. The lines are exhausted. Any man that ever comes into this world professing to fulfill the conditions will be a liar and the child of the devil.”1 There are other theories, but this one best fits the scriptures.  1 Donald Grey Barnhouse – Romans Vol. 1 – “Man’s Ruin” p47. Also quoted in James Montgomery Boice – The Gospel of Matthew Vol. 1 – p18.

Why are there so many Bible translations?

By Jim Wilson • April 12, 2023
Ever wondered why there are so many translations? Or asked, how do I know which one I should use? Augustine, a theological scholar of the Church who wrote in the late 300’s AD, noted the use of many translations can help the reader to produce a better rendering of the original text. There are two basic considerations: the goal of the translation and the source used for translation. First, we must consider the goal of each translation. Some seek to be word for word, or ‘essentially literal.’ Wayne Grudem defines it as something that “translates the meaning of every word in the original language, understood correctly in its context, into its nearest English equivalent.” (Which Bible p43) Some Bibles that fall into that category are the KJV, NKJV, NASB, and ESV. Other translations seek ‘dynamic equivalence’. Grudem says, “A dynamic-equivalence translation translates the thoughts or ideas of the original text into similar thoughts or ideas in English.” (Which Bible p45) Bible versions following this method include the NLB, CEV, and NCV. These tend to be periphrastic. The NIV is basically dynamic-equivalent, but also includes some ‘essentially literal’ portions, which places it between the two categories. Another type of translation is paraphrase. In these the author simply puts the words into the cultural vernacular, without any significant regard for the literal words. Many scholars do not count these as translations-but they still may be helpful. (The Message and Living Bible) So, the difference is whether the translators are seeking to find exact words, or what they believe to be equivalent thoughts in modern English, or just putting it into their own words. You can see how it might be helpful to read all types when studying the Bible. Secondly, we should consider the sources used for the translation. There are three basic families to consider for the New Testament. The NIV, NASB, and ESV are among those that come from the Alexandrian family, known as the oldest manuscripts (also known as ‘Critical Text’). The KJV and NKJV are among those that come from the Byzantine family of manuscripts, which are not as old but are in much greater abundance (also known as ‘Textus Receptus’). The New American Bible, Jerusalem Bible, and Rhemes New Testament are among the Western family (Latin text – mostly Catholic). The differences in these families can seem significant in some cases, but theologically they do not create any differences in doctrine. There are cautions though. Alexandrian manuscripts often omit verses that are found in the other sources. Again, these do not account for any differences in theology or doctrine, as sound development of doctrine is not based on single verses of scripture. I like to use the NKJV because it falls into both categories that I prefer – literal and Byzantine. Many in our congregation use the ESV, which is essentially literal and Alexandrian. Some use NASB which is literal and Alexandrian. Others in our congregation prefer the ease of reading that the NIV offers from dynamic translation.  Sources for further study : “A Visual History of the English Bible” by Donald L. Brake. “Which Bible Translation Should I Use?” Edited by Andreas J. Kostenberger and David Croteau. “The Bible in Translation” by Bruce M. Metzger. .

Why so many names for God in the Bible?

By Jim Wilson • April 12, 2023
Why so many names for God in the Bible? Because God and his glory are too magnificent for us to grasp in one word. The Lord reveals various aspects of his glory through his many names. The Old Testament was mainly written in Hebrew and the New Testament was written in Greek. Most English bibles follow a format that changes the spelling for each Hebrew name used for God. Here are some examples. When you see “God”, it is the Hebrew word “Elohim”. It is the name used in Genesis for, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” It depicts the great power of God, who can by his words bring the universe into existence. LORD in all caps is YHWH (with vowels it is Yahweh). This name is considered the proper name of God and is translated as the ‘existing one’. The first occurrence is in Genesis 2:4, “ . . . in the day that the LORD God made the heaven and the earth.” The combination shows ‘the existing one brought this world into existence by his great power’. This name is used throughout Genesis 2 and 3. It switches to just LORD in chapter 4. It is the name Moses was told to use when he addressed Pharaoh to release the Israelites. Exodus 3:14 defines it best – “I AM has sent me to you.” It reveals to us that he does and always has existed. Lord without all caps is Adonai. This is the name the Jewish people would use to replace YHWH to avoid pronouncing the glorious name of God as a matter of reverence. There are many combinations of these names with other variables to reveal the attributes of God. It is important to realize that since God himself inspired the Bible, each name we are given is crucial to his revelation of himself. We cannot decide to delete one or focus only on one name. For example, if one were to omit Elohim (God) as a name for him, then we would lose the name for ‘God’ in the creation story. In fact, Elohim is used in the Bible as a name for God over two thousand times.  Use a Bible Dictionary, Strong’s Concordance, or bible software to explore the many names of God. Have fun digging out the treasure of his names.

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