According to a recent study conducted by LifeWay Research, regularly reading the Bible while growing up was the biggest indicator that a child would remain a faithful Christian as an adult. Paul tells us that “All scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). The authors of the Bible wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Our creator revealed himself in the pages of Scripture in order that we may know him. What we should believe and how we ought to live is clearly explained for us. It is no wonder that Bible reading is the greatest indicator of a child that will persevere in the faith. To make the connection between Bible reading and lasting faith even stronger, consider that God calls sinners to himself through the words of the Bible. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Jesus is the good shepherd who calls his sheep to him. He calls sinners out of darkness and death and into light and life eternal. Jesus is the eternally begotten Son, the incarnate Word of God, and through him alone sinners can come to the Father. Through the word and by the word the Spirit of Christ draws sinners to repentance and faith. The prophet Isaiah explains this with a beautiful metaphor:
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
(Isaiah 55:10-11)
Just as rain and snow do not fall on the earth without causing wheat to grow and grain to be produced, so also the word of God is not read or proclaimed without reaping a spiritual harvest.
It is important to understand theologically why Bible reading is such an important practice, but it is equally important to think about the practical question, “How do we raise children who regularly read the Bible?” One key way to do this is to model regular Bible reading. Children learn by example, especially at a young age they look up to and mimic their parents. If Bible reading is not a regular and consistent part of your life, it is unlikely that your child will pick it up as their own habit. However, you cannot expect a child to start reading their Bible regularly just because they see you doing it; you need to teach them how to read the Bible. This can be done in simple ways when they are young and with increasing depth as they grow and mature.
To teach your child to read the Bible, the simplest yet most important thing you can do is read it aloud to them. Reading aloud trains children to sit and focus, to think about what is being said. It begins to give them the skills needed to read on their own. When you read the Bible to your child, ask them questions about the passage and let them ask you their questions. It is important to talk about the verses and what they mean. In doing so you teach your child the skills to analyze and interpret the Bible on their own.
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