The Bible isn’t just for adults. You can help your children study the Bible too. God’s Word is also for every person no matter our culture, time in history, or age. The truths are just as meaningful for children as they are for adults. But it’s our responsibility to help our children and grandchildren learn how to properly read and study the Bible. (If you aren’t confident in studying the Bible see “4 R Bible Study Method for Everyday Use.”)

The following guidelines will help lay a solid foundation for any new student of the Bible, whether child or adult. Read through them for yourself and then talk through them with your child. These principles apply to any passage in Scripture.

Bible Study for Children: 6 Guidelines

God is the Hero of every story 

The people in the Bible were sinners just like us. The stories in the Bible tell us what they did, not necessarily what they should have done. Rather than considering the people to be heroes, use their stories to help your child learn more about God’s character, nature, and ways. Even in stories that don’t specifically mention God, He is the main character. For instance, God is never explicitly mentioned in the book of Esther. But His handiwork is clearly evident.

Every little story is part of God’s big story 

It’s easy to see the Bible as a collection of unrelated stories. But, all the individual stories and books of the Bible join together to tell one big story. The big, fancy word for this is the “meta-narrative” of Scripture. The “big story” of the Bible is all about God’s kingdom rule and His redemptive purposes for people. As you and your children read and work to understand individual stories or passages in the Bible, ask them questions like: “How does God’s big story help us understand this one?” or “Where does this story fit in God’s Big story?” (Also see “What is the Metanarrative of the Bible?“)

Every verse needs the rest

If your child has ever started watching a show or movie in the middle they probably had trouble understanding what was going on. The same thing happens when we read a Bible verse without reading what came before or after. It’s very easy to misunderstand or be confused. We need the whole context. Every verse needs the larger passage and every passage needs the whole book. Always pull back to make sure you get the whole story. (For a good example, see “Do You Misuse Philippians 4:13?” and “How Literary Context Aids Our Understanding.”)

Good Bible students act like investigators 

Every Bible passage has just one meaning – the one God originally gave it. But, we have to know what a passage “says” before we can understand what it “means.” We discover what it “says” by investigating or “observing” the passage. Look for things like truths about God, important facts, word pictures, commands, repeated (key) words, and lists. (See “10 Observation Tips for Better Bible Study.”)

The Bible teaches truths for all people of all time

Since the stories in the Bible happened thousands of years ago, there’s a lot about the way they lived that is different from the way we live today. And things happened to people in the Bible that wouldn’t happened exactly the same way today. But everything in God’s Word teaches eternal spiritual truths and principles that we need just as much today. When you read a Bible story or passage, look for truth or principle that always applies. Think about Noah and the ark. When we read his story, we don’t run out and build a big boat. But, there are powerful lessons in Noah’s story. For instance, Noah obeyed God even when God’s commands didn’t make sense to him. That’s a good principle to follow!

The Bible has the power to change our lives 

God wants us to do more than just read and study His Word. He wants to use it to make us more like Jesus. For instance, God wants us to think like He does. We can do this by believing the things the Bible teaches. The Bible also teaches us what actions and attitudes please God and which ones displease Him. And God uses His Word to get us ready to serve Him. (Also see “4 Ways to Apply Scripture to Your Life.”) 

The Bible is different from every other book ever written. It’s the only book written by the Creator and given to people so we can know Him. The Bible is the only book that impacts us for eternity. And it’s the only book we will never finish reading. We can spend our lives exploring God’s Word, but we will never reach its full depths.

What’s your favorite tip for helping the children in your life understand and love God’s Word?