Since enthusiasm breeds interest, it's a great idea to get our young people encouraging each other to study the Bible. If some of them are particularly keen on it, set up small groups where they meet together regularly, with the specific aim of studying the Bible and praying together. It could take the form of an optional Bible study meeting for the keenies, or something more informal between just three or four of the group.
You may think it’s appropriate for an adult to lead this group or you may want to leave them to it. The former option allows you to shape a Bible study programme for their needs, whereas the latter encourages them to discover Bible truths more for themselves, without being spoon-fed. It also provides them with an environment where they can honestly share their thoughts, worries, problems and prayer requests with each other, without the embarrassment of having a leader around. This way they start to become accountable to each other, plus there’s an element of excitement if they’re starting up something of their own without adult intervention.
For younger children, new Christians, or those asking questions about Christianity, a one-to-one approach could prove more beneficial. You might like to meet up with them once a week to study the Bible together and pray. This allows you to give the child/young person the spiritual food they specifically need. For example, if they’re not yet a Christian, you could work your way through Mark’s gospel, or perhaps a short evangelistic course (there are several good ones around at the moment including the CY youth edition). If it’s a new Christian you’re meeting with, perhaps Colossians or 1 Peter would be a good starting point. Find out if the person you’re meeting with has any particular issues they want to deal with.
If you do meet up for one-to-one Bible study, try not to be too heavy-handed. Make sure they are comfortable. This might involve showing them how to actually find different parts of the Bible. Or it might mean a few ice-breaking questions before you start. Try to get them to do most of the hard work, so that they discover what the Bible is teaching. Don’t just tell them, but let them work it out for themselves, so that they're truly interacting with God’s word. Then stand back and watch God speaking directly to them.
The simplest way to encourage regular Bible reading is to promote daily Bible reading notes. Do some reconnaissance work to find Bible notes that are suitable for the age range in your group. Most important is finding notes that teach the Bible faithfully, that encourage the reader to interact with God’s word and apply it to their lives. That’s much more important than finding ones that look the part.
If you’ve got the funds, buy everyone in your group an issue to get them started. If you haven’t got the cash, maybe a few people in your church will sponsor subscriptions. It’s a good way for older church members to get involved with children and young people in your church, and it provides a link between them. Maybe they’ll even ask them how they’re getting along with the notes (there’s nothing wrong with a little friendly pressure).
The reason why Bible reading notes are so good is that they encourage children and young people to read the Bible regularly. Hopefully, the notes will also take them through different books of the Bible, explaining the tough parts along the way, and highlighting the specific relevance of God’s word to their lives. Remember there are horses for courses, so not everyone will take to the notes you choose, and you might have to try a different approach with them.
Try to emphasise that they needn’t worry if they miss a few days or weeks. They can pick it up and start again. It doesn’t matter whether or not they’re reading the notes allocated for that specific day, as long as they are reading the Bible. And if those notes aren’t working for them, maybe it’s time to try something else.
If a number of children/young people in your group are regularly reading their Bibles, get them to feed back what they’ve read or learned that week. Perhaps you could prime someone different every week to report on what they’ve been reading, and to share some of what God has taught them. This will encourage them to read the Bible and hopefully will encourage others in the group to give it a go too. It might even spark off discussions and questions about specific passages or certain teaching in the Bible. Enthusiasm breeds interest.
And do check back on Friday for some great offers on daily Bible reading notes!
If you’re anything like me, one of the things that limits the enthusiasm you put into encouraging regular Bible reading is the state of your own Bible reading efforts. It’s something we all struggle with at some point, and often ends up with us wallowing in guilty feelings rather than coming up with a new strategy.
Just do it—as Nike’s adverts annoyingly told us a while back. Set yourself a time which you can fully commit to reading your Bible and praying most days. Make sure you have daily Bible notes or a reading plan—it’s much easier to jump into it every day if you’ve got a plan laid out. And if you miss a few days, or weeks, or even months, don’t wallow! Pick up where you left off, and get stuck in again. If your last Bible notes or reading plan weren’t your cup of tea, try something else.
Once we start reaping the benefits of regularly reading the Bible, it’s so much easier to encourage children and young people to do the same. Then we can start creating a culture of Bible reading within the Sunday School class, kid’s club or youth group. Encourage them to bring Bibles along to meetings, so that they expect to be reading the Bible. Show them that reading God’s word is normal and natural for young Christians. If any of them don’t have Bibles, give them one!
It’s obvious, I know, but we can be guilty of expecting unchurched kids to fit straight into our churchy ways, without meeting them half way. So you might want to give them a crash course on the Bible: what it is, who wrote it, what’s in it, how to find different books, the big picture etc. You could do a short Bible overview spanning a few weeks. And when you mention Bible passages or verses, get them to turn to them (and read them out loud), so they get used to handling the Bible and reading it for themselves.
If we take the alien-ness out of the Bible, it becomes a normal practice to turn to God’s Word, not a last resort.
Overhearing children or teens talking about the Bible is one of those rare treats—the great realisation that they’re reading it for themselves, plundering God’s Word, and it’s having an impact on their lives and their friends’ lives. We can spend so much of our time teaching and talking about the Bible with them, yet we’re surprised when they take it in and start delving into it by themselves. We sometimes forget the power of God’s awesome word, and the work of the Holy Spirit in opening up the Bible to them.
Perhaps we’re even guilty of not expecting them to read the Bible for themselves at all. There can be the assumption that young people hardly read books anymore, so they’re not going to open up a dusty old Bible. And because we don’t expect them to get stuck into the Bible, we don’t encourage it as much as we could. Let’s not sell God’s Word short.
If our heart’s desire is to bring children and young people to know Christ and to live for Him, then we need to employ the best home tutor we have available—the Bible itself. Let's strive to get them into the habit of reading the Bible for themselves—it’s the best teacher they’ll ever encounter. Over the next few days on the blog we're going to be encouraging each other to do just this.
Need any further reasons? Well, it pleases God, as they get to grips with the word of truth (2 Timothy 2 v 15); they need it for growth, just as a baby craves its mother’s milk (1 Peter 2 v 2); it aids their discernment of spiritual truth (Acts 17 v 11); and will build their knowledge and understanding (Psalm 119 v 130); so they can share their faith more effectively (1 Peter 3 v 15); and it helps them to fight against sin (Psalm 119 v 11).
So what are we waiting for?
Classic moment at my class for 3-7 year olds last Sunday. We were explaining about Jesus clearing the Temple, and saying: "this is a house of prayer". My friend Tom, leading , asks a brilliant question: "What is prayer?"
Big smile (minus front teeth) from 7-year old Grace with an eager hand in the air. "It's the quickest way to get a message through to God"
Fabulous answer from left of field, which was meant as simply as it was said. And over coffee in the church lounge afterwards our conversation turned to the alternative. If prayer is the quickest way, what are some of the "less quick" ways we try. I could think of at least three:
Thanks Grace for a brilliant answer, and a timely reminder that I should always take the quickest route when I need to get a message through to God.
Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
(1 Corinthians 10 v 31)
If you're anything like me you'll be spending at least part of your weekend taking in the sights and sounds of the various social-networking sites. Between Facebook, Twitter, Google-plus and the blogs, there will be moments that amuse, a few that inspire, the odd one that makes us think... and the inevitable gaggle that shock, dismay, offend or simply make us shiver at their inappropriateness.
Words are powerful - they can build up others (Ephesians 4: 29) or they can wreak great evil (James 3:5-6). And, as such, should never be typed lightly. But how often do we, as Christians, sit and think about the effect our posts and status updates have on those around us?
Earlier this week, local pastor, Gavin McGrath wrote an interesting article calling for a return to modesty on social networking sites.
Earlier this month another minister, Mark Meynell helpfully suggested that before we post our thoughts on the internet we need:
They're principles worth pondering as we engage in the very public world of cyberspace.
Or maybe next time we log on, we should simply discipline ourselves to read a spot of Colossians 3 before we begin to type:
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
There are lots of books around that give us good ways of answering tough questions. In Confident Christianity, Chris Sinkinson takes us to the next level. This thoughtful and exciting race through archeology, philosophy, science and more shows how the Christian faith stands up under heavy fire. It will not only give you greater confidence in speaking about Christ to others. It will help you stand firmer in your faith, knowing that the Bible and the Gospel are built on solid rock, not sinking sand.
Confident Christianity is for you and Good Question is perfect to give away
At checkout enter the discount code 'confident' or 'question'.
The Command of 1 Peter 3 v 15-16 seems reasonable enough:
always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you…
But the reality, at least for me is always a little more flustered. My problem is that often I have too many answers - attacking the question from different sides! Where do I start?
That's where Chris Sinkinson's latest book is a real God-send (via IVP!). Confident Christianity is a breezy survey of the many faces of apologetics that makes real sense of all the competing approaches that we are offered. The concise chapters look at and compares the various merits of different approaches to how we answer questions, and applies them to some key questions that are raised.
I loved the helpful chapters overviewing Philosophy, Archaeology and "presuppositional apologetics". It put together for me (for the first time), the different ways these arguments can be helpful, and, crucially, when they are best deployed. The tone throughout is not judgmental over any particular approach, but seeks to ark the thinking Christian with a better understanding of how arguments work, and how to use them to lead people to Christ. It is robust and scholarly, but very accessible and applied.
And Chris understands the limits of apologetics. Because no-one can ever be argued into the Kingdom of God. But careful and caring answers are of real value in removing roadblocks to faith, in our own lives as well as in others. A right rivetting read. Check back later for a great deal ...
