When I taught first-grade Sunday school, we always taught the books of the Bible song in order to acquaint the children with the 66 books of the Bible. And, although they mastered the song by the end of the year, the great majority of children didn’t know much about Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai…etc. “What’s a Nahum?”
Besides being able to name the books of the Bible, do your children know the scope of the Bible—the main message, key events and people, and historical context of each of its 66 books? That may seem like a tall order, but it is an important goal if we are to teach our children the whole counsel of God. Dr. Bruce Ware emphasized this at our conference in April.
For adults, a good study Bible is especially helpful. But what about our children? Here is a resource parents can use with their elementary-aged children that could easily be a 10- to 15-minute daily Bible “enrichment” during the summer by examining Genesis through Revelation—one book per day, 6 days a week.
What the Bible Is All About for Young Explorers (Note: Although there is a newer edition available, I recommend this older edition. The newer edition contains the same basic information but includes an introduction that I would not recommend using with children.)
This book takes each individual book of the Bible and gives children the following information in simple outline form with age-appropriate graphics and illustrations:- Writer
- Title of the book
- Location
- Main people
- Outline of the book
- Main events and when and where they happened
…and more interesting facts.
Please note that this book isn’t theologically deep. It doesn’t present children with the essential doctrines of the Christian faith in a systematic manner. While some key doctrines are introduced, they are not explored to any great depth…although man’s sin problem and our need for a Savior is woven throughout the book. It is still a great resource for children, providing them with a basic Bible survey that is a key element in acquainting them with the whole counsel of God.
