Let’s face it: trying to get the children in your classroom excited about engagement with the Scriptures can be difficult. It just doesn’t seem as “fun” as doing other things. Plus, for a teacher, leading the class to actually read and study texts can be a laborious process. What do you do when you have a classroom full of wiggly, distracted first-graders who are just learning to read? What Bible study goals are realistic for your fourth graders? How can you help a child that isn’t from a Christian home and has no prior acquaintance with the Bible?
With these types of challenges, and many more, it’s very tempting to go an easier route and simply read texts to the students. But if that is all we do, we will minimize our students’ ability to rightly read, study, meditate on, and apply Scripture for themselves. Consider these words from the Apostle Paul to Timothy,
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).
We would like to offer some practical help and tips for incorporating strategic Bible reading skills in the classroom. By strategic we mean: meaningful, age-appropriate, actively engaging, and time-sensitive -- skills that progressively equip and train children toward biblical literacy.
We have also developed additional resources that cover nursery -- yes even nursery! -- to youth, to help you. Print out the free handout The Importance of Biblical Literacy for the Next Generation.
