Bible Basics for Big Kids
The text read, “Mom, can you talk?”
When a message arrives from a college kid with a request to talk, a mama drops everything and texts back, “Yes!”
The phone rang a few minutes later. “Mom, I’m really stressed out about finals.”
We talked for a few minutes about how he was studying for his exams, getting enough rest, and eating right. I asked him when was the last time he prayed. There was a long pause before he answered, “About 20 minutes ago.” I had to smile and I think God smiled too. He fell back on prayer when he needed help.
Like I wrote last week in Bible Basics for Little Kids, “Many parents in 1 Corinthians 13 Parent classes don’t feel well-equipped to lead their families in faith matters. Let me reassure you…you do not have to be a theologian. You do not have to be a bible study teacher. You are not required to have all the answers. No one does.” I struggled to figure out the how-tos as a parent, especially with teenagers.
Fitting in faith lessons can be difficult as kids mature. Life seems to accelerate. Everyday is spent in the fast lane with homework, sports, and activities. Quiet evenings with preschoolers and elementary age children are in the past. As parents we pray we’ve guided our kids to develop faith habits that will last a lifetime.
Foundational faith practices, praying and reading the Word of God, are habits kids can fall back on in times of need and celebration. The more kids know, the more they have to rely on. BUT…if you haven’t studied the Bible with your tweens and teens it’s NOT too late! Here are a few suggestions for weaving the Word into your daily family life.
Bible Basics for Big Kids
1. Choose a daily devotional that includes Bible verses. The real-life stories will capture interest. The scripture will encourage.
2. Use a concordance to find specific verses to meet the needs of your tween/teen. For example, anxiety is the focus in Philippians 4:6, Hebrews 13:5-6, and Luke 12:22-31.
3. Post verses on the bathroom mirror to equip and encourage your kids. [Tweet “Bible Basics for Big Kids #1C13P”]
“Parents are number one in leading youth to Christ.”1 The Bible is our parenting tool. Learn alongside your child. Chapter 10 in Raising Big Kids with Supernatural Love includes many tips and ideas for sharing biblical truth with tweens and teens.
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:10-11
1. Lori Wildenberg & Becky Danielson, Raising Big Kids with Supernatural Love, Friendswood: Bold Vision Books, 2014, p. 172.
The ideas are from the 1 Corinthians 13 Parent Series. More tips and strategies for training children, tweens, and teens in the Word of God can be found in Raising Little Kids with Big Love and Raising Big Kids with Supernatural Love.
Copyright ©2015 Becky Danielson. All rights reserved.