How the Bible is Fundamental to Kids’ Spiritual Formation

The Bible is the most valuable source of strength, teaching, exhortation, and training in my own life as I’m sure it is for yours, too.

I introduced my kids to the stories and characters of the Bible when they were really young so that it would become a healthy, regular habit in their own personal, spiritual lives. When they were little ones, it was important to me to find a story Bible that was age-appropriate. I found The Beginner’s Bible: Timeless Children’s Stories by Kelly Pulley which my kids loved. Created for kids ages 6 and under, it includes illustrations of Noah helping the elephants onto the ark, Jonah praying inside the fish, and much, much more.

Now that my little ones aren’t so little, they are ready for their first “real” Bible. I was thrilled to find out these two great options: The KJV The Beginner’s Bible Holy Bible and NIrV The Beginner’s Bible Holy Bible.

Transitioning to a new Bible is an exciting time for kids.

As parents, relatives, and caregivers, now is the perfect time to teach them that maintaining the practice of reading the Bible is fundamental to their spiritual formation. It will:

Establish a personal relationship with God.

As our children read the Word of God, they discover the character of God. Just like with a friend, the more time we spend with God, learning what He likes and dislikes, what He thinks of us, and how much He loves us, we get to know Him better. Through the promises and stories in the Bible, our kids will discover that God is mighty and strong, but also loving and compassionate.

Equip our kids to make good choices.

Knowing what the Bible says helps our children make choices that please Him such as sharing with others and getting along with siblings. The choices we make, the way we interact with others, and how we spend our time is motivated by what’s in our hearts. What is in our hearts is a by-product of what we read, listen to, and think about.

Fill our kids minds with good.

As children grow they will be tempted to believe the lies of our culture that say that their worth comes from what they do or how they look or act. The more they hear, read, and meditate on God’s Word, those lies will lose their power and eventually will be crowed out by truth.

Create a foundation of faith.

When our child’s heart and mind is filled with stories of God’s goodness to His people over time their faith will be strengthened. Time and time again God has shown up on behalf of His people. Reading the Bible together builds our faith and the faith of our children. Whatever our children are faced with, they can draw upon that faith and pray with confidence that God hears us.

It’s never too early to sow the Word of God in a child’s heart.

The Bibles I mentioned above are sure to make reading fun and easy with their large print and 20 full-color pages of illustrations that will help kids understand the stories. At the beginning of each book there is an introduction and an outline that explains who wrote the book and what to expect as they read. It also has a concordance to help with new words and red lettering to indicate where Jesus speaks. Don’t miss out on these “real” Bibles for your big kids!

* * *

Your Turn

Do your children or grandchildren have a Bible of their own? What are some of their favorite stories or verses? Why do you feel like it’s important to let children experience the Bible at an early age? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!