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When we decided to homeschool our children, the first thing I knew I wanted them to learn was something I didn't get much of as a child; Bible. When picking out our first curriculum and reading books, I chose totally Bible based. The reading books were actually only Bible stories through 4th grade level. The reading curriculum was a great start, but wasn't full of all the fun activities I envisioned myself doing with my little darlings.
We made it. I learned to create some fun learning experiences and eventually more curriculum and unit study options became available. Luckily, mom's these days aren't as limited as we were back before the internet. But now, they're overwhelmed with options and ideas! My friend Danika Cooley has created an excellent place for parents to start reading and teaching the Bible with their children. I'm so excited to share this with you! |
Do you ever ask, where should I start reading the Bible with my kids? Here are two great places to begin reading through the Bible with kids.
As a parent who loves Jesus and loves your kids, you want to read the Bible as a family. You can. It's doable. Do you wonder, though, where you should start?
Where should I start reading the Bible with my kids?
When parents ask me, Where should I start reading the Bible with my kids?, I typically give one of two answers.
First, let's take a quick look at the structure of the Bible.
First, let's take a quick look at the structure of the Bible.
Reading through the Books of the Bible:
Old Testament
New Testament
- Books of the Law - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
- Books of History - Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
- Books of Poetry - Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
- Books of Prophecy - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
New Testament
- Books of the Gospel - Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
- Book of History - Acts
- Paul's Epistles - Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon
- General Epistles - Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1 & 2 & 3 John, Jude, Revelation
Now that we've talked about how the Bible is structured, let's talk about where to begin reading the Bible as a family.
Reading through the Bible with kids... faithfully.
God's Word is a story. That's good news for us as parents!
We wouldn't start reading a story to our kids in the very middle of the book. Scripture separates into two main sections: the Old and New Testament.
When you're wondering, Where should I start reading the Bible?, I suggest choosing either Genesis or Matthew to begin with. Reading to your kids from Psalms and Proverbs while reading through the Bible is a great option, and can be repeated--but as a story, begin in the beginning of either the Old or New Testament.
When you're wondering, Where should I start reading the Bible?, I suggest choosing either Genesis or Matthew to begin with. Reading to your kids from Psalms and Proverbs while reading through the Bible is a great option, and can be repeated--but as a story, begin in the beginning of either the Old or New Testament.
Begin reading through the Bible with kids in Genesis.
The books of law and history are largely narrative. There are some wonderful things about beginning to read the Bible with your kids in Genesis:
- Your kids get introduced to several main themes of the Bible through God's great story of salvation: who God is, our sin nature and need for a Savior, God's plan for salvation.
- The Old Testament is largely narrative, and kids can relate to the stories in it.
- Kids will more fully understand the significance of who Jesus is when your family reads the New Testament.
Or... begin reading through the Bible with kids in Matthew.
Likewise, there are great reasons to begin reading through the Bible as a family, starting in Matthew:
- Children meet Jesus through his Word right away. The stories about Jesus are understandable for kids.
- Children will hear the gospel--the good news of Jesus Christ--quickly.
- The epistles help us understand very clearly how to live for Jesus today--another main theme of the Bible.
- When you finish Revelation, you can start in Genesis and read the Bible from cover-to-cover.
Where should I start reading the Bible with my kids? is a question you will have to answer for yourself. I suggest, though, that you begin in either Genesis or Matthew and read the Bible as a story, looking for God's overarching themes.
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Danika Cooley's book Help Your Kids Learn and Love the Bible is your crash course on teaching the Bible to your kids. Danika is an award-winning children's author and Bible curriculum developer, and her popular Bible Road Trip™ is used by tens of thousands of families.
Learn more about Help Your Kids Learn and Love the Bible and grab your free 130-page Bible Study Tool Kit here. |
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