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B e t h l e h e m L u t h e r a n C h u r c h 1 2 7 9 H i g h S t r e e t A u b u r n , C A 9 5 6 0 3
5 3 0 - 8 8 5 - 4 5 1 5
Children and
the Bible
As parents, we know that
the Bible is important
and that we should be
teaching the Bible to our
children. But that’s a
daunting task! Where do
you start? What if you get
it wrong?
There is not one right or wrong way to go about put-
ting the Bible into the heart and soul of your chil-
dren. This booklet is designed to help. It will provide
some basic information on what is in the Bible and
give you ideas on what to do, as well as some re-
sources that are available.
It will always help to read the Bible regularly and
pray! You are not alone! If you have questions about
the material in this booklet, the Pastor and/or Direc-
tor of Children’s Ministry will do their best to help.
NEW TESTAMENT
The Trial of Jesus Matthew 26:57-27:5, 11:26; Mark
14:53-15:15; Luke 22:54-23:5, 13
-25; John 18:15-18, 2-34; 19:1-6
The Crucifixion Matthew 27:27-58; Mark 15:16-
45; Luke 23:26-52; John 19:2, 16
-30,38
Jesus Comes Back Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20; Mark
16:1-8, 10-19; Luke 24:1-51;
John 20:1-16, 18-21
The Early Christian Church Acts 1:12-2:47
The Stoning of Stephen Acts 6:8-7:1, 54-60
Saul's Conversion Acts 9:1-19
Peter's Escape from Prison Acts 12:1-17
Paul and Silas in Prison Acts 16:16-40
The Shipwreck Acts 27:1-28:10
Paul Preaches in Rome Acts 28:11-31
NEW TESTAMENT
Jesus Speaks in Parables
The Sower and the Seed Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20;
Luke 8:5-15
The Wheat and the Weeds Matthew 13:24-30
The Mustard Seed Matthew 13:31-32, Mark 4:30-32;
Luke 13:18-19
The Wicked Servant Matthew 18:31-35
The Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-37
The Good Shepherd Matthew 18:12-14; Luke 15:3-7;
John 10:14-18
The Prodigal Son Luke 15:11-32
Death of John the Baptist Matthew 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-29;
Luke 9:7-9
Feeding the Five Thousand Matthew 14:13-36; Mark 6:31-56;
Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-21
Jesus and Simon Luke 7:36-50
Jairus' Daughter Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-42;
Luke 8:40-56
The Transfiguration Matthew 16:13-17:20
Lazarus Raised from the Dead John 11:1-53
The Entry into Jerusalem Matthew 20:29-21:17; 22:15-22,
34-50; Mark 10:46-11:11, 15-19;
12:13-17, 28-34; Luke 18:35-
19:10, 29-48; 20:20-26; John
12:12-19
The Last Supper Matthew 26:1-5, 14-56; Mark
14:1-2, 10-50; Luke 22:1-53;
John 13
What is the Bible?
The word Bible comes from the Greek “biblia” meaning books
It is a collection of ancient writings about God
The Bible is made up of two parts—
the Old and New Testaments
(Testament means agreement, scripture means sacred writings)
The Bible was written by many authors—most Hebrews, some
unknown
It was written over about 1,000 years from 900 BC to 100 AD
The Bible was written to teach religion and patriotism and to
describe the Messiah
Old Testament
5 Books “The Law” Jewish Torah
21 Books “The Prophets” mostly history and sermons
13 Books “The Writings” history, philosophy and poetry
New Testament
4 Books Gospels good news of Jesus’ birth, teaching,
death and resurrection
1 Book Acts the story of a new religion (the
Apostles Peter and Paul)
21 Books Letters from Paul and others to churches and
people
1 Book Revelation a Vision
Old Testament
Stories about God’s agree-
ment with the Hebrew
people before Jesus’
resurrection
New Testament
Stories about God’s com-
plete vision for ALL peo-
ple based on the teach-
ings and life, death and
resurrection of Jesus.
Now that we have some basic facts about the Bible, let’s ex-
plore why we should read the Bible and if holding and reading
a print Bible is necessary in this digital age.
Why Would Anyone Want to Read the
Bible to Their Children? Charlotte Erlandson
Parts of the Bible are so full of vio-
lence...and sexual themes. Some
are as easy to read as...the mort-
gage contract on your home! Final-
ly, the self-contradictions can
cause even the sharpest minds to
spin.
1. The biggest mistake I can make
is to limit God to what I can
understand or what I like. The
whole point of God being God
is that God is greater than my
limited capacities to under-
stand.
2. While I do think the Bible contains an astronomical amount
of violence, confusing sexual and moral messages, and baf-
fling theological concepts, I also believe that God is in
there somewhere. The task of my lifetime has been and
continues to be finding God in the Bible and passing on this
unfolding revelation to my children.
But where does this leave you...as a parent? How do we deal
with all the offensive or confusing stuff? Worse yet, how do we
field the never-ending tough questions that children ask?
Judgment of Solomon 1 Kings 3:16-28; 6
The Prophet Elijah 1 Kings 17:1; 18:17-19:21; 2
Kings 2:1-15
Esther, Queen of Persia Esther 2:2-8:17
The Story of Job Job 1-42
Daniel in the Lion's Den Daniel 5-6
Jonah, the Prophet Jonah 1-4
NEW TESTAMENT
The Birth of Jesus Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-56;
2:1-20
The Flight into Egypt Matthew 2:1-23
Jesus' Childhood Matthew 2:19-23; Luke 2:40-52
John the Baptist Matthew 3; Mark 1:1-11; Luke
3:1-22; John 1:19-34
The Temptation of Jesus Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13;
Luke 4:1-13
The Apostles Matthew 4:18-22; 9:9; 10:1-4;
19:16-24; Mark 1:16-20; 2:13-14;
3:13-19; 10:17-25; Luke 5:1-11,
27-28; 6:12-16; 18:18-25
The Wedding at Cana John 2:1-11
Curing the Sick Matthew 8:1-4, 14-15; 9:1-8;
Mark 1:23-2:12
The Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5-7; Luke 6:17-49
Jesus Calms a Storm Matthew 8:23-34; Mark 4:36-
5:19; Luke 8:22-39
Jesus and the Pharisees Matthew 9:10-13; 12:1-14; Mark
2:15-17; 23-28; 3:1-6; Luke 5:29-
32; 6:1-11
David and Goliath 1 Samuel 17
OLD TESTAMENT
The Creation Genesis 1:1-23
Adam and Eve Genesis 2:7 - 3:24
Cain and Abel Genesis 4
Noah's Ark Genesis 6-9
The Tower of Babel Genesis 11:1-9
Abraham Genesis 17:1-18:15; 21:1-8; 22:1-19
Isaac and Rebecca Genesis 24
Jacob and Esau Genesis 25:19-34; 27:1-45
Jacob's Ladder Genesis 27:42-28:22
Leah and Rachel Genesis 29-31
The Coat of Many Colors Genesis 37
Pharaoh's Dreams Genesis 39-41
Joseph and his Brothers Genesis 42:1-46:30
The Burning Bush Exodus 1-4
Escape from Egypt Exodus 5-14
In the Wilderness Exodus 15:22-16:35
the Ten Commandments Exodus 19-24
The Golden Calf Exodus 32-34
The Death of Moses Numbers 20:1-12, 24-29; 27:12-
23;
The Battle of Jericho Joshua 1-6
Gideon's Trumpets Judges 6-7
Samson and the Philistines Judges 13; 15-16
Ruth and Naomi Ruth 1-2; 4
Samuel and Saul 1 Samuel 8-9; 15
David and His Harp 1 Samuel 16; Psalms 23
To answer the question, “Why should I read the Bible to my
children?” you must first ask yourself the question, “Why do I
read the Bible?” You are very likely to read the Bible because
the truth of what you believe about God is in there. You read
it because you need to be reminded of the truth in order to
live.
Once you know what you believe, you want to tell others
about it. My husband always buys Hondas...He wouldn’t buy
anything else, and he’s always telling anyone who will listen
how great they are. The Bible and beliefs about God are, in a
way, no different. If you believe in them, naturally you’ll
want to tell the world how great they are.
Wanting to share what we believe is why we read the Bible to
our children and struggle through the tough questions with
them. Knowing your beliefs and goals in reading to children
makes handling the hard questions and uncomfortable topics
much easier. You only need to ask yourself, “What response
falls in line with what I believe and want for my child?” Once
you know this, you’ll be able to get through the difficult
p a r t s w i t h c o n f i d e n c e a n d g r a c e .
There’s An App for That Henry Zonio
With the Bible at the touch of an iPhone what
does it mean for kids to be biblically literate
in the Internet age? Learning scripture is still
important. We want children to be trans-
formed by God, so it’s imperative they know
the book that tells them who God is, who Je-
sus is, and who the Holy Spirit is. We want
them to be children of “the Book.”
...Knowing God’s Word is less about information recall and more about
being engaged by and immersed in the Word of God. ...This digital age
has not only changed how we access information, but it’s altered society
and culture. How we process information has changed. These changes re-
quire us to adopt a new way of teaching the Bible to children.
First, we need to inspire children to hear and read the Bible as a whole.
… Unfortunately our society has turned reading the Bible into something
we “have” to do. As a result, we read the Bible as if it were a collection of
disconnected short stories or morality takes akin to Mother Goose fables.
Ivy Beckwith suggests that we should just tell the stories over and over
again, allowing children to play with them and reflect on those stories
while paying attention to how each individual story fits into the bigger
truth about who God is.
Fortunately, we don’t have to do this on our own. There are a number of
great resources that connect individual Bible passages to the overarching
account of God’s love for us. [The Spark Storybook Bible, The Jesus Sto-
rybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones and the What’s in the Bible video se-
ries by Phil Vischer (the creator of Veggie Tales) are available to check
out from the Director of Children’s Ministry.]
...Cool technology alone is not the solution to ...biblical illiteracy. “I don’t
think the verse says, “Thy Word have I hid in my iPad,” says Vischer.
“God’s Word transforms us when it is internalized…”
Second, we must help children see the Bible as more than instruction
booklet. Children need to grasp the Bible more as the source for under-
Suggestions for Bible storybooks for bedtime
reading— Arch Books
The Family Story Bible
The Greatest Bible Stories Ever Told
The Purple Puzzle Tree
Other
What’s In the Bible Video Series— by the creator of
Veggie Tales—available online, or for checkout from the
Director of Children’s Ministry
Scripture Talk—website with Bible information
www.enterthebible.org—created by Luther Seminary
www.vibrantfaithathome.org—info about the Bible and
so much more!
ELCA Tips for Family Bible
Study—available from the Di-
rector of Children’s Ministry
or online at:
http://www.elca.org/What-We-
Believe/The-Bible/Read-the-Bible/
Personal-and-Family-Devotions/Tips
-for-Family-Bible-Study.aspx
Resources
Bibles and Bible Stories
The SPARK Story Bible brings God's Word to life through
colorful art and rich retelling of 150 of the most popular
Bible stories —available from Augsburg Fortress— or
checkout the Story Bible from the Director of Children’s
Ministry
The Jesus Storybook Bible takes a journey from creation
to Revelation, discovering how Jesus is at the center of
God’s great story—available online or in bookstores, or for
checkout from the Director of Children’s Ministry
Adventure Bible Storybook and The Adventure
Bible— the main stories and themes from the Bible, but
all within a fun, exciting theme of discovering, imagina-
tion, and suspense—available online
The Rhyme Bible Storybook— thirty-five delightful, clas-
sic Bible stories retold in lilting verse and rollicking, read-
aloud rhyme—available online
The Picture Bible and The Action Bible— comic book for-
mats—available online
The Big God Story— a fast paced journey showing how we
are a part of the story—available online
Bible Stories for Curious Kids: 800+ Questions to Ex-
plore— favorite Scripture stories are presented in a Q&A
format— available online
standing God than the source for understanding ourselves. We have to
get beyond the question, “What does the Bible have to say to me?”
Guide kids to ask questions such as “What does what I am reading in the
Bible say about God? What does it say about the kingdom of God?”
...Children are very aware that they’re part of a global community.
When our reading and understanding of the Bible becomes less about our
own lives and more about what God is doing in the world around us, the
Word of God has the potential to transform a globally connected society.
Third, as we help children experience the Bible anew, we need to
help them connect it with life. ...It’s important to make space for kids
to reflect on the passages themselves, allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal
himself in those words. Consider encouraging children to silently medi-
ate on a passage of scripture, listen to what it says about God, and then
share their thoughts orally, in writing or artistically. Or let kids create
videos, blogs, or digital works of art to retell Bible events. As children
“play” with God’s Word, they can “taste and see that the Lord is
good” (Psalm 34:8)...
In a 21st century context, kids need to recognize that the Bible is pri-
marily about God and is global in scope. Children also need space to in-
ternalize God’s Word using a variety of physical and digital tools. When
you help kids approach the Bible in these ways, it’s no longer tied to the
medium it’s communicated in. Whether the Bible is printed or it’s an
app on the phone in my pocket, it’s alive. Knowing the Bible is still
about learning it, but it’s also much, much more. Biblical literacy be-
comes about living the Word of God. And it becomes about experiencing
the Bible in new ways.
IDEAS
Bring your child to Godly Play! The Bible stories, told again
year after year, show how each fits into the bigger truth about
who God is. As your child grows, s/he will hear and wonder
about different aspects of these amazing stories. (Talk the the
Director of Children’s Ministry about starting Godly Play if you
are not already participating.)
Tell stories by heart—not word for word, but as you know it in
your heart.
Make reading the Bible enjoyable! Reading the Bible with your
children will show them that God’s Word is important to you.
Begin young! Start by read-
ing Bible story board books
and as your child grows al-
low them to read stories
from an easy to read Bible
to you. Include Bible story
books in the bedtime rou-
tine.
Easter—celebrating Jesus’ Resurrection
Matthew 28: 1—10, 16—20;
Mark 16: 1—8, 10— 19; Luke 24: 1—51;
John 20: 1—16, 18—21
Pentecost—celebrating the Holy Spirit poured
out on the earliest believers
Acts 2
In addition, help children notice the large book from
which we read the scripture, how we stand for the
good news at the reading of the Gospel, and how one
great biblical story is recalled and told again and
again, especially in songs and at the great prayer of
Thanksgiving at the table before communion.
The Bible and Worship
Pastor Bryon
One of the primary ways children participate in the biblical
story is through worship. As we journey through the cycles
and seasons of the liturgical year, we live out the biblical sto-
ry.
Special days where the story is celebrated include:
Christmas—celebrating Jesus’ birth
Matthew 1: 18—25;
Luke 1: 26—26; 2: 1—20
Epiphany—celebrating Jesus’ appearance
to all the world
Matthew 2
The Baptism of our Lord—celebrating Jesus’ baptism
Matthew 3; Mark 1: 1—11; Luke 3: 1—22
The Transfiguration—celebrating Jesus’ glory on the
mountain
Matthew 16: 13—17:20
Holy Week—celebrating Jesus’ passion and death
See listing of Bible stories on the following pages
for The Entry Into Jerusalem, The Last Supper,
The Trial of Jesus, The Crucifixion
Act out Bible stories at bedtime using items in the bed-
room.
Choose a storybook Bible that
is fun. Look for engaging art-
work and stories from Gene-
sis and Revelation.
For elementary readers—take
turns reading Bible stories—
each of you reading a few
verses. After the story, silently meditate and then share
your thoughts aloud or through art or drama.
For pre-teens—find the lesser
known stories that will appeal—for
boys Ehud sinking his knife into
the evil king, or for girls Esther
preparing for the ultimate beauty
contest.
For pre-teens— consider purchas-
ing a Bible handbook and Bible at-
las—they can help give a clearer
understanding of the times and
places where events took place
Underline and write in your Bible—prayers, blessings and
what you are thinking about as you read. Encourage your
child to do the same.
From Tips for Selecting a Child-friendly Bible
from the ELCA
How children make sense of the Bible changes as
they grow. It is important to minimize the possibility
that biblical understandings become fixed and rigid
for children. The Bible is not a fixed, frozen, readily
exhausted read. Children will develop new images
and understandings of the Bible when earlier ones
are no longer adequate and satisfying. Repeating a
“Presentation of the Bible” at different ages with
different Bible translations can model that the Bible
has both a present and future dimension. Having
children use the Bible in Sunday school, vacation Bi-
ble school, first communion classes, confirmation,
intergenerational activities, in worship and at home
helps them create new and more complex under-
standings. A congregational practice of inviting chil-
dren, youth and adults into lifelong reading, study
and conversation will keep everyone equal before
the Bible, through which the Spirit make all things
new.
TIPS FOR STORYTELLING
Yes, you can tell a good story! Parents can tell them to kids and kids can tell them to parents. There's a list of popular Bible stories on the next pages.
Know the Story. The more familiar you are with the story, the easier it will be to tell it. Read over it to refresh your memory and to be sure you have the facts right. Paint de-tails. Describe sounds and smells, sights and tastes and how things feel to the touch. Imagine how the people in the sto-ry felt about their situation and imagine other ways it might
have been handled.
Don't Change the Facts. Be creative in painting details but it is important not to change the facts. Saying that the Last Supper consisted of Big Macs, fries and cokes may make it sound more up-to-date but it would not be good to have kids start asking the Pastor for more creative Communion on
Sundays.
Make it memorable and fun. They're your children. Don't be afraid to act a little goofy in front of them. I can assure you they already think you're goofy. Make God's voice deep and commanding. When Jonah is thrown overboard, give
him a bubbly, gurgling voice.
Make it Relevant. You don't have to beat them over the head with the point of the story, but try to find a way that they can apply it to their lives and convey that within the
story.
Ask Questions. Keep them involved and responding and you
won't lose their attention.