Ways to Incorporate Scripture in Bible Study

by Tim Pollard

Bible stories are super cool. God gave us His Word to help us know Him better, and we can do that through Bible study. However, what do we do in our Bible study when we tell kids a Bible story with our Bibles open, but then never refer to it again? Are we showing how important God’s Word is to us? Or to them? Probably not.

Here are some ways to keep kids in the Bible while in the classroom and help kids appreciate the truths of God’s Word to take it outside the classroom.

1. Bible Skills. This seems obvious, but many times when leaders are looking to drop something from a session, this is the first thing to go. Bible skills, however, are important to teaching kids not just what is in God’s Word but how to use God’s Word.
2. Devotionals. Using a classroom devotional as part of your teaching will help kids to unfold truths from Scripture that might get overlooked. Using devotionals also gives kids a way to see why these are such valuable tools and may get them using these tools with their Bible study during the week.
3. Dramatic Play. Most of the time, we think this is only for preschoolers. Older kids, however, still enjoy imaginative play and you can guide your kids to engage with Scripture by acting out the adventures within the text.
4. Reflective Interpretation. There are a variety of learning styles and reflective learning is one of those styles. Reflective learners will enjoy the opportunity to sit quietly with their Bible open and think about the Bible story they heard.
5. Small Groups. Peer-led groups are sometimes a great idea—most kids relate to one another better than they relate to adults. Find older kids who might want to lead a small group discussion on biblical topics and give them an opportunity to do just that.
6. Journaling. Journaling is an important skill for kids to develop as they dive deeper into God’s Word. Let kids decorate a journal that they can use as they engage God in the study of His Word.

I’ve given you a few to get you started, and many other methods can be used to help God’s Word infiltrate our kids’ lives. Feel free to comment with some of your favorite strategies for incorporating God’s Word into your teaching environment.

Tim Pollard teaches 3rd-6th graders Explore the Bible: Kids Worship on Sunday nights at Tulip Grove Baptist Church. Tim leads the team that produces Explore the Bible: Kids.