Bibles

January 13, 2021

Do You Have a Word for 2021?

By Kimba Capbell

I remember years ago, several of my friends talking about their “word” for the year. One of my friends chose the word “peace” and another friend chose the word “family.” I didn’t have a word. I wanted a word for the year, but I didn’t know exactly what to choose. I think I chose something that year, but honestly by February that word was long forgotten.

It was New Year’s 2019. I sat down with my Bible and notebook to think about my New Year’s goals. God gave me the word “Surrender” as I sat on my couch that day. He then led me to the verse found in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” I began to think about the word “Surrender” and thought about what that word truly meant. To me, it meant giving it all to Him. Not trying to run on my own strength, but to be completely dependent and obedient to Him. The year before had been a challenging year. I had goals and dreams, but realized I had tried to accomplish them on my own. God was gently teaching me that I needed to “Surrender” my plans to His – to let go and let Him lead me. I was waving the white flag and clinging to my Creator and Savior. God brought that word to my heart over and over again in the year 2019. It was a pivotal season in my life, and I am grateful God gave me that word during that season.

Do you have a word as we begin 2021? Maybe it is not a word. Maybe it is a Scripture that God is pressing on your heart for a new year. What is He wanting to teach you during this season? Are you listening? Are you willing to sit at His feet and allow Him to speak life and truth into you? What about the ministry that you lead? What is God preparing you for this next year? Think about your family, your friends, your community. How might God want to use you in 2021? Are you ready?

Bible Skills, Bible Study, Bibles, Kids Ministry, Leadership

September 12, 2018

Don’t Take My Word for It

By Landry Holmes

Ironic, isn’t it? We have access to more information than the generations that came before us, yet we distrust that information with increasing cynicism. There was a time when we believed what we read or heard until the information was proven false. Now, we assume most of the things we read on the Internet are suspect until authenticated.

This is the world in which our kids are living. However, there is one source of information that is absolutely true all the time—God’s Word. Our challenge is to teach kids the Bible is authoritative. It’s the one book we can trust and not question. Congruous to that challenge, is the need to guide children to accept as truth only that which they can verify for themselves in Scripture. Such was the case for people from Josiah to Timothy.

Kids need their own copy of the Bible. During a dark period of church history, common people were denied access to the Scriptures. What they knew of God’s Word was limited to whatever the professional clergy chose to tell them. People were not allowed to question what they heard, and they had no personal access to the Bible. This, however, was never God’s plan, as illustrated by both Josiah and Ezra’s public reading of the Scriptures. (See 2 Kings 23 and Nehemiah 8.) God intends for kids to hear and read the actual words of the Bible for themselves.
Kids can trust the historicity of the Bible. If you are like I am, you often may skip over the introductory matter of some Bible books. Doing so when reading the gospel of Luke can cause you to miss an important insight. God inspired Luke to write his gospel based on “carefully investigated” truth, in order for Theophilus to “know the certainty of the things about which” he had “been instructed.” (Luke 1:3-4) Every historical fact in the Bible is true, and many are based on eyewitness accounts.
Kids should learn Bible skills. One of my favorite, obscure Bible stories is the one of the Bereans in Acts 17. These synagogue-goers did not accept at face value what Paul and his companions taught. They refused to be gullible. Instead, the Bereans “examined the Scriptures daily” to make sure Paul’s teachings were true. (Acts 17:11) When we provide kids with practical Bible skills, they will be equipped for the rest of their lives to test what they hear against the truth of God’s Word.
We must teach kids the Bible. Paul gives a clear, yet indirect, mandate to teach kids the Bible while they are still young. What a gracious reminder Paul provides Timothy when he says, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim 3:14-15) Don’t miss that last part. God’s Word points us to Jesus. The same Jesus who wants to rescue the kids you teach.

Ultimately, the reason you and I are called to guide kids to explore the Bible and understand the truths of God’s Word for themselves is so that they can meet and know the God of the Bible through His Son Jesus. We can and must accept this challenge. But, as in the closing words of that children’s television program, Reading Rainbow, “You don’t have to take my word for it.”

Landry Holmes is the Manager of LifeWay Kids Ministry Publishing, Nashville, TN. A graduate of Howard Payne University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Landry served on church staffs before coming to LifeWay. He is a church leader, writer, workshop facilitator, and publisher. Landry also teaches children at his church in Middle Tennessee. He and his wife Janetta are the grandparents of two adorable grandbabies.

Bible Skills, Bible Study, Bibles, Kids Ministry, Leadership

November 6, 2017

Top Indicators of Spiritual Health in Kids (Part One)

By Jana Magruder

The “Nothing Less” Research was conducted to answer the question: “What can parents do now to affect their children’s spiritual health when they become adults?” In partnership with LifeWay Research, I set out to find the answer to this question. Secretly, I was hoping for a ‘magical’ formula that I as a mom could mix up and produce, making sure my kids would be faithful servants of Christ as adults. What the research discovered was something more profound, yet very simple.

By far the number one thing we as parents can do is to incorporate Bible reading often. Statistically, this was way far above and beyond the other indicators (we will discuss those in parts 2 and 3). Bible reading may sound like the obvious church answer, but if it’s so clear—why aren’t we doing more of it?

Statistically, we know that Americans on average own seven Bibles—but rarely open them. The numbers don’t change much even when you segment evangelicals. It’s no wonder we have a biblical literacy crisis in the church today. Therefore, we cannot ignore this new study that tells us reading the Bible is the number one thing kids can do to grow up spiritually healthy. The question is, what can we as adults (parents and church leaders) do to encourage them to love God’s word? Here are three ideas I discuss in the book, Nothing Less that unveils the research.

Choose an age-appropriate Bible: There are many choices of translations, designs, and covers for families to choose from. It’s important to find one that fits the child’s life stage. For example, a toddler and preschooler may enjoy being read to from a storybook Bible with colorful pictures and easy language that communicates the biblical truth. An older child may enjoy something they can write in or that has devotionals inside that help them understand what they are reading.
Use a Bible Reading Plan: Find something that works for your child and your family. Stick to succinct passages that kids can read in 10-15 minutes. This will lead to creating a consistent habit.
Commit to Just Do It: I recommend making the commitment along with your child so that you can both get in the habit. Just recently, I started Bible and Tea with my kids in the evening before bed. We sip on chamomile tea and read from the Bible. Sometimes we take turns reading aloud and sometimes we read quietly. It’s working now, but I suspect that will change—and that’s ok. The most important thing is just to keep at it.

I am on this journey as a mom and as a leader in Kids Ministry. Join me and let’s dig in together because only God’s word transforms hearts! Nothing Less!

Find Nothing Less at Lifeway.com

Jana Magruder serves as the Director of LifeWay Kids. She is a Baylor graduate and offers a wealth of experience and passion for kids ministry, education, and publishing. She is the author of Kids Ministry that Nourishes and Life Verse Creative Journal, which she co-authored with her teenage daughter. She and her husband, Michael, along with their three children reside in Nashville.

Bibles, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Preschool

October 23, 2017

Introducing the CSB Read to Me Bible

By Klista Storts

I’m beyond excited to get to announce the release of the new CSB Read to Me Bible! As both a classroom teacher and a parent, I have been a long-time fan of our previous Read to Me Bible. In fact, when we were told it was going out of print, I was disappointed – maybe even a little heart broken!

So, when I found out LifeWay was redesigning this Bible to make it even more helpful for teachers and parents, you might have heard me shout out a little hallelujah!

Below is a list of some of the notable features:

All Bible story illustrations by the same artist, Cheri Bladholm (in a classic, realistic, and inviting style)
54 Bible stories with bold print included to provide two levels of reading
Easy-to-read, single-column format
Designed for birth through age 6
Full text of the CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Special helps for parents, including Bible Skills and Biblical Learning Levels
List of helpful Bible verses to help a child (and parent) know where to look for answers to some hard questions
Highlighted verses within the Bible text
Basic Bible vocabulary for children
3 full-color pages with a simple New Testament map and pictures of Bible-times churches and clothing
8 pages with black-and-white illustrations of places and things in the Bible

Whether you are a parent or a teacher of young kids ages 0-6, I know that you’ll find the CSB Read to Me Bible a great addition to your home or classroom. I’m so thankful that this new generation can fall in love with God’s Word and can have this to treasure for a lifetime.

Klista Storts serves as a Content Editor for LifeWay Kids. Before coming to LifeWay, she served as the Weekday and Preschool Specialist at the Tennessee Baptist Convention and as Director of Preschool Ministries at churches in Oklahoma and Tennessee. Klista has a passion for equipping leaders to share the love of Christ and lay foundations for conversion in the lives of kids.

Bible Study, Bibles, Kids Ministry, Leadership

July 19, 2017

Nothing Less than the Whole Bible

By Jana Magruder

Biblical literacy in adults today is anemic at best. We know that on average, American adults own a total of seven Bibles, but rarely read them. Statistics tell us that only 25% of church-going adults read their Bible regularly. And of those who do choose to read the Bible, many Christians never even read eight or more books (I’ll let you guess which represents the current generation). What does this mean for the kids we are bringing up in the faith?

A recent study published in Transformational Discipleship found that the #1 indicator of spiritual growth in the life of a believer is Bible reading. Not surprisingly, a recent study found that the #1 predictor of a child’s spiritual condition as an adult is directly related to how much they read the Bible. As kids ministers who reach a broad range of children and their families, we need to ask ourselves, “Are we prioritizing the Bible in our ministry?”

A.W. Tozer once said, “Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.” If this is true, many of us are living the Christian life without the fullness of the complete Word of God. There are 66 books in the Bible, yet most adults gravitate to only a handful. If we truly believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, then we must prioritize reading all of the Scripture. This hold true for the children we lead as well.

Why do we hold back from teaching kids certain books of the Bible? Some of us feel ill-equipped to teach about them because we’ve spent such little time reading and understanding them Or, we feel like a certain book may not be appropriate for a child—whether it’s too difficult to understand, doesn’t apply to them, is too gory or graphic, or even contains sensuous material (hello Song of Songs!). One can certainly argue there is a timeline for when certain stories and Scriptures are revealed to children of young ages. However, it would be a mistake to withhold part of God’s Word because of our own comfort level.

So then, what shall we do?

Commit to spending time in books of the Bible that we may not normally read. We should ask God to teach us more about Him as we read and study, and request for Him to reveal something special that we can present to kids in an age-appropriate way.
Consider finding a plan that will help us teach all of Scripture. Review curriculum that has been developed through research that provides age-appropriate lessons for children to learn the whole Bible.
Pray that children and families would fall in love with God’s Word. After all, the Bible is His love letter to all of us.

At LifeWay Kids we want everyone to fall in love with the Bible. This truth convicted us to dedicate time and space at our 2017 ETCH Family Ministry Conference to unpack what it means to not just say the Bible is important, but unpack how this truth transforms your leadership and your ministry. Our 2017 ETCH theme is “Nothing Less”. Throughout the event, we will unpack and help put context to A.W. Tozer’s quote. We will help you apply it to your ministry, your leadership, and your team. At the end of the day, our desire is to do everything we can to equip you to serve and equip parents of the kids in your ministry. For more info on ETCH speakers, breakouts, and more, visit ETCHConference.com.

Kids will not be fully nourished without development in biblical literacy. As they take on the sword of the Spirit, they will be ready to expand the Kingdom as salt and light in a culture of darkness. Give them His Word in its entirety—as it was meant to be—and watch how the fruit of the Spirit will surely develop inside of them at every age. Let’s change the trajectory of biblical literacy from anemic to fully nourished. For His glory!

Bibles, Podcasts

March 16, 2017

Introducing the Christian Standard Bible

By Andy Dukes

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LifeWay has recently released a newly revised Bible translation, titled the Christian Standard Bible. Formerly known as the HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible), this new revision focuses on the balance of both accuracy and readability of the text. What does this revision mean for us as kids ministry leaders? Landry Holmes, manager of Kids Ministry Publishing, joins the podcast today to help us understand the vision behind this new translation, how it can bring clarity for the kids we serve and teach, and details the impact to our LifeWay Kids resources as we make the transition to the CSB.

Additional Resources:

Bibles, Kids Ministry, Leadership

March 5, 2017

Welcome the Christian Standard Bible (CSB) to LifeWay Kids!

By Bill Emeott

I am very excited about the release of the Christian Standard Bible (CSB). Today the release was made “official” in LifeWay Kids ongoing Bible study curriculum lines. Starting with our spring releases you’ll notice the use of the CSB in Bible Studies for Life, Explore the Bible, and The Gospel Project.

I want to share some quick FAQs and links to help answer your questions and get you started well with the CSB.

Why has LifeWay created a new translation? The Christian Standard Bible (CSB) is a revision of the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), updating translation and word choices in order to improve on the HCSB’s balance of faithfulness and clarity, as well as to enhance the shareability of the translation to new Christians or those reading the Bible for the first time. At LifeWay we are committed to improving the translation based on advances in biblical scholarship and input from Bible scholars, pastors, and readers. Taking each of these factors into consideration, the Christian Standard Bible has improved on the HCSB’s faithfulness to the original text and clarity for a modern audience.

What is the difference between the HCSB and the CSB? There are five major differences between the HCSB and the CSB. They are:

The capitalization of pronouns referring to God.
The use of “tongues” instead of “languages” in some texts.
The use of “Yahweh” as God’s personal name.
The rendering of doulos as “servant” instead of “slave.”
The translating of gender language into English.

This page elaborates on these specific differences.

When can we get actual copies of the CSB for our kids? There are two kids Bibles releasing this month CSB Big Picture Interactive Bible and the CSB Kids Bible. The CSB Read to Me Bible will release in August. Other Bibles editions (not specific for kids) have been released and more will come in the days ahead. CLICK HERE to sign up for notifications regarding releases.

The CSB is available online but last week I went ahead and downloaded the free app (iTunes or Google Play) so that I could have it with me all the time.

Tell me more! Have more questions? CLICK HERE to find answers to more frequently asked questions.

By the way … LifeWay’s VBS resources will make the change to CSB in 2018 and the change in children’s Bible Drill will affect the 2019 drills.

Bill Emeott serves as Lead Ministry Specialist for LifeWay Kids. A graduate of Mercer University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Bill has served as a Kid’s Minister and currently teaches 2nd Grade Bible study.

Bibles, Kids Ministry, Preschool, Preschoolers

December 5, 2014

Preschool Bible Learning Activity: Play with a Purpose

By Jerry Vogel

Preschoolers learn through play. However, at church, we must be sure that we are guiding the preschoolers to “play with a purpose” and learn Bible content along with play. Consider applying these approaches to learning times in your preschool classroom:

Consider holding a Bible as you greet each child at the beginning of each teaching session. Make comments about what kids will be learning from the Bible that day. This helps to begin teaching both the preschooler and his/her parents. Parents will begin to value that you do more than just “play” during a preschooler’s time at church.
Encourage preschoolers to bring their own Bibles each week. Be sure to use them showing preschoolers where the Bible story of the day can be located. Even though preschoolers cannot read, they will begin to learn that these true stories can be found in the most wonderful book ever written, the Bible. Show preschoolers the difference in Bible storybooks and an entire Bible.
As part of any play activity (blocks, art, puzzles, books, homeliving) place an open Bible in the activity area with a marker at the location of that day’s Bible story. While children participate in any of these activities, talk about the Bible story touching and using the Bible from time to time. (Consider retrieving Bibles from your church’s lost and found in order to have a Bible in each activity area.)
When telling a Bible story in circle time, be sure to hold the Bible in your lap…touching it from time to time and showing preschoolers where the story is located. Use your finger to follow along the words in the story. Invite preschoolers to let you guide their fingers to follow along the words in the day’s story. Be sure to over and over remind kids that all of the stories in the Bible are TRUE! Preschoolers also enjoy talking about the pictures that can be found in kids’ Bibles. The best teaching pictures are “real and true” to the Bible content.

Bible Study, Bibles, Kids Ministry, Preschool

December 2, 2014

Just Because You Know Your ABC’s Doesn’t Mean You Can Read

By Kids Ministry 101

By Kim Harris, Leadership Strategist
West Cobb Church, Marietta, GA

Three-year-old Bain stands up, grinning from ear to ear, and proudly sings the ABC song. His family is so proud! Our little great nephew is learning so much and is quickly on his way to learning how to read.

Should we pull him out of school, quit reading books to him, and stop encouraging him in his language development? … of course not! This is just the beginning for Bain and his life long journey of reading and learning.

Bain can also quote a portion of John 13:34, “Love one another.” He learned this simple Bible thought in his preschool Sunday School class. His family is equally as proud of this accomplishment. But, is this the end of his spiritual development? Of course, not! It is just the beginning.

All too often we confuse a child’s ability to quote Bible verses and facts as the goal. We figuratively dust our hands off, pat ourselves on the back, and skip to the next verse or chapter, when in fact, those learned skills are just the beginning of a child’s journey toward understanding.

Now that Bain can quote “Love one another,” the next step is for him to understand what it means to love one another. That takes it to a whole new level.

Two simple action steps will help a child to really understand:

1. Kids need to EXPERIENCE love. They need to be able to know what it feels like to love and be loved. This is best accomplished when those around care for them, speak to them with kind words, treat them with love and respect, and respond to their needs in a kind and loving manner.
2. Kids need to PRACTICE loving one another. Not until a child begins to show others love will they truly understand and know what it means to love one another.

So, we are loving on Bain and providing him opportunities to “love one another” in ways that are appropriate to him. In time Bain will figure it all out and understand the rest of John 13:34… “as I have loved you!” Then we’ll be ready to help him reach the real goal … saving knowledge.

But for now, we are content with singing “Jesus Loves Me” and the ABC song and watching him mature into the man God intends him to be.

Bible Study, Bibles

October 22, 2014

Hot Topics: Are Bible Skills Relevant?

By Jeff Land

I was a Bible Drill kid. My first Bible Drill leader was Mrs. Helen Smith, and then it was my grandmother. My church didn’t have a lot of Bible Drillers. Most of time it was me and one or two other kids. Being a small group didn’t hinder us, we still competed just like any other church. I’m not sure I realized the skills that I was learning at that time, but I certainly think back on them now. I realize how valuable those skills are to me in both my Christian walk and my profession.

Some people today might say that teaching Bible skills is irrelevant. Kids today are going to use their Bibles on their electronic devices. As I type this blog, I am sitting here at my iMac with several Bible software programs loaded and many available on the internet. My iPad is to the right of the screen and iPhone to the left. Both are loaded with the YouVersion app. I totally get their point — people today don’t have to look through the Bible looking for a verse. They just click and are there.

But, personally, I still don’t think Bible Skills are irrelevant. To me, teaching Bible skills is so much more than just learning how to use the Bible, it’s about learning how the Bible was made! It’s about how God designed it to be a tool to be used while we wait for Christ to come again.

Here are five Bible skills that I think are still relevant:

1. Kids need to know the difference between the Old and New Testament. Kids need to know what happened before Christ and after He came. This helps paint the picture of God’s grace and mercy.
2. Kids need to know about the different divisions of the Bible. Now, I realize that many, if not most, adults in your church don’t the difference between Old Testament History and New Testament History, but understanding when, how, and who those books were written to is very important. A knowledge of how these divisions can sometimes clear up what some people consider to be inconsistencies in biblical text.
3. Kids need to know about the Gospels. They need to know the story of Jesus, the Foundation of our faith. I believe that kids should always be able to know where and how to find Jesus’ story!
4. Kids need to memorize Scripture. 1 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Yeah, you caught me, I was a KJV Bible Driller! I can’t count the number of times a verse has popped into my head right when I needed it. Kids will face times when they won’t have a Bible nearby or their device might need to be charged, but they will always have their brains handy.
5. Kids need to know the Bible is the word of God. By teaching kids Bible skills you are teaching them that the Bible is important. You teach them that more than any other book, the Bible is to be respected. By devoting time to teaching kids Bible skills, you are showing them that they should spend time with God’s word.

What do you think? Are Bible skills relevant?