Bible Study Strategies

31 days... day 12

One way to whisper the Word is to focus on how to read it.  Great reading teachers, use many strategies to teach children how to read non-fiction.  Great teachers, don't reinvent, they find quality resources and build on what is already created!  Today I'm showing you two strategies through some blog posts/tools online that are already there! 

Here are some strategies  (that are really reading strategies) but are a commonly used as Bible Study methods and a link to a toolbox of ideas and reasons how to study the Bible from some great websites.

SOAP study....
Scripture, Observations, Application, Prayer

Here's a kids version  from home school creations that is a printable paper to fill in.

Here's an online SOAP program. You can save your whole study online.

Mom's toolbox has a What is SOAP explanation.

DoNotDepart

A simple strategy for studying God's Word. 3 Questions

I grew up with a similar pattern-- we asked:

• What does this verse/passage say? 
• What does it promise? 
• what does it command to obey? 
• How does it apply to me today? 

15 minutes a day... a strategy using 5 lenses (that kids can easily connect to)
 
DoNotDepart has many sections on christian living, prayer, memorization and Bible Study.  I have tried many of their ideas personally and with children.  It's a great resource. It has a tool box and great resources for all ages!

Here's a post if you've never spent daily time in the Word that is a great start.

Take time to click on a link or two and try a new strategy or reclaim a classic. 

Family Devotional Books

31 days...Day 11

Children Desiring God is a favorite resource for our Sunday School program. 

We love the curriculum that is centered on Who God is and what is His story through out different themes.  It is a God centered, Bible saturated curriculum.

But in the past two years, Sally Michael, one of the main curriculum writers, has published two books for families to read with their children.  They are very well done, and come complete with a project for your child(ren) to make as they go through each of the lessons/concepts.  They definitely help whisper the Word in your home in a fun, illustrated book, focused on essential concepts for every believer. 

The Books surround two essential concepts about Who God is?  His Promises and His Names.  

Audio Bibles

31 days....Day 10

Another way my kids love to be in the Word is audio Bibles.   Our favorite is the Faith comes by hearing 

The kids like the ESV audio DRAMA version.  This is from Bible.is group.

We download them in itunes as podcasts called You've Got the Time KIdz.



even available at Amazon now: 

The drama is great, you can pick translations, drama or no drama, and kids or adult versions, as well as LANGUAGE. 

So if you want your child to practice their spanish, french, ... this would be a great way with God's Word.

We use these as bedtime stories!  They also have apps and can send stuff to your cell phone, a twitter feed, etc.. many options. 

Bloggers to follow..

31 days...day 9

I'm blogging with the hopes of keeping track of ideas, lessons, and to explore a format for future students in a children's ministry class at Emmaus.   But most of what I learn, what encourages me, and what helps me find resources is by following other bloggers who share my heart for God's Word being central in my life and in the kids we come into contact with (and especially my own.)

here are some bloggers who help:

Oh, Amanda at Impress Your Kids
Ann Voskamp, and her 1,000+ gifts inspire me individually and as a Mom to be in, of, and acting on the Word of God with joy!
Inspired to Action (and the Hello Mornings challenges) to get us in the Word daily!
Women living well (and the Good Morning Girls Bible studies each season) simple SOAP method book studies. 
1+1+1+1 the source of free printables for SEEDS family worship cd's and other fun christian/Bible stuff!
When you Rise this blog often shows me new products, and recently she's been talking about soteriology doctrinal views and teaching them to children.  I've linked you to her free printable that shows how to carry the gospel through the WHOLE Bible on a front/back page! I use it in Sunday School all the time!

another 31 day challenge, her month is on teaching theology to your toddler... she's new to me, but we share the same desire this month:  homeade calling

another newbie to me... but her theme this month, I will add to my hope to do list...31 days of God's Word for your kids

Work Out Your Salvation

31 days... Day 8

A message on our salvation, by Larry Dixon.  Presented at Asbury Community Chapel in May 2011

IDEA:  Abide in the Word, do Word Studies, and think about key doctrines and how they change your life!

Here's some teaching to get you started. 

Work out your salvation, two scriptures and some bullet points that make me think!  I see these concepts as worth exploration and reminders personally, and would be key discipleship concepts in mentoring our children.  In whispering the Word, it is important to be growing spiritually and abiding in the Word yourself!

Ephesians 2:8-9....

Philippians 2

Four keys to working out your salvation...

#1 spiritual growth is a process.... Do we allow for process in our Christian churches & friendships? V12... With fear and trembling...it involves mistakes, sins, struggles...do we admit those to one another often enough?

#2 key. Spiritual growth focuses on you...Your salvation...

It's easier to focus on others than on you...you are a work on process...and you have much to say about how your life goes...

Mere Christianity a primer in logic.   

Spiritual Disciplines worth cultivating

• Inward disciplines...prayer fasting meditation study
• Outward disciplines...simplicity, solitude, submission, service,
• Corporate disciplines... confession, guidance, worship...

#3 key spiritual growth involves fear and trembling

Conduct a word study in the following scriptures....

Fear word study...Romans Galatians,Ephesians,Phil

Fear and trembling. Corinthians and Phil 2

#4 spiritual growth requires cooperating with Almighty God!

V.13 ....for it is God who works in you...

Spiritual drifting...is our life like a drifting sailboat?  or are we afloat with the Holy Spirit's help?  

Wish I had the audio to go with this, but I see these concepts as great for a devotional personally or in discipleship even with just my notes!

Children's Bible Part 3

31 days- Day 7

Storybook Bibles... what factors are unique and need to be researched? 

If you go with the Storybook Bible considerations: (also works for individual Bible storybooks)

• does it quote scripture directly, or does it have an author who has paraphrased (essentially writing their own translation) of the story?  if it does, what translation?
• which stories does it include? and what details does it include/omit?
• how many stories does it include?
• Voice: how is God portrayed? is the storybook written from His voice, or in the child's voice, or is it a narrative?  
• do the story's have the scripture references (at least chapters) mentioned to make connecting it to a regular Bible easier? 
• images- do the pictures reflect the scenarios appropriately? (i.e. are there halos on the angels? do people look real or like magical people? Are people smiling at the Crucifixion?  ...)
• and AM I OKAY with the way it is?   

I find reading reviews at the retailers (like amazon.com) a great start, and if I'm curious about a specific Bible or storybook Bible, if I take that title in "quotes". I can google it and see who has blogged about this product for another avenue of information.  Even http://www.goodreads.com reviews children's Bible storybooks. Just remember some people are given free products for positive reviews!

Child's Bible- part 2

31 days- Day 6

Yesterday, we talked about thinking about my purpose for wanting a specific Child's Bible, and some questions to start my thinking... Today here are some more specific research ideas. 

Research these specifics:

• does it meet the purpose I have?  
• which type of children's Bible is it:  entire Bible, study Bible, or Bible storybook or Biblical concepts/thoughts/devotional or a combination. 
• is it a translation, if so is it complete or just excerpts?
• if it's a story book, is it an author's work, or excerpts from a specific translation?
• what features does it have (pictures, definitions, cross references, questions, ....)
• pictures- are they appealing to me? to kids? to manga readers? comic readers? little kids? cartoon like or realistic? are the colors muted or vibrant? faces on people appropriate or dis proportioned?
• publication date (is it out of print? is it reflective of the era? relevant to my kids?)
• images/pictures- appealing, appropriate details, artistic
• view of God
• theology taught/presented/misconstrued
• readability: funny fonts or 'italics', simple text, size of text, amount of text, reading level of text
• helps- does it end with questions, activities, etc.
• physical size/shape/price
• is it tiny and perfect for purse/diaper bag, is it large enough to hold in front of a group, is it sturdy, is it age appropriate (does it look like a baby Bible, an adult one), will the pages rip easily, will the binding hold up when I carry it back and forth to my teaching scenarios,  is it in the appropriate language?  ...

There are even more considerations if you go with a Story Bible... check in tomorrow!