Few things can be as intimidating as leading a Bible study, even if it is for one’s own family. In this the third article on family devotions in our discussion of Family Worship, we turn our attention to the component of teaching Scripture. Many are terrified at the idea of such a task. What if we do not know the answer? What if the Scripture is hard to understand? What if I say the wrong thing? Too often it is assumed that one must have a seminary or Bible college degree to be able to explain Scripture to one’s family. However, that does not need to be the case. Many have also incorrectly assumed that insights into Scripture must be theologically “deep” to make any impact in the lives of one’s family. That too is not the case. Instead, people need to be reminded of the basics of the Bible and of God’s love for His people.

     Bible Study in family devotions has a two-fold purpose. First, it emphasizes that the study of the Bible is a key part of a Christian’s daily life. Too many Christians do not have a personal time of Bible study. Yet, by emphasizing the importance of such study in the lives of children when they are still very young, they will grow up understanding that Bible study is in fact a key component of the Christian life. Second, Bible study in family devotions allows the head of the family to pass on the spiritual truths of the Bible to their family. Again, this does not need to be theologically deep. For young children, this transmission of spiritual truths usually takes the form of Bible stories. For older children, it may become more instructionally based, such as progressing through Paul’s letters. The overall goal is instruction and teaching of one’s family. It does not have to be “deep,” just Biblical.

     As mentioned above, this task can often be intimidating. There are 66 books in the Bible. Where do we start? Fortunately, there are many resources to help us in this task. For younger children there are many Bible study books, such as The Best Bible Stories Ever by Crossway books or Small Talks about God by Ken Taylor. More Bible Study books can be found on Amazon.com. For older children and families there is Tabletalk magazine by R.C. Sproul which has daily devotional guides. There is also an entired series of devotional guides called One Year Books. They include family devotions, teen devotions, devotions on books of the Bible, and even devotions on church history. There are hundreds if not thousands of devotional guides and Bible study helps available online or in publications likes the CBD catalog. Do not be afraid to take advantage of these resources.

     If, however, you chose to create your own Bible study, keep these tips in mind. First, this is a devotional, not a sermon. Choose a smaller amount of text. When I was growing up we did two verses a night. Second, ask questions. You do not need to explain the text as a homily. Rather, ask probing questions of your family to force them to think about the text for themselves. An example from Romans 8:28 might be ‘what was the basis of Paul’s confidence that all things turn out for good?’ Third, be sure to help your family apply the scripture specifically to their own lives. Remember that the goal is not theological “depth” but life change as the gospel is applied. So, challenge your family to dig deeper and apply the scripture to their own lives in specific ways. Again, this can be done through questions, such as asking “what would that attitude look like in your life?”

     Hopefully, you have seen from this article that Bible study in family devotions does not have to be intimidating. There is a plethora of resources available to help you and you do not have to impress anyone. Your goal is simply to open the Scripture and discuss with your family what impact it should make on our lives.