How do I teach my children to love Scripture?
Question 1128
Passing faith to the next generation is one of the most important things Christian parents do. And central to that task is helping our children love God’s Word. We want them not merely to know about the Bible but to treasure it, to turn to it naturally, to find in it the wisdom and comfort and guidance they need throughout their lives. How do we cultivate that love? It doesn’t happen automatically, but it also doesn’t require a theology degree. Here are some principles that can help.
Model What You Want Them to Learn
Children learn more from what they see than from what they’re told. If you want your children to love Scripture, they need to see you loving it. Do they see you reading the Bible? Do they hear you talking about what you’re learning? Do they see you turn to Scripture when facing decisions or difficulties?
This doesn’t mean performing for your children. It means letting them into your genuine spiritual life. When you read something encouraging at breakfast, mention it. When you’re struggling and a verse comes to mind, share that too. Your natural, unforced engagement with Scripture teaches them that it’s a normal part of life, not just a religious duty.
Read to Them from an Early Age
Start early. Even before children understand what you’re reading, they benefit from hearing Scripture. The rhythm and language sink in. They associate the Bible with closeness to Mum and Dad, with bedtime routines, with comfort and security.
Use age-appropriate resources. Good children’s Bibles tell the biblical narrative in accessible language with engaging illustrations. As they grow, transition to fuller versions. The goal is a progression toward reading Scripture itself, but the path there can include helpful stepping stones.
Read aloud as a family. Deuteronomy 6 instructs parents to teach God’s commands “when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deuteronomy 6:7). This suggests a natural integration of Scripture into daily life, not just a formal lesson once a week.
Make It Interactive
Children engage better when they participate. Ask questions: “What do you think happened next? How do you think David felt? What would you have done?” Let them ask questions too, and take their questions seriously, even if you can’t always answer them fully.
Act out stories. Build the ark out of cardboard. Draw pictures of the parables. Younger children especially learn through play and physical activity. Making Scripture interactive makes it memorable.
Memorise Scripture together. Start with short verses and build up. Children have remarkable capacity for memorisation. Verses learned young stay with them for life. Psalm 119:11 says, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Give them that treasure while their minds are receptive.
Connect Scripture to Real Life
Help children see that the Bible speaks to their actual lives. When they’re scared, point them to “Fear not, for I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10). When they’ve done something wrong, talk about confession and forgiveness. When they’re facing a decision, show them how Scripture gives wisdom.
Don’t just teach Bible stories as ancient history. Show how the themes connect to today: God’s faithfulness, the consequences of sin, the need for a Saviour, the call to love others. Every story points ultimately to Jesus. Help them see Him throughout Scripture.
Be Patient with Resistance
Children, especially as they grow older, may resist family devotions or Bible reading. This is normal. Don’t panic, and don’t turn it into a battle that makes them hate Scripture even more.
Keep offering. Keep modelling. Keep praying. You are planting seeds that may take years to bear fruit. Many adults who walked away from faith as teenagers later returned, often recalling the Scripture they learned in childhood. Your faithfulness now matters even if you don’t see immediate results.
Adjust your approach if needed. What worked when they were five won’t work when they’re fifteen. Teenagers may engage better with discussion and debate than with simple reading. Give them space to wrestle, doubt, and question. That’s part of making faith their own.
Pray for Them
Ultimately, a love for Scripture is something only God can create. You can’t force it. You can only cultivate conditions where it can grow and pray earnestly for the Holy Spirit to work in your children’s hearts.
Pray that God would open their eyes to see wondrous things in His law (Psalm 119:18). Pray that His Word would take root and bear fruit. Pray that they would come to know Jesus personally through the Scriptures. This is the most important thing you can do.
Conclusion
Teaching your children to love Scripture is a long-term project. Model it yourself, read to them early and often, make it interactive, connect it to real life, be patient with resistance, and pray continually. You are giving them the greatest treasure: the Word that points to Jesus, the Bread of Life.
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
