series MY BIBLE: It s Not Just a Bible, It s My Bible!

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1 series MY BIBLE: It s Not Just a Bible, It s My Bible! Objective: To empower families to spend time together reading the Bible and memorizing Scripture, truly putting God s Word at the center of their lives. Outline: 1. Meet & Greet 2. Bible Trivia Challenge 3. Teaching: What s so Important about the Bible? 4. Tips, Resources and Your Questions 5. Model It! & Practice It! 6. Take-It-Home Meet & Greet: 1. Do you have a name tag? (If not, please fill one out.) 2. Which of your five senses would you least want to give up? 3. What would you save first if your house was on fire? (Don t worry; your spouse and kids are safely running to get their firsts too.) Bible Trivia Challenge! (You may know more than you think.) 1. Form an alliance with those sitting at your table. 2. Place a ball in the middle of your table. (one color per table) 3. Listen carefully to my question from the Bible. 4. If you know the answer to my question, grab a ball off the table and hurl it at my head, demanding my attention. 5. I will give you an opportunity to answer the question. 6. If the contestant gets the answer wrong, the next ball that comes hurling at my noggin will have an opportunity to answer my question. 7. If I ask you to find a specific verse in the Bible. You must first grab a Bible, look up the verse, then throw! 8. Correct answers are worth 1 point. High score wins! Bible Trivia Questions! 1. The Bible is broken into two main sections. What are they called? 2. Name the first five books of the Bible. 3. What are these first five books of the Old Testament called? 4. How many official disciples did Jesus have? 5. Name two of Jesus disciples. 6. Name four fruits of the Holy Spirit given in Galatians 5: How many books in the Bible are considered Gospels and what are their names? 8. What were the names of Jesus earthly mother and father? 9. What was the name of the town where Jesus was born? 10. What are the two things Jesus claims as one, in His answer to the question, Which is the greatest commandment in the law? (See Matthew 22:36-40) 11. Who s name means wrestles with God? 12. When Moses asked God His name, what was his reply? Teaching: What s So Important about the Bible? Look It Up: 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (NIV) GOD-BREATHED Look It Up: Genesis 2:7 The Bible is alive in the same way that we are alive, because we have the breath of God breathed into us. Look It Up: John 1:1 Jesus is the Word incarnate. A fancy way of saying that Jesus is God s Word in human form. Look It Up: Hebrews 4:12 The Bible is living, on the move, doing things in the lives of people. USEFUL FOR TEACHING What are some things the Bible teaches us?

2 Can anyone think of a story Jesus tells and what it teaches us? REBUKING, CORRECTING What does it mean that the Bible rebukes or corrects us? When do we need to be rebuked or corrected? TRAINING, EQUIPPING Who are people that typically need to go into training? (Athletes: 1 Cor. 9:24-27; Soldiers: Eph. 6:13-17.) Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and Notes: the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Eph. 6:13-17, NIV) OBJECT LESSON What are some things from this passage that the Bible trains us in? Belt = Truth. The Bible trains us in becoming people of truth; Breastplate = Righteousness. The Bible trains us to be people right before God; Boots = Peace. The Bible trains us to be people who have God s peace; Shield = Faith. The Bible trains us to be people who live by faith; Helmet = Salvation. The Bible trains us to walk in the light of our salvation; Sword = Bible. The Bible trains us to use God s Word effectively to advance the Kingdom of God. PRINCIPLE OF THE PATH Have you ever been truly, hopelessly lost? I have. When I was six, I lived in a house on a hill. It had a yard that backed up to a huge pasture. Cows, thistles, streams and no parents to tell you what you couldn t touch. It was a paradise screaming to be explored! I loved every minute and knew every inch of it, too. Then spring hit, and we had rain for days. When the rain finally stopped and the ground was dry enough for walking (according to mom), I bolted out the back gate, straight into the pasture. It did not take long to truly appreciate a new sensation piercing and stinging my arms and legs. It stopped me in my tracks and forced me to take a look around. All around me were huge purple flowers towering about three feet above my head. I wasn t able to stay long, because well, I was getting stung just by standing still. I had a new goal; I needed an exit. In moments I spotted a path in the flowers, a split in the thicket, and a clearing at the end to boot. I ran as hard I as could down the path hoping it would sting less to do so. After catching my breath and rubbing down my arms and legs a new sensation hit me, fear! I didn t know where I was. The rain had turned my brown pasture into a green oasis. Streams and ponds were everywhere. Plus these stinging flowers were all around blocking my view of the hill my house was on. Well I assumed it was blocking my view. I wasn t even sure what direction I was facing. Luckily for me, the clearing I ran to was actually part of a horse trail. I didn t recognize the trail but at least I knew it was a path that would eventually lead somewhere, maybe to a house where I could call my mom. Lacking a better direction home I put one foot in front of the other and slowly made my way through the trail. It eventually led to a residential street where my mom s Buick wagon was parked waiting to take me home.

3 At six years of age, I learned a valuable principle, the principle of the path: direction determines destination. Far too often than I would like to admit I ve been lost. Lost in doubt, lost in debt, lost in relationships. You name it I ve probably lost it! All this loss of course leads to regret which ironically is also quite easy to get lost in. What do we do when we re lost in relationships, debt and the like? We look for answers right? Solutions to our problems. Why am I here and how do I get out of... (fill in the blank). The answer is quite simple. The reason any of us are where we are is because of the path we ve chosen to follow. Every choice we ve made has been another step on a path that leads us... to where we are today. So it s really not answers we need, its direction! Not merely knowing the direction you should go, but putting one foot in front of the other until you find your way home. It s a pretty sweet metaphor if you ask me. But who s direction should we follow? Look It Up: Psalm 119:104 [God s] word is like a lamp that shows me the way. It is like a light that guides me. (NIrV) The Bible is the light that guides us back home. I decided some time ago that my navigation skills in life are awful. I figured, hey, God the creator of all things probably can t mess things up as bad as I have, so why not give His Way, His word, a try. I read it, prayed it and tried to put it into daily practice. It took a while for this to become a natural practice. I took it one day at a time, one step in front of the other. After a while I found myself on a path with better scenery. I m still trying to find my way home but daily practice has slowly turned God s words into mine. Reading God s word consistently has taken the Bible from being that book to my book. It has become a part of me, who I am and who I am becoming. This is what this Take It Home Class is all about. It is about empowering you as families to transform who you and your children are by making the Bible into your Bible. TAKE IN THE SCENERY Relax, sit back and close your eyes as I read a passage from Jesus Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5:1-12: Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (NIV) How would your attitude, perspective and interactions with others change if you read this passage each morning before starting your day. The Bible changes us. It has a way of transforming us into people who don t just act more like Christ, but who are more like Christ. Tips, Resources and Your Questions It s one thing to know we need to get God s word deep inside our kids. But how does one teach the Bible to children? There are many ways to make the Bible fun and interactive for you and your children. What follows is a list of proven methods for teaching the Bible to children. Every child is created uniquely by God so don t get discouraged if your first try isn t successful, and remember when starting out: it s more important to spend consistent time reading God s word then stressing over how much you can recall of God s word.

4 Themed Bibles: There are so many themed Bibles available for purchase - kids, adults, young boys, teen girls, study, picture, etc. The Bible you are receiving today is called the Adventure Bible for Early Readers. It as some amazing features. Here are a few: **Words to Treasure highlight great verses to memorize. **Did You Know? provides interesting facts that help you better understand God s Word. ** People in Bible Times offer close-up looks at amazing people of the Bible. ** Life in Bible Times offer glimpses into what life was like in Bible times. **Live It! includes hands-on activities to help apply biblical truths to life. (more info on pages viii-ix) These features, along with the readability of the NIrV, quickly transforms any parent into a Bible Scholar! Devotionals & Story Bibles: There are no rules on how to get your kids into God s word, so don t be discouraged if your kids don t want to read the Bible you have received today. I mean just look at it! It s big, heavy and filled with tiny words! Many of us have kids that love to read, but just never seem interested in reading the Bible. If this describes your child consider purchasing a Devotional Book or a Story Bible. The Adventure Bible has a companion devotional. It s filled with the same great stuff as the Bible they will be receiving from you, but has a larger font, one Bible story per page, and daily activities to help put God s word into practice. Kid Friendly Bible Tracks: Our children s ministry doesn t try to teach every Bible story in a year. We don t even try to teach every story in three years! Instead we have taken some of the most popular stories form the Bible and combined them with important Christian virtues and truths. The result is a systematic overview of the entire Bible without having to read the entire Bible. Notes: me at mjohnson@hccmail.org if you would like a copy of some of the most popular Bible stories we teach CM kids. Faith@Home Sunday Take-Homes: We spend over 10 dollars a kid, each quarter, on Faith@Home take-homes. These weekly take-homes are designed to help you, the parents, reinforce the week s Bible lesson, memory verse, and life application challenge, learned in Bible class. I have a few samples in class today of our weekly take-homes. Make it a habit to sit down as a family and work through one of these take-homes each week. Doing so will ensure your kids get a well rounded understating of the Bible, not to mention the benefit you get from spending time together in God s word. Jamba s I know the answer! Bible Color Code: Yellow: Wise sayings, great Biblical one liners, verses of note. Blue: Verses about God, His character and promises. Red/Pink: Verses about Christ, His character and prophecies. Green: Your favorite Bible topic(s). Mine are verses on family/children. Orange: Memory Verses, Yellow verses that really stand out to you. This has become my favorite way to read and study the Bible. You just read the Bible at a pace you find best for you. I recently read the Bible in one year. You many want to try and do the same or read it in two or three years. Regardless of how long it takes to read it, always keep 5 highlighters next to your Bible. When you read something about God, highlight it blue. When you hear a verse in a sermon about Christ, highlight it red. Just keep highlighting according the key given above (you can look through my Bible if you need a visual aid). Okay here comes the fun part. When your little one asks you. Mom and/or Dad does God have feet? you can reply, Well Son I m not sure but I can tell you what I do know about God. Then just flip out your Bible and read anything you have highlighted in blue! It s really cool and quite good for the ego, especially when you do it with a flourish and some fancy hand waving!

5 This method will help you share your faith with your child too. Again just flip open your Bible and read any verse you have covered in red. Do you need some encouragement? Flip open your Bible and look for some orange or yellow! Guide your Children Through the Bible By Monica Patrick, ehow Contributing Writer Guide your children to deeper knowledge of the Bible by encouraging them to read it daily. The miraculous stories of love, courage, and redemption, will inspire them. Through Bible stories and characters, your children will learn God's ways. Through the pages of the Bible, kids learn that God loves the whole world, including them. Cultivate your child's love for the scriptures by using these suggestions. Daily Reading: Daily Bible reading aids in better retention. Create a cozy nook or corner in your home for kids to go to when it's daily Bible reading time. Check in daily with children to be sure they have read that day's chapters or assigned reading. You may want to post a reading chart on a family message board on the refrigerator. Give rewards for daily reading, either with weekly or monthly treats. It helps if parents set an example and participate in their own daily reading. Children are more likely to do what they see their parents do. Activities: Bible-related activities can reinforce the story a child reads. Take a few minutes once a week to find and print some coloring pages, word searches or mazes. Buy a few puppets that could portray Bible characters, and let your child play out some of the stories. Making a few A SIMPLE WAY TO LINK TO YOUR FAMILY SPIRITUALLY Splink (Simple Link) is a FREE weekly packed with ideas to help connect your family. Splinks are creative ways of interacting with your children with family devotional starters and ideas for family time. Splinks can also help you use teachable moments to pass along spiritual truths and life lessons while making memories or just having fun together. Register to receive Splink FREE via at register. puppets together could be fun too. Gather up a few sheets and other dress-up items for Bible dress-up. Encourage your children to dress like their favorite characters from the stories. Active role playing is fun and engaging. This activity really gets children thinking about the Bible. Most Children s Bibles have object lessons and family activities you can do at home, too. (Don t forget! Our Children s Ministry sends your kids home with weekly Faith@Home activities too!) Model It! In a moment you will be getting a Bible for your child. Please open it to the presentation page in the front of the Bible. On this page there should be space to write who the Bible is from, who it is for and the date it was given. Write your child s name in the Presented To slot, the appropriate date and your name(s) in the Presented By space. I am also giving you a note card, an envelope and a Bible Presentation Sample Letter. I would like you to write a letter to your child on this card or in the front cover of the Bible. Use the remainder of today s class give some thought into what you would like to write. Trust me you ll want to write it down now. Things get busy at home and you don t want to get this letter lost in the dreaded to-do pile on the kitchen counter. BIBLE PRESENTATION SAMPLE LETTER Dear (name), You are such a blessing to our family and this world. God has given you so many special gifts and we see those in you already. Our prayer is that by drawing close to God, through the Scriptures, you will become the young (man or woman) God longs for you to be. We know that if you invest time with God through His Word, that you will be changed. We have confidence in this because the Bible has a way of transforming us, accomplishing in us what God desires (see Isaiah 55:11). Our prayer is that you would become a person in whom the Word of God dwells richly. God promises that He has a plan for you and that if you follow Him you will have a hope and a future (see Jeremiah 29:11). We love you and know that through God you can and will become all He intends for you to be. --Love, Mom & Dad

6 Practice It Our shepherds and Children's ministry staff would like to lead your family in a Bible Presentation Ceremony during one of our Sunday morning services. Here is what we would like to ask of you and your children. BIBLE PRESENTATION CEREMONY Have parents place hands on their children and repeat, phrase by phrase: you are my child and I am very proud of you. You are a wonderful creation of God who is fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14) God has a special plan for your life, a plan for hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) May this book be a lamp unto your feet. (Psalm 119:105) May it penetrate your soul. (Hebrews 4:12) May it teach you, correct you and train you (2 Timothy 3:16) to be the very person God longs for you to be. We love you and present you with your very own Bible. Then have the kids remain standing and repeat after you phrase by phrase: I receive this Bible as God s Word for me. I will strive to know and understand it, and through it, know God. May it shape my character, Exchange Bibles and give children a chance to read what their parents have written on a card or front cover of the Bible. Take-It-Home penetrate my soul, direct my decisions, shepherd my heart, be a beacon of truth, and lead my life. This is MY BIBLE! When you get home tonight help your child(ren) decorate a cover for their Bible. Depending on your preference you may want to hold on to their Bible till the Bible Presentation Ceremony. If this is the case,share with your child, your excitement about the upcoming ceremony. Let your child(ren) know that you would like them to decorate a Bible cover today for the Bible they will be getting soon. I have provide Bible Cover Instructions below and if you need it I have butcher paper you can use too. You will need to provide your own markers, paper, scissors, glue, crayons, paint, stickers, etc. and whatever your child(ren) will enjoy decorating their Bible covers with. As the your child(ren) decorate their Bible covers, you can talk to them about the significance this cover represents in not just having a Bible, but my Bible. Your child(ren) may also want to make and decorate bookmarks for their Bibles (you can get a book mark template from me before the end of class). You may also want to make one of your own. Write a favorite Bible verse on the bookmark and present to your child(ren) along with their Bible. BIBLE COVER INSTRUCTIONS 1. Set your closed Bible inside a paper you have folded in half. Make sharp folds around the edges of the Bible. 2. Take out the Bible and open the paper. Draw a line about 3 inches (7.5 cm) all the way around, outside the fold lines. Cut on the line. 3. Fold the paper along the top and bottom. Then fold the sides of the paper. 4. Insert the front cover of your Bible into the opening on the left of the cover. Do the same thing with the right side. 5. Decorate your cover! Matthew "Jamba" Johnson Children's Minister at Heritage Church of Christ 4201 Heritage Trace Parkway, Keller, TX m) w) f) mjohnson@hccmail.org 2008 Gospel Light. Permission to photocopy granted to original purchaser only. Take It Home