As part of the education ministry in our church, children are given a Bible when they enter third grade. The Contemporary English Version is a wonderful translation for children as they learn to read or improve their reading skills.
We encourage the children to bring their Bibles with them each week, study the Bible stories during class and continue reading at home. When these students move into first communion classes and confirmation, they have some experience with their Bibles. Confirmation takes them farther along the path to learning the Bible.
We’ve even had a few adults who decided to purchase this study Bible for themselves after working with confirmation or Sunday school students, finding the notes in the margins a helpful tool for their own continued study.
Building a strong foundation for a young faith can be done in a joyful, rewarding way. This foundation will serve to support the child as they grow in life and in faith.
This message was adapted from “Coming Home” written by Karen Bates-Olson that first appeared in the December 2010 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather) magazine.