Let\u2019s make sure we understand why<\/em> this is so important. In Deuteronomy 6, we see the blueprint for a biblical home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.<\/em>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n Two things are clear: (1) we\u2019re called to love God with our whole heart, and (2) we\u2019re called to raise our kids in a home where they see that this is our top priority, our highest calling!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let me make another observation: We cannot teach our kids to love God with their whole hearts if we don\u2019t love God with our whole hearts. The old saying, \u201cDo as I say, not as I do,\u201d doesn\u2019t work with our kids. They will do what we do almost 100% of the time. If we love Jesus with our whole hearts and seek to live a life honoring him, that\u2019s the example they will follow. However, if we tell our kids to love Jesus and follow him when it\u2019s not a priority in our own lives, we shouldn\u2019t be surprised when it\u2019s not a priority for them either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, how do we do it? Deuteronomy 6 reveals that teaching our kids to know and love God is an ongoing mission. Here are three action steps to make that mission a reality:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The more we learn about God through his Word, the more we love him. As we read, we see the heart of God, we see the promises of God, we learn the plan of God, and we see the love God has for each one of us. God\u2019s word transforms us (Romans 12), gives us direction in this life (Psalm 119:105), and ultimately introduces us to our Savior, Jesus (1 John 1:4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nothing impacts the spiritual growth of our children like time reading the Bible. Every family has a different rhythm, so Bible reading in your home may look different than mine, and that\u2019s okay. What matters is that our kids (and us) read. Carve out a time and protect it! For those with younger kids, bedtime is a natural time to read together. If your kids are older, maybe it\u2019s the dinner table. Early risers? Sit around the breakfast table and read together. If your kids are older, encourage them to read independently and have one or two moments per week where your family comes together to discuss what everyone is reading in their Bibles. Be prepared to share what you\u2019ve been reading and learning, too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, read the Bible. Got it. But where do we start reading? Great question! Preschool Children? Start with teaching them Bible stories. This \u201cBeginners Bible\u201d<\/a> was written just for them. Before long, your kids will recite these stories back to you. If your kids are of reading age, this \u201cStorybook Bible\u201d<\/a> is a great Bible for them to read to you. Once your kids are a little older, find a reading plan and encourage them to start reading independently. YouVersion<\/a> is an excellent resource for reading plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your schedule is light, and you have a bunch of free time, right? Probably not. No matter how busy we get, ensuring our kids grow up reading the Bible is of more value to their hearts and souls than everything else we\u2019ve allowed to crowd our schedules. Make the time. Do the work. Establish the rhythm of Bible reading in your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If we aim to teach our kids to love God, don\u2019t you think we should teach them to talk to him? Don\u2019t overthink this. When we pray, we talk to our Heavenly Father, confidently knowing he hears us. Pray with your kids so that they see and hear you talking to God. Then, encourage them to pray as well. Encourage your kids to give thanks for what they\u2019re thankful for. Remind them to ask God for healing and help for those they know who are sick or struggling. Have them pray for friends who don\u2019t know God. If you\u2019ve spent time reading the Bible, ask them to pray about something they saw in the Bible. For example, \u201cThank you, God, for sending Jesus at Christmas\u201d or \u201cGod, give me courage like Paul.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Show your kids that prayer is natural and constant in the life of believers. Pray in the evening together. Pray when you\u2019re driving down the road and pass by an ambulance (\u201cGod, help the person that ambulance is for and give their family comfort, amen!\u201d). Pray when you see the sunset (\u201cGod, thank you for this beautiful sunset; your creation is amazing!\u201d). Pray when your kiddo isn\u2019t feeling good (\u201cGod, help us to feel better!\u201d). Do you see the pattern? In all things, pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17).<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s right, sing! You probably assumed Bible reading and prayer were on the list, but singing? Let me explain. I just finished reading through Psalms and couldn\u2019t help but notice the constant call to praise God! What we sing matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lifeway did a study just a few years ago. Their goal was to identify what patterns in a household had the most significant impact on a child\u2019s faith. Number one was Bible reading, number two was prayer, and number three was singing Christian songs. Just think about it: Songs stick in our minds and hearts, right? What was your favorite song in high school? What songs did your parents sing to you as a kid? What music was on repeat when you learned how to drive? More than likely, lyrics rushed back into your head and heart as I asked you those questions. Lyrics stick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, let me ask you this: What are your kids singing? What lyrics are being imprinted in their hearts and minds? Don\u2019t miss the opportunity music provides as you teach your kids to love God. Find great worship music and sing together! You might say, \u201cAlexa, play Big Daddy Weave!\u201d or, \u201cAlexa, play Maverick City Music!\u201d In the car, turn down the Kid\u2019s Bop Sing Along and turn on music that points to Jesus. Let it sink in so that it\u2019s in their hearts and minds years from now. There\u2019s no sweeter sound than hearing your child sing songs that praise Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n If these family worship habits are new to you, let me make a suggestion. Begin today. Open your Bible to the Book of Luke. Read one chapter per day with your family. You\u2019ll walk through the life of Jesus and finish in just over three weeks. After you read each day, take a few minutes to pray together about what you read and what\u2019s going on in your life. Then, take every opportunity to turn on music that praises God. Miss a day? That\u2019s okay! Try not to miss two. If you miss two, that\u2019s okay. Don\u2019t miss three! You get the point. Make Bible reading, prayer, and singing a priority in your home, and do your best to stay consistent. There\u2019s no better time to create rhythms in your home that teach your kids to love God with their whole hearts!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A blueprint for parents on raising God-loving kids. Discover actionable steps to instill a deep love for God in your family.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":1047,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"\n Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n I remember the first time I stood up to teach the Bible to a group of women in my local church. I was terrified. Yes, I studied the passage diligently and spent hours preparing pages of notes, but I wasn\u2019t sure if my preparation was effective. Is my teaching structured well? Will the women be interested or learn anything new? Have I interpreted this passage correctly?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Many women who are asked to teach a Sunday School class, speak at a Bible study, or lead a small group experience similar fears. They often have little or no training specific to teaching Scripture and feel unequipped and insecure in their preparation. Even so, the abundance of resources available on the subject of teaching Scripture can be paralyzing for a new Bible teacher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why we need books like Empowered and Equipped: Bible Exposition for Women Who Teach the Scriptures<\/em><\/a>. Julia Higgins, assistant professor of ministry to women at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, seeks to provide women with the tools they need to faithfully and effectively teach the Word of God to other women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJesus commissioned disciples to teach the nations, and women of the church must take his call seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Men and women alike are given the spiritual gift of teaching, yet few resources are designed specifically for women who exposit the Scriptures. In Empowered and Equipped<\/em>, Julia Higgins steers women through the steps needed to faithfully interpret, apply, and teach a passage of Scripture. By examining both the principles and practices of teaching of Bible exposition, Higgins seeks to prepare women in the local church to make and mold disciples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n B&H Academic. 224 pp. <\/p>\n\n\n\n First we must ask, Is a book that encourages and equips women to teach Scripture necessary or even appropriate? There\u2019s much discussion today about whether the Bible permits women to teach at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In an effort to submit to Scripture\u2019s teaching, many have unfortunately moved beyond what God\u2019s Word prescribes to impose unbiblical restrictions on women. To argue that women shouldn\u2019t teach Scripture in any formal setting misunderstands God\u2019s design for discipleship. Higgins argues that all followers of Christ, including women, are included in the Great Commission and its call to teach other disciples everything Christ commanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, as Higgins explains, \u201cSome may conflate the spiritual gift of teaching with the office of pastor\/elder and draw a false conclusion that only men are to exercise the gift of teaching. While qualified men are responsible to teach and oversee the local church, that does not negate the fact that both men and women are given the spiritual gift of teaching.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n All followers of Christ, including women, are included in the Great Commission and its call to teach other disciples everything Christ commanded.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Spiritual gifts, including the gift of teaching, are given for the common good (1 Cor. 12:7<\/a>) and for building up the church (1 Cor. 14:12<\/a>). It follows that women are not only permitted to teach in appropriate settings but are needed for the growth and maturity of the body of Christ. This pattern is exemplified in the women in Scripture who are called to teach and commended for their teaching ministries, many of which Higgins references.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In light of the biblical call for women to teach, Higgins writes,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The end of the matter is this: women should be given a context where they can teach the Word in the local church. Why? Because Christ\u2019s church will grow and others will be discipled in the faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her book, therefore, provides \u201ca pathway for women to exercise teaching gifts in the local church,\u201d and specifically focuses on training women to teach women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Higgins provides an accessible yet substantial foundation for teaching Scripture. She incorporates principles and strategies from some of the most highly respected Bible teachers of our day, giving readers a well-rounded introduction to teaching Scripture without information overload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Higgins has a high view of God\u2019s Word and a Christ-centered approach that highlights the overarching storyline of the Bible. Readers will gain essential tools for expository teaching, learning to base the central teaching focus, supporting points, and application on the main point and structure of the text itself. Higgins even encourages this kind of verse-by-verse teaching for topical messages, so that the teacher is always communicating the text\u2019s intended purpose rather than taking passages out of context as proof texts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Empowered and Equipped<\/em> walks teachers through the process of creating a Bible exposition, from understanding the nature of Scripture all the way to writing an expositional outline. Higgins covers a wide range of content from theoretical to practical, including information on biblical genres, basic doctrinal issues, and hermeneutics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She spends a large portion of the book giving instruction on studying the Bible inductively, including specific strategies for observation, interpretation, generalization, and application and for how that study translates into instruction. The scope of the book makes it suitable for beginners\u2014although they may want to work through it more slowly\u2014as well as for those who have been studying and teaching Scripture for some time but are looking for a process to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Empowered and Equipped<\/em> covers an impressive amount of ground in a surprisingly manageable page count, readers may leave with unanswered questions. For example, the book includes almost no discussion of incorporating meaningful illustrations or transitions. On other topics, such as the discussion of genre or the overview of theological doctrines, Higgins gives only brief introductions. Anything more, however, would make the book overwhelmingly dense, and readers can continue to explore these topics in more depth as they see fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The church needs gifted women who not only speak on a short list of \u201cfemale-friendly\u201d topics stereotypical of women\u2019s conferences or retreats but who teach the whole counsel of God for the good of the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The church needs gifted women who not only speak on a short list of \u2018female-friendly\u2019 topics but who teach the whole counsel of God for the good of the body.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Higgins appeals, \u201cThis call for women to be teachers of the Word arises from a place of care and concern for over half of the body, so that the church might grow in love for God and his Word, passing it along to others, so that they too might go and make disciples of all nations to the end that Christ\u2019s commands are observed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As this book makes its way into the hands of more and more women who treasure the Bible and long to see it elevated and proclaimed, I pray the church will be edified and God\u2019s glory made known. I pray the teachers it equips will grow in their love for Christ even as the women they teach develop new excitement for God\u2019s Word. I pray that instead of feeling insecure and unprepared, women will be empowered and equipped to teach the Scriptures.<\/p>\n","_et_gb_content_width":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[36],"class_list":["post-1045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-parenting","tag-parenting-students","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nHow do we do it?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Read the Bible.<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Talk to God.<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Start Singing.<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nEmpowered and Equipped: Biblical Exposition for Women Who Teach the Scriptures <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Should Women Teach the Bible?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Helpful Foundation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Empowered and Equipped to Teach God\u2019s Word<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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