Feeding your child’s faith: aim for Weetbix!
What we need spiritually is something simple, quick and nourishing.
I’m a big fan of a hot breakfast on a Saturday morning—there’s nothing quite like poached eggs, bacon and crusty bread. But for most of the week, breakfast is pretty ordinary—it’s Weetbix or a quick bowl of muesli. And actually, that’s all breakfast needs to be—something simple, quick and nourishing.
The same is true when it comes to feeding our souls. What we need spiritually is just like a bowl of Weetbix each day—simple, quick and nourishing.
Just like our children need our help to feed their bodies, they also need our help to feed their souls.
And just like they can’t run on a hot breakfast once a week, spiritually they can’t run on just church once a week. They need their spiritual ‘Weetbix’ each day. But remember, that’s all it needs to be—simple, quick and nourishing.
How to feed your child’s faith
Bible
Find a simple, enjoyable and biblically faithful child’s picture story Bible or devotional and read it together before bed (for more guidance on choosing children’s Bible’s, see Wendy Lin’s tips below). My favourites are:
Babies and toddlers: The Beginner’s Bible for Toddlers (Zondervan)
Preschoolers: The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible by Jared Kennedy (New Growth Press)
Primary-aged kids: Grace for the Moment by Max Lucado (Thomas Nelson Publishers).
For those with older children, use your time driving in the car to listen to YouVersion’s verse of the day or a family Bible time podcast, or chat about the day ahead or the day you’ve had and pray a quick prayer together. Or over dinner, read the verse of the day, read through a gospel together or read a family devotional.
Share
Share a high and a low from the day.
Share something you can thank God for, are worried about or would like God to provide.
Pray
Pray a simple prayer together (‘Thank you’, ‘Sorry’, ‘Please’ is a very easy structure).
Sing
Sing or listen to a Christian song together.
You can also listen to worship music together at home or while you're driving.
Podcasts and apps
YouVersion app’s ‘Verse of the day’
The Bible App for Kids by YouVersion
‘Lectio for Families’ App
‘Word on the Street’ Family Bible time Podcast
‘Stories of a Faithful God for Kids’ Podcast
Feeding our children’s faith with something simple, quick and nourishing each day only takes a few minutes, but can make a difference for eternity. What’s one thing you could start this week?
In Chapter 12 of Parenting in God’s Family, Wendy Lin explores Bible shares these tips for choosing a children’s Bible:
Children need God’s word in language that’s appropriate for their developmental stage. Thankfully, there is a wonderful variety of children’s Bibles for every age, ranging from simple board books to detailed story Bibles. If you can, have lots of them, for each age and stage. If you’re reading daily, you will work through each one quickly, and having a variety will hold everyone’s interest. You’ll also see the strengths of different books and your family will develop favourites.
When choosing a children’s Bible, see how it reflects the main messages of the full Bible. Does it focus on how God has acted in his world to bring his people to himself through Christ? Or does it tend to draw merely moral applications based on the actions of the human characters (for example, ‘Don’t be greedy like Judas’, ‘Be brave like David’)? Does it explain the origin and ongoing problem of human sin (beginning with Genesis 3)? Does it cover Genesis 12, where God’s core promises are given to Abraham? Does it end with Jesus’ resurrection and leave out the New Testament letters and Revelation?
Don’t be afraid to change a children’s Bible as you read it aloud to match the real version. A pre-reader will never know! With older children, take the time to explain why it’s not quite accurate or complete. We once had a children’s Bible that added feelings, responses, extra dialogue and descriptions. The inaccuracies were frustrating, so we decided not to read it anymore. We don’t want to undermine our children’s confidence in the Bible itself, but rather help them understand that a children’s Bible is someone’s interpretation.
Some of the best children’s Bibles are storybook Bibles. That is, they show how the Bible speaks of Jesus from beginning to end and has a unifying theme throughout. Some recommended ones are:
• The Biggest Story Bible ABC, The Biggest Bible Storybook and The Biggest Story by Kevin DeYoung (Crossway, 2015, 2017, 2022)
• The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible by Jared Kennedy (New Growth Press, 2017)
• The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm (Crossway, 2014)
• The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones (Zondervan, 2007).
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Naomi de Vries is the Children's and Families Pastor at The Bridge Church, Sydney. She teaches in the Children's Ministry Skills course at SMBC, is on the organising committee for the annual SMBC children's ministry conference and the Youthworks House Conference for Children's and Youth Ministers.
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Wendy Lin is a theology graduate, counselling student, ministry wife, and mother of three young adults. She is the author of a Bible study on Jonah, Salvation Belongs to the Lord (Matthias Media, 2023) and three chapters of Parenting in God’s Family (Youthworks Media, 2024). She reviews books and provides resources for families at: musingsinadelaide.blogspot.com.
Parenting in God's Family
'Parenting in God’s Family' contains reflections and advice by 16 authors from many different walks and stages of life, all seeking to encourage and equip parents with biblical wisdom and practical tips.
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