5 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Children’s Bible
Looking for a great children’s Bible your kids will love? Let an expert guide you these 5 tips for choosing the best children’s Bible.
5 Tips for Choosing a Children’s Bible
Choosing a Bible can feel overwhelming to children’s ministers and parents because there are so many. That’s why we created five questions that can guide you in choosing a Bible for children.
1. Identify the gender, age, and reading level of the child.
This will help you decide between a storybook Bible and a full-text Bible.
Storybook Bibles are designed for children ages 4 to 7 and use full-color illustrations to teach basic passages and themes from the Bible. Full-text Bibles contain the complete 66 books of the Bible, including the Old and New Testaments. Typically these Bibles are in order of Genesis through Revelation.
2. Determine how the Bible will be used.
When it comes to full-text Bibles, there are many options. Knowing how the child will use the Bible, such as for personal devotion or to follow along at church, will help you choose a Bible with features that best match the child’s needs.
3. Decide on translation.
Select a translation that best ts the child’s reading compre- hension level.
New International Version (NIV) is the most widely read translation and is known for presenting the Word of God in a language that’s easy to understand yet true to the original text (for advanced readers). New International Reader’s Ver- sion (NIrV) is a great stepping-stone translation to the NIV (for less-advanced readers). It’s ideal for emerging readers in need of simpler phrasing and shorter sentences.
4. Shop the options.
Visiting your local bookseller or Christian bookstore offers you the option to compare different Bibles side-by-side. If possi- ble, bring a child along to explore the options and nd one that’s most comfortable and appropriate for the child’s use and enjoy- ment. Knowledgeable store clerks can also help answer ques- tions and explain features during your side-by-side comparisons. If you don’t have a brick-and-mortar store nearby, you can often peruse the Bibles using the “Look Inside” option on Amazon.com.
5. Buy and read the Bible.
This can feel like a lot of pressure, so don’t forget the good news here. Our job as ministers is not to make the Bible “come alive” for our children. As Scripture reveals in Hebrews 4:12, the Word of God is already alive and powerful. Our job is to lead children into a Bible they can relate to and then guide them in digging into God’s Word so they may experience him there. This is an honor and a privilege, so we can approach it with joy and anticipation.
Jeannie Cunnion is the author of Parenting the Wholehearted Child.
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