Why Bible Reading is the Greatest of All Christian Disciplines
The Next Generation Ministries focuses on six disciplines for a well-rounded and mature faith to be practiced and passed on to the next generation: Bible Reading, Prayer, Fellowship, Outreach/Service, Discipleship and Giving.
All of these are important. However, there is one that stands above all the rest. It's Bible Reading. That is the reason that it is the first of the disciplines listed in our ministry and our materials.
Bible Reading affects every other discipline of the faith, because through the Word of God we are informed how to exercise appropriately every other discipline. Think about it: Where do we learn how to pray? What tells us that fellowship is important? How do we rightly reach others with the good news of Christ? How do we know what discipleship is? Or even how our giving shows where our heart is?
Most importantly, how do we know anything about who Jesus is and what He has done for us?
All of this is found in the Word of God.
Ironically, of all the disciplines, it is probably the least practiced by families and least enforced among their children and youth. Having been a Pastor over youth for nearly 20 years, Bible Reading used to easily be the least practiced discipline among the youth in my ministry. Most youth rarely touched their Bibles outside of the meeting times at church.
However, think about the consequences of this lack of knowledge. How do people know if they are praying correctly (in the will of God)? How do they know what to share about who Jesus is to their friends or family?
Most, unfortunately, are making it up on their own as they go along. They know just enough about the Word of God to be dangerous to themselves and to others around them, with a false theology, not based in the Word but what they think the Word says or ought to say. This is why many are swayed so easily by clever memes or heretical internet bloggers who are experts at quoting the Word of God out of context in such a way that it sounds good.
Remember the devil wasn't above quoting Scripture out of context to Jesus (Mat. 4:1-11). In that encounter, Jesus' knowledge of the Word of God was His defense against the devil's attacks.
This is why, as parents, we must base our and our children's knowledge of Jesus and of God squarely in His Word. This is why we have created materials to help parents like you in every one of these disciplines, but especially focusing on Bible Reading so your children/youth will know the Word of God and not have to rely on what they hear from their classmates, co-workers or internet memes and blogs.
Go to our website and contact us to see how you can get a copy of the Discipleship Begins @ Home Blueprint that guides parents through training their children through 6 disciplines of the faith: Bible Reading, Prayer, Fellowship, Outreach/Service, Discipleship & Giving. This resource guides both the new parent through the time their child leaves for college, as well as, the family who have older children/youth who are new to the faith with a 5 year discipleship plan.
All of these are important. However, there is one that stands above all the rest. It's Bible Reading. That is the reason that it is the first of the disciplines listed in our ministry and our materials.
Bible Reading affects every other discipline of the faith, because through the Word of God we are informed how to exercise appropriately every other discipline. Think about it: Where do we learn how to pray? What tells us that fellowship is important? How do we rightly reach others with the good news of Christ? How do we know what discipleship is? Or even how our giving shows where our heart is?Most importantly, how do we know anything about who Jesus is and what He has done for us?
All of this is found in the Word of God.
Ironically, of all the disciplines, it is probably the least practiced by families and least enforced among their children and youth. Having been a Pastor over youth for nearly 20 years, Bible Reading used to easily be the least practiced discipline among the youth in my ministry. Most youth rarely touched their Bibles outside of the meeting times at church.
However, think about the consequences of this lack of knowledge. How do people know if they are praying correctly (in the will of God)? How do they know what to share about who Jesus is to their friends or family?
Most, unfortunately, are making it up on their own as they go along. They know just enough about the Word of God to be dangerous to themselves and to others around them, with a false theology, not based in the Word but what they think the Word says or ought to say. This is why many are swayed so easily by clever memes or heretical internet bloggers who are experts at quoting the Word of God out of context in such a way that it sounds good.
Remember the devil wasn't above quoting Scripture out of context to Jesus (Mat. 4:1-11). In that encounter, Jesus' knowledge of the Word of God was His defense against the devil's attacks.
This is why, as parents, we must base our and our children's knowledge of Jesus and of God squarely in His Word. This is why we have created materials to help parents like you in every one of these disciplines, but especially focusing on Bible Reading so your children/youth will know the Word of God and not have to rely on what they hear from their classmates, co-workers or internet memes and blogs.
Go to our website and contact us to see how you can get a copy of the Discipleship Begins @ Home Blueprint that guides parents through training their children through 6 disciplines of the faith: Bible Reading, Prayer, Fellowship, Outreach/Service, Discipleship & Giving. This resource guides both the new parent through the time their child leaves for college, as well as, the family who have older children/youth who are new to the faith with a 5 year discipleship plan.
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