As a parent, you want to impart so many different lessons to your kids from working hard to manners, to not jumping on furniture. The list goes on. With all you’re juggling, trying to teach them about the Bible – much less Bible translation – can feel like just one more thing on that daunting list.
But if you’re a Christian parent, then you probably also recognize the importance of passing your faith on to your kids and teaching them to read the Bible, follow Jesus, and begin doing their part to advance God’s kingdom too. These things are crucial, but they don’t have to be hard. You can start teaching your kids why Bible translation matters in some simple, practical ways.
Teach your kids that the Bible matters.
Your kids won’t grasp the importance of Bible translation into other languages until they first learn to value the Bible in their own lives. As a parent, you have a God-given calling to train and disciple your children to study, follow, and trust the Word of God (Ephesians 6:4).
There are many ways to do this. Make family devotions a regular part of your daily rhythms, starting with a good children’s Bible until they’re ready for the full Bible. Work with your kids on memorizing and reciting short, but key, verses. Ask them what they learned about in Sunday school. Let them see you reading your Bible too and making that a priority.
Also, look (and pray) for opportunities to work the Bible into everyday conversations. As Scripture instructs, “Repeat [God’s commands] again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up” (Deuteronomy 6:7). When your child needs correction or comfort or when something they see or hear at school raises a hard question are great times to say, “Let’s look at what the Bible says about this.” Then they’ll see that learning Scripture isn’t just a good habit or an academic exercise, but a practical step for wise, righteous living.
Above all, remember to emphasize why the Bible is so important: because it’s not just a book of wise sayings or good advice, but the very Word of God revealed to us!
Teach your kids about other languages and cultures.
Depending on your location, community, and family background, your kids may have already had some exposure to different cultures. But you can help broaden their horizons in this area.
Do they have a friend or neighbor who speaks a different language? Have they heard another language at school or on TV? You can show them on a map where that language is spoken, and learn a few basic foreign phrases to use. Get library books about foreign countries. Share with your kids about any multicultural travel experiences you’ve had, and, of course, have them try some international foods!
Exploring different cultures with your kids can be fun for both them and you! But these conversations should also help to drive home a simple point: “There are lots of different languages and people groups in the world, not everyone speaks and lives like we do.”
Talk about missions work and the need for God’s Word.
Once your child starts to understand the Bible’s importance and the diversity of cultures worldwide, it’s easier to talk about global missions work and the continuing need for Scripture. You can have conversations like, “Some people in the world don’t know about Jesus yet,” and, “Many people don’t even have a Bible they can read.” Or even, in an age-appropriate way, “There are parts of the world where people can get in big trouble for following Jesus.”
If your family or church supports a missionary, then follow their updates along with your kids, and pray for them regularly at family times. You can even encourage your kids to give a portion of their allowance (no matter how small) toward mission work.
For help talking about Bible translation specifically, check out some of these free resources on Seed Company’s website. Kids can learn more about different parts of the world, read stories about children in other countries, and complete fun activities and crafts!
Again, amid all these activities, don’t forget to emphasize the big “why” to your kids: “We’re doing this so everyone in the world can hear about Jesus in their own language and come to follow Him too!”
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