Every Christian family is concerned about discipleship—training the next generation to walk with God and teaching children how to give a scriptural defense of their faith. It is not optional, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Participating in the National Bible Bee has helped my family in this effort. Not only has it given us a very effective tool for discipling our family through Bible study, it has stirred up in us a real desire to memorize Scripture.
The National Bible Bee was established in 2008 to help families study God’s Word together, memorize Scripture, and apply its truths to life, and thousands of young people have benefitted so far. In 2013, 5,600 kids registered for this “family discipleship cleverly disguised as a contest.” A competition like this was just the motivation that my family needed to jumpstart Bible memorization in our home six years ago. It’s a team effort where everyone wins.
The heart of the Bible Bee is the summer study program. Over a twelve-week period, families gather to dig into a book of the Bible with the program’s Sword Study.
Broken down into three different age levels with a parent guide, this curriculum makes it easy to engage the whole family in studying God’s Word. They study verses together, along with the Scripture memory. Each week, the family works on two passages together. By the time they’re finished, they’ll have more than 50 verses under their belts. Having that truth hidden in our hearts allows everyone in our family to apply God’s Word to our lives.
“Spending our summer in the Word is something we will never regret, and the rewards are eternal.”
Another wonderful benefit has been the relationships we have built with other believers from across the country. To spur your family on, Bible Bee hosts offer fun and motivational programs at local churches, providing encouraging family experiences for all. At the end of the summer, families gather together to celebrate their hard work and compete for prizes and a slot at the National Bible Bee. Spending our summers in the Word is something we will never regret, and the rewards are eternal.
Perhaps your church would like to host a local Bible Bee to encourage family discipleship. Do you have any more worthwhile projects planned for this summer?
See www.BibleBee.org.
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