Dedicated game and movie nights are common family activities that help bring everyone together. What about bringing your family closer to God? Getting little ones interested in the Lord’s word can be challenging, especially in a world dominated by technology. A great way to introduce your children to the Lord’s word is by having a family bible study with your family. But how do you compete with video games and social media sites? Keeping your family engaged isn’t always easy but there are ways you can turn your bible study into a fun family event.

Here are a few tips on how to have a family bible study everyone will want to participate in.

How to Have a Family Bible Study 

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

This verse from Proverbs touches on the importance of introducing your children to the scripture and a family bible study is a great way to get started. Not only is your family immersing themselves in God’s word, but they’re also learning lessons that will last a lifetime.

Make Time But Be Flexible When Conducting Family Bible Study

 Life is hectic. Between work, school, and everyone’s various activities it’s hard to find time to devote to bible study. You need to make time. Try setting aside a few minutes every day for bible study. You don’t need hours, sometimes a few minutes is enough. You can easily turn your bible study into a nightly routine. Maybe before bedtime or making time right after dinner, whatever best fits your family’s busy schedules.

You can even make time for family bible study on the morning school run. Be flexible! Family bible study doesn’t have to happen at the same time every day. Changing up family bible study times can help keep it from feeling like a chore, and this is a great way to keep everyone engaged.

But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:8

Take Turns Picking a Verse From The Bible

Just thumbing through the bible can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Where do you start? Should your family bible study start with Genesis or randomly pick verses? There’s no right or wrong place to start studying the bible. You can even open the bible to a random chapter and verse.

Instead of always choosing which verse you’re going to cover each day, let your family take turns. Allowing everyone to choose a verse or even a chapter to study will help keep everyone engaged. You may even be surprised at the verses your family selects. While your goal may be to eventually read most of the scripture, this doesn’t mean you can’t study the same bible verse more than once. To teach kids as they get older, devotional time can be well spent on one particular verse. Sometimes, a verse can resonate with multiple family members and have a different meaning for everyone. Go ahead and explore what the verse means to each family member, even if you only studied it last week.

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4

Lead by Example 

Leading by example has a few meanings. You want your actions in life to reflect the teachings you learn in the bible. Your children are closely watching your actions and often emulate them. This includes everything from how you treat others to your views on the scripture.

When it’s your turn to discuss what the verse means in your life, be authentic and transparent. If you find it challenging to apply a verse to your life, open up a discussion with your family. Talk about the times a specific bible verse has helped you in a difficult situation. Discuss how it can be difficult to always follow the Lord’s word. Letting your family, especially your children, know that it’s okay to have trouble always living up to God’s expectations shows them the power of the Lord’s understanding and forgiveness. Study as a family or use a children’s bible to teach your kids to read the bible so they can feel the holy spirit as the read the word of God.

For I have chosen him so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him. Genesis 18:19

Be Creative Conducting Family Bible Study

Competing for your family’s attention isn’t always easy. Video games, movies, and TV shows often take precedence in their lives. However, you can make family bible studies more fun and engaging with a little creativity.

Some of the same games you play as a family can be incorporated into bible studies. For example, you can create a series of questions relating to favorite bible verses or specific events mentioned in the good book. If your family loves charades, you can easily turn the fun game into an engaging bible study. You may even want to put on a skit and roleplay certain biblical events.

Get your family involved and take their suggestions. Let everyone have a turn choosing whether the bible study will be a game or a play. The more you involve your family in planning the bible study, the more excited they’ll be to participate.

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Be Patient and You’ll Be Rewarded With an Engaging Family Bible Study 

Don’t be surprised if no one is engaged during the first couple of planned bible studies. Have patience and stay committed to bringing your family closer to the Lord. Before long, your family will be engaged and even looking forward to the time they spend together studying God’s word.

These are only a few tips on how to start a family bible study. Use your creativity to create the ideal bible study for your family.