This post is part of Bible Study Week at Hive Resources. To see my pick for a woman’s Bible study, click here. To learn how to host our own home Bible study, click here.
Old Story New: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God
The devotional guide offers five daily devotions a week, each covering a specific Bible story. Each devotion is divided into the following action-oriented teaching categories:
- Picture/remember it (creative activity)
- Think about it some more (exercise)
- Talk about it (discussion)
- Pray about it (corporate prayer)
What sets this Bible study a part?
Finally, a children’s guide to the Bible that doesn’t pick and choose it’s Bible stories! Other children’s Bible curriculum select certain stories and/or leave some out based on space or perceived interest level of their children. But combined with Long Story Short (OT), this guide represents three year’s worth of biblical instruction! When you complete these books, your family will have walked through the Scriptures in one year! That’s amazing!
But because of its in-depth nature, I think this study is best suited for grade-school children. Even with the helpful hints provided by the author for tailoring lessons to preschoolers, I think it would be difficult to accomplish the devotion in ten minutes with my four-year-old twins. (That’s not to say I wouldn’t try! Just that it wouldn’t be easy).
What are the pro’s to using Old Story New?
- Everything is written out.
Parents will be happy to see there is a doctrinally –rich resource for kids that requires very little prep work other than reading a Scripture passage and leading in discussion questions. (Also cool, there are the questions for the children to ask their parents!)
- Admitting this is hefty work for a preschooler, the author includes helpful tips.
His ideas help to break the truth into bite-sized pieces throughout the devotional.
- The author connects each story to the gospel.
He demonstrating how the passage points to Christ. Others studies do this, but not to the extent provided here. One lesson each week is devoted to this purpose!
- The author includes at least one devotional passage from the Old Testament each week to help children understand that the Scripture is one unified story.
Are there any con’s to Old Story New?
- Each devotional ties to a page in the Gospel Storybook Bible.
If you were to incorporate the Gospel Storybook Bible reading with the devotional material and Bible reading plus the discussion time, it would definitely take more than 10 minutes. (That might not be a con for you).
- While this is probably the most detailed and exhaustive Bible devotional written for kids (definitely a pro!), parents will need to stay motivated to complete this curriculum.
Most parents start off family devotions with a bang, but as schedules increase in the year their motivations tend to fizzle out.
I would definitely recommend adding this tool to your arsenal and praying with your spouse about the next steps for your family devotion material. Should you choose this resource, you definitely won’t be disappointed.
What is your favorite Bible study for kids? Share your thoughts in the comments!
To read about the links in this post, click here.
So excited to hear about this resource. We just got The Gospel Story Bible for Christmas for the boys and have been reading one story a night out of it. Though it’s not as “beautiful” or “poetic” (which I actually think is a con for little kids… too abstract), I think it’s more biblically accurate in it’s details and it’s quickly becoming our new favorite Bible!!! Look forward to using these devotionals when the boys are older.