Kicked it to the Curb

We were doing a Bible Study book together in the Explorer's Bible Study Series on Luke and Acts this year. It's a simple workbook study where you read the text straight from the book (though it's not in the most kid-friendly version) and answer 6-12 questions each day, with one day for reviewing and doing a map study. There were zero application questions though and nothing other than rote regurgitation. Because we're spending the year on the life of Jesus, I thought it was a good way to introduce them to the Savior I want them to know. I'm embarrassed to say that we managed to do it for about 10 weeks, much to the great discomfort of my two boys...and their parents. So, after that "trial period" I had to re-evaluate.

• Was this teaching them anything meaningful about the life of Jesus? Perhaps. It majored on the details of his story.
• Was this teaching them anything about the value of studying the Bible regularly? Well, it was teaching them that doing it daily meant daily discomfort.
• Was it, at the very least, a good method of improving their penmanship? No. After a couple weeks, they were DONE answering those questions.
• Was this doing anything to help transform them into fully devoted followers of Christ? Nada. They hated this book, hated the time we spent it in, moaned and groaned and I'm sorry for putting them through the experience.
  

So, now we're using the Bible lessons from my curriculum which I love and I always have loved; I guess I thought there needed to be more to it than "read and discuss." The lessons aren't very detailed, so I can hit whatever points seem most applicable to the kids and they can ask me questions or just wiggle and catch whatever their young minds and hearts can catch. Nobody has to write, just find the verses and read them. It's pretty pain free.

And I'm pretty sure, the point is not to make them hate studying the Bible.