An Open Letter to MTC Parents from an MTC Volunteer
To the Parents of More Than Conquerors,
I’m writing this to appeal to you,about reading the Bible with your children. Now I know some of you go to church and read the Bible, and some do not. It wasn’t that long ago when I didn’t read the Bible either. I was scared of opening it. I thought it was going to be boring, just a bunch of rules, and I didn’t know where to start.
I’m reaching out because at MTC I personally help the kids memorize Bible verses and open up and read it with them. I view my job as making it fun for them.
If you spend time with your child in the Bible it will be fun. For me, if we are reading I try to find what each kid wants. When memorizing verses, I try to find the creation. I speak it with them in different ways until I find the right way. When they are smiling and laughing, then I know I said it right. I will say a line soft, then loud, then crying and begging, to screaming and forceful. I might bang on the table or plead with my hands in the air. We run through facial expressions and body language until we figure out how to speak what the writer wrote and what it means for us.
So, where do you start? How do you make it fun? The heading of this letter (the poem at the top) is from the book of Proverbs, first chapter. This book was written by the wisest King Solomon, and it’s all about wisdom and knowledge. It’s written in a way that it doesn’t take any Bible experience to understand it, and it’s written to teach. So I suggest you begin in Proverbs.
The first nine chapters are written from father to son. So it is already worded for parents to children. It is one long poem that’s hard to stop reading. There is some content in these chapters that deal with adultery, so you might want to read through on your own first. Even these are a good way to break the ice on these issues, or they would be easy to skip for now. But what you are reading with them is this, “My son, or My daughter, Listen to me and do what I say.” When you or your child reads out loud, what comes out is commands of being obedient. Today’s world doesn’t always believe in discipline. As you read it, it comes out, and comes to life what God wants. This makes it known and undeniable.
>>Chapters 10-24 are short sayings that deal with all kinds of issues from:
Learning
Teaching
Being a good…
Employee
Boss
Neighbor
Friend
Parent
Child
Husband
Wife
etc.
Taking care of your…
Property
Animals
House
etc.
>>Chapters 25-30 have advice of Kings while chapter 31 is about the virtuous woman.
By the time I started reading the Bible, my child and step-children were all coming into being teenagers. Tough time to start. With my daughter I tried with Proverbs a couple times. We had some good moments. She is 16 now, and I’ve been planning on starting again. So this appeal is to myself also.
Your children are at the perfect age though. They read well and are at milestones. Working with them, I know giving them attention is positive. They eat it up. (Even reading the Bible).
I pray this reaches you, and that you read it. That it places the desire in your heart to try to read the Bible with your child. More than anything, that you are blessed by it and get good quality time with your child. I pray that we all learn to teach and treat our children well, and they learn wisdom and respect.
I thank you for letting your children come to More Than Conquerors. I enjoy them all so much.
Your MTC Leader,
Tanner Howells
If you are in need of a Bible, please email us (click here to email). We will be happy to provide you with one. Don't hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or anything regarding reading and studying God's Word with your children or on your own. We are more than happy to help you or provide you with resources that may be of help to you.
