"Thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."
Deuteronomy 6:7 · King James Bible
How to use this page
You do not need a curriculum. You need a passage of Scripture and a few good questions. Read the passage first. Then choose two or three questions from the list below — different ones each time. Let each person answer, including the youngest. Do not correct too quickly. Listen.
For any story or event
1. What happens in this passage?
2. Who is the main person? What do they want?
3. What does God do? What does God say?
4. What surprises you here?
5. Where do you see mercy?
6. Where do you see justice?
7. If you were there, what would you have done?
8. Who is easy to root for? Who is hard to root for?
9. What one line from this passage do you want to remember?
10. If Jesus were reading this with us, what do you think he would notice?
For a psalm
1. What kind of psalm is this — praise, cry for help, thanks, trust?
2. What picture of God is in this psalm?
3. What is the writer's problem, if there is one?
4. Where does the psalm turn?
5. Is there a phrase you would like to pray this week?
For a parable of Jesus
1. Who did Jesus tell this parable to? Why?
2. Who are the characters — which one is God? Which one might be us?
3. What does the parable say about the kingdom of God?
4. What does it change about how we should live tomorrow?
5. What does this parable make you love more about Jesus?
For a letter (like Paul's epistles)
1. What is Paul saying here in plain words?
2. Is he correcting something? Encouraging something? Both?
3. What does this passage say about the Gospel?
4. Is there anything to obey?
5. Is there anything to thank God for?
A note for parents
The point is not to reach the 'right' answer as quickly as possible. The point is to be around the passage together. Sometimes the wrong first answer becomes the doorway to a better one, five minutes later. Wait for it.