Bible Study Skills for Parents

At Discipleship Cliff, I aim to walk alongside parents who are just beginning their family discipleship journey and those who have been at it for a while. Wherever you find yourself, I hope you’ll be encouraged. More specifically, my goal in this article is to help you get started with or sharpen your Bible study skills. The time you spend studying God’s Word, for yourself and your family, is never wasted. It may shape you even more than it shapes your kids.

Before I had a family of my own, I spent years teaching the Bible in a local church ministry setting. I saw how the preparation didn’t just help others grow—it transformed me. The more I studied, worked through the text, and got ready to teach, the more God worked in my own heart. I began to see that my Bible teaching was most effective when I taught from the overflow of what God was working on in me.

Now, as a husband and dad, I’ve seen that truth on an even more personal level. Leading Bible studies for my family has deepened my own walk with Christ. I prepare for them, but God prepares me in the process. You may only teach a portion of what you learn, but your family will benefit from the depth of what God is doing in you.

Even though I now offer family Bible studies each week on the blog, I want to show you how to build your own Bible study habits—not just to lead your family well, but to grow in your love for God’s Word. This article will guide you through the same study methods I use each week, helping you feel equipped and encouraged. I want to teach Bible study skills for parents.

Why Bible Study Matters

Before we begin working on Bible study skills for parents, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on why spending time in the Word is so important. Actually, for a follower of Jesus, it’s more than important, it’s essential. Building your Bible study muscles isn’t just about having better devotions; it’s about meeting God and being transformed. Here are some of the amazing things God accomplishes when we consistently engage with Scripture:

God Reveals Himself to Us

John 1:1-3 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with god. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.”

God has revealed himself to us through Jesus–the Living Word. God is not far away or hiding. Jesus became like us so that he could overcome the curse of sin. We get to enjoy the salvation that we don’t deserve because Jesus came to the earth to take our place for the punishment that he didn’t deserve.

He wants a relationship with us

God Speaks to Us

2 Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”

The Bible is God’s primary way of speaking to us. We’re not just learning facts—we’re hearing His voice. God has revealed Himself to us through the Scriptures He has given to us. The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments communicate to us the very words he wants us to hear and understand. Through Scripture, God reveals His heart, His will, and His character. He corrects, comforts, and guides us.

God Increases Our Desire for Him

1 Peter 2:2-3 – “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation–if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.”

Reading God’s Word increases our spiritual hunger for the Lord. The more we read, the more we want it. Part of the goal is to build a strong habit of reading, which is beneficial in itself, but the greater result of our reading is a deeper desire to know God. If you’ve been a follower of Jesus for any length of time, I bet you’ve had times when you’ve wanted to spend time with God and times of spiritual dryness. I believe that part of the solution to spiritual dryness in our Christian lives is making the simple commitment to read the Bible. Time in the Word is a vital part of our spiritual formation.

God Confronts Us with His Truth

John 17:17 – “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

We are justified, or declared not guilty, at the time of our salvation. Sanctification, on the other hand, is the lifelong process by which God transforms us into the person He created us to be. The Holy Spirit and God’s Word transform us. God typically uses His Word and His Holy Spirit in tandem to transform us from the inside out. The Holy Spirit uses God’s Word to expose places of sin in our hearts and lovingly confronts us. This isn’t condemnation at all–it’s correction from a loving Father who wants what is best for us.

God Gives Us Joy

Psalm 19:8-10 – “The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.”

Sometimes it feels like I’m becoming just like my parents. I recently gave one of my sons some instructions, and this was his response: ‘Why?’ My response was: ‘Because I said so.’ I know there are times when that answer is necessary, but it still made me think about how God always has a good and perfect reason for giving us instructions. Sometimes it’s for our safety. Many times it’s to protect our hearts and minds. But I love the reason God gives us in this verse — because it gives joy to our hearts. Even in difficult and convicting passages, the Bible leads us to the hope, grace, and goodness of God. It reorients us toward what matters. Joy is not just a feeling—it’s a deep confidence that grows as we spend time with the Lord.

How to Study the Bible and Lead Your Family Well

Now that we’ve explored the reasons why Bible study is so important, I’d like to delve into some very practical Bible study skills for parents. These are the same Bible study steps I follow when preparing my family devotions and the weekly studies I share at Discipleship Cliff.

Pray

Spend some time in prayer asking God to use the Bible to teach you something new. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to illuminate the truth in His Word. Pray for your kids. Think about their spiritual condition. Consider their unique needs and challenges. Ask God to soften your heart towards them. Ask God to begin working in their heart and mind before you teach them.

Choose a Book

Choose a book of the Bible to read; we’ll use Colossians as our guide. The main reason we’re using Colossians is that it’s a short book and one of my favorite books in the Bible. It’s also the first complete Family Bible Study series that I wrote for Discipleship Cliff. Please use it to support the study skills you are developing.

Click here for the Colossians Bible Study.

Read

Set a time to read Colossians from beginning to end. Do this 2x. Make sure to slow down. Use a pencil and highlighter to locate themes, names, or phrases that stand out to you. Don’t read any study Bibles or commentaries yet. That’s coming soon.

Study

Use a reliable study Bible, such as the ESV (English Standard Version) or CSB (Christian Standard Bible). Read the introduction to supplement what you already learned when you read the book twice on your own. Answer some questions: Who is the author? Who is he talking to? What is he concerned about for the people he is writing to? Are there false teachers influencing the people? What is he hoping they will change or act on based on what you read? Where is Jesus in this passage?

Dig Deeper

Now just focus on one chapter at a time. This is the perfect opportunity to slow down and wrap your mind around what you’ve been reading. Are there any words or phrases that Paul is repeating? I recommend that you underline or highlight these. Continue this process though Colossians, chapter by chapter, until you’ve read through the entire book.

Respond

What did you learn about God from Colossians? At this point in the Bible study process, it would be easy to draw some personal life applications. However, it’s essential to take the time to reflect on who God is and what He has done. You’ll notice that the questions I ask begin with inquiries about God’s character and then transition into how that affects our lives. Where do you see the redemptive work of Jesus? How have I fallen short of God’s perfection and holiness? Are there any specific sin patterns that God brings to your mind? How can I apply the Gospel to this? How might God want to transform me based on His love and goodness towards me?

Now Teach What You’ve Learned

Once you’ve spent time in the Word yourself, it’s time to prepare to teach your family.

You know your family the best, so this is your chance to tailor the Bible study for them. Each family is different. How many kids do you have? What are their ages? Where are they in their Bible knowledge? I’d recommend breaking each chapter of Colossians into a few sections so it’s not information overload for everyone.

Don’t try to share everything—just one big idea with clarity and purpose.

Suggested outline for your time together

This outline is not the only way to organize a family Bible study, but I believe it provides a solid structure that effectively addresses the essential aspects of the teaching process and keeps things moving in a logical direction. As always, follow God’s lead!

Open up your time in prayer

Ask for God’s blessing during the Bible study time, for hearts to be softened, for clarity of mind, and thankfulness for this special time together.

Read the Bible passage together

If you children can read, this is another good opportunity to get them involved in the Bible study.

Bible teaching

You learned a lot about the passage from your study time, but this is the time to simplify what you are teaching your kids. Make sure you are connecting the teaching with them at their age level.

Discussion Questions

Come up with a few questions that your kids can answer. Make sure everyone has the chance to be part of the discussion. Your kids might even come up with some questions for you. Maybe it’s something you can easily answer and maybe it’s something a bit more complicated. Be honest if you don’t know. Spend some time during the week studying or talking to someone who might be able to help you.

Life Application

I think it’s a good idea to figure out how you will guide your family towards applying the Biblical principles that will come from your study time. Here is my suggestion: Work together as a family to list one way that your entire family can put the Bible’s teaching into practice. Keep it simple.

Close in prayer

Thank God for the time you had to read and study His Word together. This is a great chance to ask your kids what they would like to pray about.

Final Encouragement

You don’t need to be a Bible scholar to lead your family in the Bible. You just need to show up, stay humble, and dig in. As you grow in your Bible study skills, God will shape your heart—and use you to shape the hearts of your children.

I mentioned earlier that I aim to publish one Family Bible Study a week. My challenge to you is to continue using these Bible studies, but to dig even deeper using the study skills we are learning together. God’s Word is living and active, sharper than a two-edged sword. It cuts right to the heart. There is no other book in the world that contains the very words of God and has the power within it to change the hearts of your family.

Read it.

Study it.

Teach your family.

Let’s grow together—one passage at a time.

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