- Barnhouse, Donald Grey. Bible Truth Illustrated. New Canaan: Keats Publishing, 1979.
This book is a compilation of illustrations from the famed Presbyterian pastor and illustrator Donald Barnhouse. Each page has an illustration and an old-style woodcut drawing. The illustrations really help drive home spiritual truths, especially since Barnhouse concludes each one with a moral or point. There is at least one scriptural reference in each illustration. It is suitable for children from 8-10 up.
- Barnhouse, Donald Grey. Teaching the Word of Truth. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1940. *
This work is essentially a systematic theology for children. It is divided into four main sections, each one concluded with a list of theological assessment questions. It was written as a kind of teacher's manual for a young children's Sunday school class. Each lesson consists of a theme, an outline, a message (short lecture) and a stick figure sketch that the teacher is to draw while the students are copying. These sketch drawings are the most helpful part of the book. They are simple to copy, very visual , and are powerful illustrations of Biblical truth. I have personally used these with my children with great success. Instead of drawing the sketches on the board and having my children copy them down on a piece of paper I recommend having kids make these with colored construction paper. We all sit around the kitchen table and cut out the shapes on pieces of paper and talk about the significance of this illustration. I do the writing where there is some on the paper. Afterwards I type up a related Bible verse and place it somewhere on the finished piece of paper. When finished these look like beautiful crafts. Not only do we have a satisfying family time together but we also have attractive illustrations of Bible truth to put up somewhere in the house.
This book has been translated into Arabic, French, German, Greek, Japanese, Korean, Congo Swahili, Hindi, Manipuri, and Marathi. The introduction states "we have heard actually hundreds of stories of people who have been led to Christ through studying this book" and the clarity and effectiveness of this book makes this credible this claim.
This book is currently available now exclusively through www.reformationalresources.org.
- Forster, Pam. For Instruction in Righteousness. Gaston: Doorposts, 1993.
Written as a topical guide for children and parents, this book has lists of scriptures with a considerable amount of helpful child-raising advice. The book has an annotated bibliography at the back. Doorposts (the publisher) puts out some very helpful behavior charts connecting behavior/consequences with Scripture. These can be colored, laminated, and put up somewhere in the house. Ordering information is at the back.
- Following Christ. Greenville: BJU Press, 1999. **
Apparently aimed at a third or fourth grade level, this workbook and Teacher's Guide (essential) is the best theological course for children that I am aware of. It offers a solid grounding in Biblical literacy (i.e., how to look up verses, where books are in the Old and New Testaments, etc.), history of Israel, life of Christ, the message of the gospel, basic Bible doctrine, but also such important "heart matters" as practical ways to apply the Bible, lives of great Christians, and devotionals based on great hymns. It is the sequel to Servant's Heart (below). Both works are highly recommend. It is important to purchase the teacher's guide for this set; they not only have the answers but also have important stories that illustrate ways that people either apply or neglect to apply Scripture in their lives.
The DK Family Illustrated BIble. Notes by Dr. CLaude-Bernard Costecalde. New York: DK Publishing, Inc. 1997.
I use and recommend this volume with some caution. It is based on the NIV Bible and features beautiful illustrations and a wealth of teaching material for children from about 6-8 to adult. On the sides of each page are illustrations, photographs, interpretive comments, explanations of manners and customs, Hebrew and Greek words/phrases, etc. Each Bible story is also illustrated sequentially so that the story can be summarized visually. This Bible is the only really substantial one that I have found suitable for young children. There is no fluff, no cute drawings or characters, just Bible content.
When I went through this BIble for the first time with my two children (ages 6-7) I read (1) the BIble portion, (2) the comments on the sides of the pages, (3) the story outline with picture sequences, and finally (4) the "Understanding the Story" where the author concludes the story with a 2-3 sentence summary. These four ways of approaching each Bible story really helped to cement the details and meaning to my children. I took the opportunity, however, to interject theological comments or literary analysis wherever I thought appropriate.
The introductory/historical notes at the beginning of each major section are more advanced, 6-8th grade up.
CONS: The book is fairly conservative, upholding the virgin birth, deity and resurrection of Christ, etc. Regarding the manna in the wilderness, however, the author comments near a picture of a Hammada shrub, "Some suggest that it [manna] is the sweet liquid produced by insects living on the Tamarisk Bush in the Sinai Peninsula. Others believe it is a sticky resin secreted by a number of desert plants" (p. 79). Finding a natural explanation for the manna is intrinsically illogical because a double portion fell on the day before the Sabbath, none fell on the Sabbath, and it instantly ceased when the children of Israel crossed into the Promised Land.
One other possible problem using this book with young children is the inclusion of explicit or intense material--even though it is taken directly from Scripture. Examples include the tragic story of Jepthah's daughter and Solomon's wisdom regarding the baby disputed by two prostitutes. (When my children asked what "prostitutes" were I responded women who lived as though they were married to strange men.)
As a picture Bible it also does best when covering narrative material--as opposed to Psalms, Proverbs, or epistolary material. Consequently, in the New Testament it covers the life of Christ through the book of Acts extensively, and then skips to the book of Revelation.
SUMMARY: Despite a few reservations, I recommend this book as an effective teaching/devotional tool. However, certain portions may be judiciously skipped (the chapters in the previous paragraph) or modified.
- The Picture BIble. Elgin: Chariot Books (from David C. Cook), 1978. *
As a Bible in comic strip form, children find this book easy to read and engrossing. It is helpful in conveying the overall scheme of historical passages.
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