I posted on this very helpful Bible study website before, when it was called The Greek Study Bible. However, it has changed names and is full of many improved features. I thought it definitely deserved a repost.

Great Treasures is a colossal effort by a guy named John Simon who has developed a healthy appetite for the Greek Language. Great Treasures, however is so much more than just a Greek tool. It features:

• Side by side translation comparisons
• Ability to place your own notes in connection with a particular text
• Word studies
• Concordance of user-selected words
• Accurate definitions of Greek biblical vocabulary (in English, of course!)

Is this a tool for kids? No. Is it a tool for those who teach kids? YES!

I firmly believe that in order to communicate God’s Word to kids we must go even deeper on our own than the general message we want kids to hear. This resource helps you do that. Let this be a tool to help change you spiritually so that your teachings and messages to kids will be an overflow of what God is doing in your life. Do not neglect this tool! It is incredible!!!!!

Scripture

Psalm 78:1-8 (English Standard Version)

Tell the Coming Generation

¹ Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
² I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,
³things that we have heard and known,
that our fathers have told us.
⁴We will not hide them from their children,
but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.

⁵He established a testimony in Jacob
and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
to teach to their children,
⁶that the next generation might know them,
the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
⁷so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments;
⁸and that they should not be like their fathers,
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation whose heart was not steadfast,
whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Devotion

For this to start off right, you will need to secure for yourself a track and field “baton” or make a flashy looking one out of a paper towel tube and metallic spray paint. Choose eight people to read and assign them one verse of the passage. As they are done, have them pass the baton on to the next person.

The legacy of the church is a little bit like a relay race in track. One runner is responsible for certain periods of the race and when his distance is up, he passes the baton on to the next runner. Relay teammates encourage one another, strengthen each other and help set the pace for future runners. Each generation in the church is responsible for passing the baton of faith on to the next generation. Edith Shaeffer in her book, What is a Family calls this the “perpetual relay of truth.” This involves two main institutions:

1. The Church: the church must work toward unity and be devoted to healthy biblical teaching so the next generation can come to place their faith in Christ and do even bigger things that the generation before.
2. The Family: according to passages like Deuteronomy 6 and Psalm 78, parents are the primary spiritual guide of their children. As those who work with children, this mentality must flow through all of our decisions, planning, and interaction.

Psalm 78 details what can happen when Church and Family work together to successfully pass on the baton of faith. Here’s what happens:

• Kids will grow up knowing God’s statutes (vv. 5-6)
• Children will see the importance of passing the faith along (v. 6)
• The coming generation will put their trust and hope in God (v. 7)
• The coming generation will obey God (v. 7)
• All generations will remember the works of God (v. 7)
• Successive generations will not repeat the sins of the past (v.8)

End with this question and allow for discussion: Based on this passage, what can we now do to foster an atmosphere in our ministry where the baton of faith is passed along to the coming generation?

Scripture

1 Timothy 4:16 (English Standard Version)

¹⁶Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Devotion

Paul gives young Timothy some incredible advice that applies to all those who desire to teach. He touches on two things that those who teach should pay close attention to:

1. Yourself

2. Your teaching

A teacher must first pay attention to her life as a disciple. If she does not, she will loose effectiveness as a teacher and her ability to portray herself as a role model. “Keeping a watch on yourself” can be aided by some diagnostic questions:

• How is my prayer life? Am I seeking God for things that are beyond my daily circumstances? Am I praying for those under my teaching?
• Do I study God’s Word regularly and allow myself to be transformed by it?
• Can I translate my own life transformation (molding to be like Jesus) into what I teach each week?
• How are my relationships? Is my heart in the right place, do Iview people as Jesus views them?
• Am I actively repenting and open to the conviction of sin in my life?

After a teacher is satisfied that the direction of their life is pleasing to the Lord, they can begin to focus on the nature of their teaching. Keep these points in mind:

• Teaching should be in depth and challenging.
• Teaching should focus on the needs of the students rather than how the teacher “likes” to teach.
• Doctrine should be double checked. Students should be challenged to go deeper than they already are.
• Test every statement you make by the question: “What does the Bible say about that?”

The second part of this verse provides the result of a teacher paying close attention to her life and teaching. That is, she ensures salvation for herself and those under her teaching. The word “save” here is the same Greek word often used for “eternal salvation” (sozo), but this word does not always speak to the terms of living forever in heaven because of forgiveness. In fact, theological salvation is a secondary meaning to that word. “Save” can sometimes mean to deliver, heal, or rescue.

This provides some great insight on the role of a teacher. When a teacher pays attention to themselves as a devoted follower of Jesus and then considers what they actually teach of paramount importance, they offer rescue, healing, and spiritual safety for themselves and for those under their teaching.

A similar metaphor is the role of a taxi driver in New York City. They must pay close attention to what they are doing and be concerned with their passengers. Not paying attention in New York can cause some serious damage. The taxi driver, in a sense, holds their own and your life in their hands. Teachers hold a piece of theirs and their student’s lives in their hands. This provides some great challenge to us as teachers as we seek to be godly in our living and effective in our teaching.

Here’s two audio Bible tools for you. Interestingly, they are both called “Pod Bibles.” The first is a Podcast, but you can listen to the Scriptures from their site. Play these during teaching times to add a new dimension to the Scriptures.

The second is a readable Bible for your iPod. It uses the “Notes” portion of the iPod firmware. Read it on the train, in a plane, in the car (while not driving), in the bathroom (don’t drop it in), use with an impromptu devotion at camp…whatever!

This one is for my scholar friends out there! Check out GreekStudyBible.org. You can read the Greek, plus 4 other translations (pretty much any of them) side by side. You can parse words, see detailed meanings, make study notes, and cross reference with an exhaustive Greek concordance. This site is an extremely versatile and user friendly tool. Even if you have the most basic knowledge of the Greek language, it is helpful!

Don’t forget to put your name in the hat for a FREE 1 hour phone consultation.

Today, I bring you Examen.me.

This is an online devotional site which allows spiritual growth through the following three arenas:

1. Scripture reading and mediation
2. Prayer guides
3. Journaling

You have to sign up with a free account to access it. I have to say that it is a very neat concept and its interface is user friendly. However, if you are like me, and you love to have the actual book in front of you with real pen and paper, this site most likely won’t be used much. I did want to make it known to my more “tech-minded” followers out there who may be able to foster a great amount of spiritual growth using this avenue.

Have you used this before? Do you know of any similar sites? Comment below!

Today, you need to check out YouVersion. This online Bible and study tool is freely offered by LifeChurch. It combines Bible readings with community contributions…you know, because this whole social networking stuff is all the rage these days!

You can also get it for your mobile device. Having it on my Blackberry has come in handy on multiple occasions.

Subscribe to the Free CM Stuff RSS feed here.

Creative Bible Study is a useful website for you to know about. They have children’s lessons, pre-k lessons, object lessons, and many other Bible study/teaching tools.

Subscribe to the Free CM Stuff RSS feed here.

If you are ever looking for teaching pictures, Visual Bible Alive is a great place to start. They have thousands of pictures that deal with Bible places, events, and people.

One way that I use things like this is by having kids listen to a dramatized story while looking at one or several pictures depicting that story.

Today’s post comes from a post by Tony Kumner at Ministry To Children.

Tony came across some great free MP3 Bible stories told by a grandmother who wanted to record the Bible for her grandchildren. You can check out Tony’s post here. From his post you can read his take on the MP3′s as well as follow the link to download them.

I’ve listened to a few of them and they are pretty cool. They would be great for car rides. I plan on putting them on a CD and letting my preschool daughters listen to them for quiet times and on trips. There are no copyright issues here, you are free to copy and distribute to parents and kids as you would like.