What do you think?
Rate this book
Exploring the Bible: A Bible Reading Plan for Kids
God has given us an immeasurable gift--his very words, recorded in the Bible for us to read. Structured reading plans provide a great way to read through the whole Bible, but they're usually not designed with kids in mind. In Exploring the Bible: A Bible Reading Plan for Kids, David Murray presents a simplified way to read the Bible by offering younger readers a plan tailored just for them. His 365-day plan guides children through key passages from Genesis to Revelation, helping them see and appreciate the big-picture storyline of the Bible. Each passage is also followed by a question to answer or a verse to write out, as well as space to write out a prayer-- encouraging interaction with the text. This book will instill in children the habit of being in direct contact with God's Word each day, equipping the next generation by laying the groundwork for a lifetime of Bible reading.
224 pages, Paperback
First published September 30, 2017
About the author
David P. Murray
49 books96 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
David P. Murray is Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and worked for five years in financial services before being converted to Christ. He studied for the ministry at Glasgow University and the Free Church of Scotland College (Edinburgh). He was a pastor for 12 years, first at Lochcarron Free Church of Scotland and then at Stornoway Free Church of Scotland (Continuing). From 2002 to 2007, he was Lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament at the Free Church Seminary in Inverness. He has a Doctor of Ministry degree from Reformation International Theological Seminary for his work relating Old Testament Introduction studies to the pastoral ministry. He and his wife, Shona, have four children: Allan, Angus, Joni, and Amy. He also blogs at Head Heart Hand.
David P. Murray is Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and worked for five years in financial services before being converted to Christ. He studied for the ministry at Glasgow University and the Free Church of Scotland College (Edinburgh). He was a pastor for 12 years, first at Lochcarron Free Church of Scotland and then at Stornoway Free Church of Scotland (Continuing). From 2002 to 2007, he was Lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament at the Free Church Seminary in Inverness. He has a Doctor of Ministry degree from Reformation International Theological Seminary for his work relating Old Testament Introduction studies to the pastoral ministry. He and his wife, Shona, have four children: Allan, Angus, Joni, and Amy. He also blogs at Head Heart Hand.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 17, 2022
Wow, what an excellent resource to help families establish daily family worship habits while exploring the Bible from cover to cover. Our whole family and especially our kids really enjoyed the simple but important lessons, and the structure is so simple it allows the leader to add/take away from the lesson as they need to for different ages of children.
We completed this book by using it every day in 2022. Excellent resource and I couldn't recommend more highly.
We completed this book by using it every day in 2022. Excellent resource and I couldn't recommend more highly.
August 12, 2017
This book is for families primarily although churches might find it to be beneficial as well. Essentially it guides children through the Bible--Genesis to Revelation--in one year. The goal isn't for the child to read each and every verse of the Bible. The focus is on comprehending the big picture of the Bible, on seeing how all the books connect together to tell one story--the story of a God who loves and redeems us.
Each week the reader is invited to go on an expedition. There is something for the child to do each and every day of the week. A few goals are weekly, but many are daily. For example, there is only one place during the week to write down prayer requests and the memory verse, but, there are suggested/required readings for each day of the week. Sunday is a special day. Children are encouraged to write down what they learned from that day's sermon, and what scripture the preacher taught from, etc.
There are twenty-four expeditions in the Old Testament. They are arranged in the order they appear in most Bibles. They are not arranged chronologically. The rest of the expeditions are in the New Testament. Most expeditions come from Matthew through Acts. The last seven focus on the New Testament letters.
The book is definitely structured. This is a book that is designed to be written in and OWNED. For that reason, I'm not sure why it's available as an e-book, but it is. I'd encourage parents to buy the physical book. And I think this book would best be used by families together. Parents and children both engaging in a journey through the Bible.
Each week the reader is invited to go on an expedition. There is something for the child to do each and every day of the week. A few goals are weekly, but many are daily. For example, there is only one place during the week to write down prayer requests and the memory verse, but, there are suggested/required readings for each day of the week. Sunday is a special day. Children are encouraged to write down what they learned from that day's sermon, and what scripture the preacher taught from, etc.
There are twenty-four expeditions in the Old Testament. They are arranged in the order they appear in most Bibles. They are not arranged chronologically. The rest of the expeditions are in the New Testament. Most expeditions come from Matthew through Acts. The last seven focus on the New Testament letters.
The book is definitely structured. This is a book that is designed to be written in and OWNED. For that reason, I'm not sure why it's available as an e-book, but it is. I'd encourage parents to buy the physical book. And I think this book would best be used by families together. Parents and children both engaging in a journey through the Bible.
May 28, 2018
Excellent resource to help kids develop the habit of independent devotion time
It is a 7-days a week study. A journey from Genesis to Revelation in one year. I would recommend this for independent readers, but could be done as a family for younger readers.
David Murray does a great job with this. It David Murray is creating a video series to go with each week. Each video is about 2-3 minutes.
Video Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...
*This is an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley. No review, positive or otherwise, was required—all opinions are my own.*
It is a 7-days a week study. A journey from Genesis to Revelation in one year. I would recommend this for independent readers, but could be done as a family for younger readers.
David Murray does a great job with this. It David Murray is creating a video series to go with each week. Each video is about 2-3 minutes.
Video Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...
*This is an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley. No review, positive or otherwise, was required—all opinions are my own.*
September 11, 2017
A real adventure of biblical proportions. To go out on a adventure, you require a map to get where you are going. Not only do you require a map, but the tools to get you there. That is this devotion. I would greatly encourage parents to do this with your children. Not just mom but with dad as well. A adventure for the whole family.
A devotional that tells us about God and who we are and that requires inquiring minds to dig deeper into the truths of the gospel. Of course exploring the bible, you must start at the beginning. The beginning tells us how things were and how we ended up in need of a savior.
The devotional starts with an expedition. Each week is a map of where we are headed and chapters we are ready to explore. You will need a bible, as each day you will be required to look up scripture and with each scripture a question to challenge your heart and to direct you to God's redemptive plan. Along with scripture, you will have prayer points. The need of prayer is important with any study and to do this as family is the beginning of discipleship. Snapshots are memory verses to learn and to bring the point to your heart even more. A daily log follows that which encourages you to write what you learn and to apply. It also encourages every Sunday to journal Sunday's message at your church and to explore with others as family to share what has been learned and the insight each family member might have.
This devotion literally goes thru the whole bible. Pivotal points of redemption with a gospel message. It is an opportunity to live out in community with your own family. I highly recommend it.
A Special Thank You to Crossway Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
A devotional that tells us about God and who we are and that requires inquiring minds to dig deeper into the truths of the gospel. Of course exploring the bible, you must start at the beginning. The beginning tells us how things were and how we ended up in need of a savior.
The devotional starts with an expedition. Each week is a map of where we are headed and chapters we are ready to explore. You will need a bible, as each day you will be required to look up scripture and with each scripture a question to challenge your heart and to direct you to God's redemptive plan. Along with scripture, you will have prayer points. The need of prayer is important with any study and to do this as family is the beginning of discipleship. Snapshots are memory verses to learn and to bring the point to your heart even more. A daily log follows that which encourages you to write what you learn and to apply. It also encourages every Sunday to journal Sunday's message at your church and to explore with others as family to share what has been learned and the insight each family member might have.
This devotion literally goes thru the whole bible. Pivotal points of redemption with a gospel message. It is an opportunity to live out in community with your own family. I highly recommend it.
A Special Thank You to Crossway Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
September 13, 2017
What a wonderful resource for families to use to engage their children in studying the Bible. Tis book is an interactive guide for children to explore the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, in one year. The overall focus is to discover key points throughout scripture that show how the books of the Bible are connected and tell the story of a loving and gracious God.
Each week the reader sets out on an expedition, and this book serves as their leader, map, and compass to the Bible. Prayer points are critical to develop a healthy prayer life in the young reader. The snapshot section provides a memory verse that summarizes each week's expedition. The daily log is intended to sum up each day and to add important notes, questions, and references. Sunday is a rest day to pause and reflect, but readers are also encouraged to engage in the sermon by writing down key points and thinking about how they will respond to the message.
This book would best be utilized during a family scripture study time that allows parents and their children to engage in the material and discuss it together.
I would recommend this book to all Christians, especially parents that want their children to gain a deeper understanding of the scripture. I received this as a free ARC from Crossway on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Each week the reader sets out on an expedition, and this book serves as their leader, map, and compass to the Bible. Prayer points are critical to develop a healthy prayer life in the young reader. The snapshot section provides a memory verse that summarizes each week's expedition. The daily log is intended to sum up each day and to add important notes, questions, and references. Sunday is a rest day to pause and reflect, but readers are also encouraged to engage in the sermon by writing down key points and thinking about how they will respond to the message.
This book would best be utilized during a family scripture study time that allows parents and their children to engage in the material and discuss it together.
I would recommend this book to all Christians, especially parents that want their children to gain a deeper understanding of the scripture. I received this as a free ARC from Crossway on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 8, 2017
Exploring the Bible A Bible Reading Plan for Kids by David Murray is a wonderful resource for families to use to engage their children in studying the Bible. This book is an interactive guide for children to explore the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, in one year. The overall focus is to discover key points throughout scripture that show how the books of the Bible are connected and tell the story of a loving and gracious God.
The devotional starts with an expedition. Each week is a map of where we are headed and chapters we are ready to explore. You will need a bible, as each day you will be required to look up scripture and with each scripture a question to challenge your heart and to direct you to God's redemptive plan. Along with scripture, you will have prayer points. The need of prayer is important with any study and to do this as family is the beginning of discipleship. Snapshots are memory verses to learn and to bring the point to your heart even more. A daily log follows that which encourages you to write what you learn and to apply. It also encourages every Sunday to journal Sunday's message at your church and to explore with others as family to share what has been learned and the insight each family member might have.
I give this devotional 4/5 stars.
I received this ARC from Crossway via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
The devotional starts with an expedition. Each week is a map of where we are headed and chapters we are ready to explore. You will need a bible, as each day you will be required to look up scripture and with each scripture a question to challenge your heart and to direct you to God's redemptive plan. Along with scripture, you will have prayer points. The need of prayer is important with any study and to do this as family is the beginning of discipleship. Snapshots are memory verses to learn and to bring the point to your heart even more. A daily log follows that which encourages you to write what you learn and to apply. It also encourages every Sunday to journal Sunday's message at your church and to explore with others as family to share what has been learned and the insight each family member might have.
I give this devotional 4/5 stars.
I received this ARC from Crossway via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
January 25, 2020
3.5 stars
I love the idea of getting kids in the habit of reading the Bible every day. This could serve that purpose, but I'm not sure it's what I would choose.
Each day's reading is only a few verses and accompanied by one simple question to answer. They are small enough to not be overwhelming. But because of this brevity and getting through the whole Bible in a year, you miss a lot. Of course you would, that's to be expected, but I don't think kids would always understand what's going on from just the chosen verses. And they certainly wouldn't if they hadn't grown up saturated in basic Bible knowledge.
I also think having something assigned every day of the year could be overwhelming if you get behind. Which happens, especially when you're trying to start a new habit, and kids in particular often have little control over their own time. Personally I would prefer something with a little less structure, where if you miss a few days you could pick up with the next one without feeling the need to catch up because it's not the right day of the week.
Some of this depends on the kid, of course. A disciplined kid who's already interested might love this, especially with involvement from a parent who's willing to work through it with them and give them grace if it becomes too much sometimes.
I love the idea of getting kids in the habit of reading the Bible every day. This could serve that purpose, but I'm not sure it's what I would choose.
Each day's reading is only a few verses and accompanied by one simple question to answer. They are small enough to not be overwhelming. But because of this brevity and getting through the whole Bible in a year, you miss a lot. Of course you would, that's to be expected, but I don't think kids would always understand what's going on from just the chosen verses. And they certainly wouldn't if they hadn't grown up saturated in basic Bible knowledge.
I also think having something assigned every day of the year could be overwhelming if you get behind. Which happens, especially when you're trying to start a new habit, and kids in particular often have little control over their own time. Personally I would prefer something with a little less structure, where if you miss a few days you could pick up with the next one without feeling the need to catch up because it's not the right day of the week.
Some of this depends on the kid, of course. A disciplined kid who's already interested might love this, especially with involvement from a parent who's willing to work through it with them and give them grace if it becomes too much sometimes.
April 3, 2026
This was a good introduction for kids to read their Bibles from start to finish. Did they read every single verse or book, no, but it has the kids start in Genesis and end in Revelation, writing verses, answering questions about the verses they read, and writing prayer requests for the week.
We did this as part of our homeschooling. My son was a year older than the age range, but my daughter was within it, the upper end, and it still seemed a bit young for even her. They did this on their own and I would simply check their work and ensure they answered the questions correctly. They were able to answer the questions easily except for a few.
This is a good option if your children are younger and you want to work on it with them or if they are a bit older and you are trying to encourage them to read through the Bible on their own.
We did this as part of our homeschooling. My son was a year older than the age range, but my daughter was within it, the upper end, and it still seemed a bit young for even her. They did this on their own and I would simply check their work and ensure they answered the questions correctly. They were able to answer the questions easily except for a few.
This is a good option if your children are younger and you want to work on it with them or if they are a bit older and you are trying to encourage them to read through the Bible on their own.
July 7, 2022
My son and I have used this guide for the past 3 years as the Bible portion of our homeschool lessons. I like the way that the readings are organized and that it has given him a solid foundation and a good overview of the major points in the Biblical narrative. We did not use the weekly sermon notes portion, although I do like the way it was laid out. We may go back and use those later. We loved the creative illustrations throughout. My only real negative is that I think that since it is designed for kids, the blanks for answers need lines as young children often have difficulty with handwriting with no lines.
January 13, 2019
This is a good reading plan for children. The book allows you to select the translation of the Bible you prefer and gives one question per verse or two a day for the child to answer. Each week the thoughts are gathered under one theme and allows the child to see scripture that points to it. It's not flashy, but gives a comprehensive plan and allows children plenty of space to collect their thoughts. The paragraph that explains each week is applicable to their life and is not written at a high level where they cannot understand it.
December 31, 2025
Good for kids who can read and write fluently. it's a good introduction to learning to ask good questions of the Bible but for kids raised in a Christian home they aren't revolutionary. still, I could see this being a great transition to helping kids read and understand the Bible on their own. parents should still check in twice a week to disciple and answer questions
May 14, 2021
Excellent for teaching tween age kids how to study the Bible and develop regular times with the Lord.
Want to Read
December 12, 2017Crossway introduction here. Here Murray gives six tips for reading the Bible with your kids, and here he explains how to help your kids get excited about reading the Bible. Runner up for TGC's book award for children's literature.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews