Teenagers seek independence. They don’t tend to respond well to “Because I said so” or even “Because the Bible says so”. Consequently, if they are going to take time to get into the Word on their own, they need a higher motivation than duty or mere obedience. They will tend to reject what they would perceive as a hypocritical approach to the Word. Bible teachers need to promote a motivation to study the Bible that taps into their need for relationship and relevance.
Emphasizing These Reasons for Studying the Bible will Tend to be Motivational for Teens:
1) God’s Word is about a God who loves them and wants to be in a relationship with them.
Bible teachers, help teens see the Bible as a tool to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). God’s Word not only helps them develop a relationship with God but also provides the basis for spurring one another on in their walk with Him (Heb. 10:23-25).
2) God’s Word is about everyday life and how to live it to the fullest.
Bible teachers, show, by the way you teach, that Bible study is more than an academic pursuit. Help them get beyond the facts to seeing the implications for their daily lives. God’s Word is not an ancient, lifeless book. Rather, His Word is living and relevant for even today because the God who breathes life into these Words is just as powerful and wise for anything they may encounter on their journey through life. The Bible is quite practical and useful for them today (2 Tim. 3:16-17; Ps. 119).
When teens develop motivations based on these reasons for studying the Bible, they will want more of the Word than what they get at Church. As they experience the realities that come with such motivation, their desire for Scripture will grow more and more. May God use us to help students realize that God’s words in the Bible are “more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb” (Ps. 19:9-10).