Hear (or in this case, read) this statement: If your child can use a library, he can learn to use his concordance. In my mind, it is absolutely essential to being a reader of God’s amazing Word! Yet, the concordance, for many, remains unopened and unused.

But what is a concordance? I give my kids this simple definition: The concordance is a kind of dictionary that helps us find the “address” or reference of a Scripture by looking up the most prominent or important word of a verse.

Here are 3 terrific and fun ways you can use to help teach your children how to use a concordance.

1. Give your kids the following assignment: “Find 5 verses using the word (fill in the blank).” Show them where their concordance is in their Bible and have them find the word you gave them. For example, maybe you assigned them the word “hope”. Have them look up “hope” in the concordance and show them how to quickly read the different snippets of verses there are on “hope” and have them write down 5 of the ones they like best after looking up each one in their Bible.

2. Play the “Concordance Game” – You will need at least 2 players for this game and each player must have their own concordance. One child calls out a word that will most likely be found in the Bible, such as “peace”. Say, “On your mark, get set, GO!” and the first one to find “peace” is the winner for that round. Another way to play is to give the children a Bible verse without the reference. For example, you might say, “For the joy of the Lord is our strength.” After you say, “GO!” the children must decide what word is the most important in that verse and look it up in the concordance to try and find the “address” or reference to the verse first. In this case, the word “joy” should end up leading them to Nehemiah 8:10.

3. Finally, share about your week and how you needed something like peace, trust or help with your finances. Then show your children how you went to your concordance and looked up the word that best described your need and the verses that best ministered to what you were going through. Your kids will be blessed to know that God wants to meet their needs by encouraging them through His Word.