Question 1

What ages are Talk Through the Bible discussion guides written for?

Accepted Answer

Our guides are specifically designed for multi-age families and group learning, primarily for students aged 7 to 16. The collaborative dialogue framework relies on an older child (10+) to help bridge the gap between the adult's questions and the younger students' observations. While children aged 7–8 can definitely participate and benefit from the content, they often struggle to anchor the dialogue if they're the oldest in the group. For this reason, families and groups with only children aged 9 and under may find these text-based discussion dynamics more challenging to maintain without that older student to help drive the conversation.

Question 2

What do you believe?

Accepted Answer

The beautiful thing about discussions is that you're in control. I strongly believe that there's something to learn from everyone, but I wouldn't teach my kids from a Bible curriculum built on a foundation I didn't agree with. Here's what I believe:

-The Bible was written by men inspired by God and is wholly true and trustworthy. It’s the supreme authority in faith, doctrine, and practice. Unless a passage is clearly intended by the author to be read as an allegory, poetry, parable, or prophecy, the Bible should be interpreted literally. Creation, the flood, genealogies, narrative accounts of the Israelites, and miracles are to be read literally.

-There is one living and true God whom we know in the persons of the Father, Son, and Spirit.

-God is the creator of the universe and is sovereign over all. He is perfect, good, and worthy of all honor. He has a plan for everything, and nothing will stop Him from working it out.

-Christ, the Son, took on human likeness and was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, and died a substitutionary death for those the Father gave Him. He was raised from the dead and is seated at the right hand of God, acting as our Mediator. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.

-The Holy Spirit testifies to Christ. He indwells believers, guiding them in sanctification and marking them with a seal of salvation.

-All men are totally sinful and in need of the Savior. Salvation can't be earned. It comes by grace through faith, and it is a gift of God.

-It is the privilege and responsibility of all believers to preach the gospel and make disciples, starting at home. Children are a blessing from the Lord. They should be taught God's truth through words and actions. They're never too young to learn about God!

Question 3

What denomination is Talk Through the Bible?

Accepted Answer

Talk Through the Bible is entirely non-denominational and not affiliated with a particular Christian denomination. Our open-ended, Socratic discussion guides aim to help you explain core Christian doctrines to your children directly from the text as you study through the Bible and various theological topics naturally arise.

Question 4

Do I need a particular version of the Bible?

Accepted Answer

No. While the ESV (English Standard Version) is primarily used to formulate our study prompts, you and your children will be reading directly out of your own Bibles. Other translations are occasionally referenced for specific verses, meaning you can easily use your preferred translation for any of our text-based inquiry studies.

Question 5

Can this be used as a homeschool Bible credit?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! As the educator, you choose what your students receive credit for. The Pentateuch serves as a rigorous, full-credit, one-year Bible curriculum spanning 31 weeks of structured lessons. If you want more instructional hours, you can also include an Advent study, download our free Holy Week discussion guide, or complete the Israelites' journey into the Promised Land with our 4-week Joshua study. All of our comprehensive discussion guides include links to primary source readings and optional academic activities to easily scale the coursework for junior high or high school credit based on age. If you're looking for a half-credit course, you can combine any of our studies.

Question 6

Can I use these discussion guides to lead Sunday School?

Accepted Answer

Yes! The open-and-go pedagogical design makes them incredibly convenient even when teachers have to rotate or need an unexpected substitute. The lessons can be completed in about 35–45 minutes, depending on your group size and how quickly you drive the conversation. This discussion-based learning model fosters critical thinking, deepens peer friendships, encourages students to ask questions about what they're interested in, and helps them make direct connections to weekly sermons. While churches frequently use our Genesis guide to build a foundation in 4th–6th grade discipleship classes, these comprehensive guides scale seamlessly into in-depth Bible studies all the way through high school.

Question 7

How does this curriculum use the Socratic method to build biblical literacy?

Accepted Answer

Unlike overviews, devotionals, and fill-in-the-blank workbooks that focus solely on memorization and morals, this comprehensive 415-page discussion guide uses intentional, sequential Socratic questioning. By guiding students to analyze the biblical text directly, parents teach their children how to think critically about theology, engage with difficult apologetics, and form deep, lasting biblical literacy based on solid doctrine.

Question 8

Do I need a theology degree or extensive prep time to lead these discussions?

Accepted Answer

Not at all. As a formally trained educator and a former college professor, I did the in-depth research and cultural context work for you. This curriculum is completely open-and-go! You don't need to spend an hour studying the night before or have advanced theological training to handle deep, high-level doctrine with your kids as it comes up in Scripture. The text-based discussion prompts give you the exact questions you need to confidently open the Bible and start meaningful conversations with zero prep.

Question 9

Does this study address difficult apologetics questions and historical context?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Pentateuch discussion guide is specifically designed to lean into the big questions rather than skipping over them. It guides students through the historical, cultural, and literary context of the Old Testament, teaching them how to handle difficult passages logically and biblically. Instead of avoiding challenging issues—like how science and creation align, if sin is part of God’s plan, what it means for God to harden hearts, or why we should trust the Bible since it was written by men—we allow direct scriptural observation to shape our worldview. This proactive approach helps pre-teens and teens build a resilient, intellectually sound faith before they encounter worldly skepticism.

Question 10

Is this an inductive Bible study, or is it more like an overview or devotional?

Accepted Answer

It is definitely not an overview or light devotional. This is an in-depth, text-first inductive Bible study. Instead of reading a summary of a Bible story and matching it with a moral lesson, your children will open their own Bibles and read exactly what the text says. The discussion guide then leads them through interpreting the context, discovering who God is, and applying His truth to their lives. It's a complete level up from overviews, devotionals, and workbooks.

Question 11

Does this curriculum teach the chronological big picture of the Bible?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it builds a firm foundation for the entire biblical narrative. Starting with the Pentateuch, your students will study Scripture chronologically, tracing God's plan of redemption from Genesis through Deuteronomy. By reading chapter by chapter through the text, kids will learn who God is through His words and actions rather than by memorizing a list of attributes which don’t hold strong meaning without stories and context to back them up. Instead of teaching isolated stories, this guide helps families see how every narrative account, genealogy, and historical event connects to the larger story of the Bible and points directly to Christ.

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Ruth: A Family Bible Study Discussion Guide