TLDR: A kids Bible focused on the armor of God from Ephesians is now available.
Sometimes we can make the mistake of trying to “out cool” God. We can rely on gimmicks or what’s presently cool to engage kids (and students and adults too), thinking that without these things, kids simply won’t care about God. That’s untrue, of course. The gospel is beautiful enough, it’s amazing enough, it’s cool enough to stand alone. But that doesn’t mean we should avoid those times when something in Scripture will be cool and resonate with our kids. The spiritual armor in Ephesians 6 is on that list.
Come on. Look at this soldier on the left. Now, that’s pretty cool. And this is exactly what the Holy Spirit prompted Paul to write about and wanted us to think and feel. So let’s not shy away from it.
Here’s where we need to be careful though. We cannot use the idea and images of military armor without driving more strongly to the spiritual truths undergirding that imagery. That helmet is pretty impressive, but nowhere near as impressive as our salvation in Christ that it represents. The same is true of the breastplate—righteousness in Christ and for Christ is so much more awe-inspiring.
One of the exciting projects I have recently worked on is a kids Bible that is based on our spiritual armor. This Bible traces the themes the armor represents—truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God—all throughout Scripture. In five hundred brief “Armor Notes,” kids can see how these themes are at the heart of Scripture. Fifty-two devotionals focused on the themes also are provided for kids to do on their own or with their families. Book introductions, reading plans, and helpful articles are also included.
brian dembowczyk 