Review: Faith Builders Bible

We know it’s important to get our kids in the Word, but it can be challenging, especially when they’re little!   We’ve read a lot of Bible storybooks and my Super D, who’s 8 and in the 3rd grade, has really enjoyed his comic strip-like bible.   I’m ready for him to really start digging in to the Word, and reading a more in depth version that is full of verses that he can memorize.  Zonderkidz sent us their new Faith Builders Bible to review and I believe it fills a needed niche!

I’ve looked at a fair amount of Bibles for slightly older kids, and it’s very difficult to find one that doesn’t have intimidating language for an elementary school child.   Super D is just not ready for the NIV, so I was thrilled to see that the Faith Builders Bible is the NIrV – that means it’s the New International Readers Version.  The Bible looks a lot like an adult Bible, for those kids who are old enough now that they don’t want Bibles, or anything!, that is for “babies or little kids” lol.

Here’s an example of the language difference:
NIV Gen 1:1-2  “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

NIrV: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth didn’t have any shape. And it was empty.  There was darkness over the surface of the waves.  At that time, the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

MUCH better for my 3rd grader!

Check out this other example:
NIV Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Beautiful, but what does all that mean?  As adults, we have to dig into it to study out what it means.  I love the NIrV version:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me.  He has anointed me to announce the good news to poor people.  He has sent me to announce freedom for the prisoners.  He has sent me so that the blind will see again.  He wants me to set free those who are treated badly.  And He has sent me to announce the year when He will set His people free.”

The Faith Builders Bible gets its name from the Lego brick pictures that are sprinkled throughout!  They offer suggestions for the kids about scenes to build, like Zacchaeus the tax collector or the Last Supper.  Each project also gives a “Building Block Verse” for the kids to think about while they build, and to memorize.

My Super D is really enjoying this Bible. I anticipate it will be one we use for years to come! I can easily see my littlest man picking up where his big brother leaves us, and diving into it himself.

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