What to Wear: a book review

Are you looking for a Bible study for kids that speaks to them using developmentally appropriate words, while still allowing for depth and spiritual growth? This study by Catherine Parks is the one for you!

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So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient, and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your[c] Creator. 11 In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. 14 Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Colossians 3:1-14 CSB

Overview of What to Wear

What to Wear: A Kids Bible Study on Looking Like Jesus is an 8-week kid’s Bible study on Colossians 3:1-14 written for 8-12 year olds. The first week focuses on introducing the theme of clothing, the passage, the writer, and the audience. It also helps kids learn what Paul instructs the Colossians not to wear:

  • anger
  • wrath
  • malice
  • slander
  • filthy language.

Each of the following 7 weeks focuses on one trait that we as Christians should wear and how Jesus modeled it:

  • compassion
  • kindness
  • humility
  • gentleness
  • patience
  • forbearance and forgiveness
  • love.

Each weeklong lesson has 5 days of very do-able activities. On the 5th day of each lesson, it wraps up the week with application, prayer, and practice.

The Bible study uses the Christian Standard Bible which is easy to read, but still accurate.

Lifeway describes the translation in this way, “The CSB translation is an optimal blend of accuracy and readability translated straight from the Biblical languages. Developed by 100 scholars from 17 denominations, the Christian Standard Bible faithfully and accurately captures the Bible’s original meaning without compromising readability.”

About Catherine Parks

Catherine Parks is the author of five books, including What to Wear. She is also a mom of two and a wife. She lives with her family in Tennessee. You can visit her website here.

What is Included in the Kid’s Bible Study

Activities in the Bible study include Scripture reading from Colossians and the Gospels, fill-in-the-blanks, drawing, coloring, answering questions, definitions, stories, and more.

What I Love about What to Wear

I love so much about this Bible study! My favorite thing is that it is completely age-appropriate with language, stories, activities, and scenarios, while at the same time calls kids to a meaningful personal relationship with Jesus that impacts the way they live.

Often, kids’ Bible studies lean heavily one way or another by not providing depth or not maintaining developmentally appropriate activities and language. Catherine Parks brings such a beautiful balance to this book.

I also love the way she describes clothing as something that should feel good and represent who we are. This lesson about clothes, and then adding character, is so important and timely for 8-12-year-olds. I can’t wait to do it with my oldest.

*I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for a review and podcast interview. The review is authentic and all my own words and opinions.

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