There comes a point in raising our children when we have to start backing off a little and give them room to figure out what they believe for themselves. I feel like we're entering that season with my daughter now that she's 14, almost 15. She's still exploring what her own personal belief system looks like, and while I certainly pray that faith in God will always be part of her life, I also know that eventually her faith has to become HERS.
When my kids were younger, I was much more involved in making sure they participated in devotionals and other activities that helped teach them about God. Now that my daughter is getting older, I'm intentionally backing off from forcing her to participate in my devotionals. That doesn't mean I've stopped encouraging her faith by any means. I still look for movies and other things we can enjoy together that encourage faith and trusting in God, and I strive VERY hard to make sure I'm leading by example. However, I'm also learning that part of raising a teenager is giving her room to ask her own questions and figure some of these things out for herself.
That's one of the reasons I was grateful we were given the opportunity to review the CSB Teen Study Bible. It arrived during a stage of her life when I feel like having resources available for her to explore on her own is becoming far more important than Mom always being the one trying to teach the lesson.
Many thanks to Lifeway Christian Resources for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.
What Is the CSB Teen Study Bible About?
The CSB Teen Study Bible is designed to help teens and preteens dig deeper into Scripture while learning how it applies to their everyday lives. It includes a Q&A style study approach, devotionals focused on personal growth, and topical articles that cover more complex questions about faith.
As we explored it, I found there was quite a bit packed into this Bible. In addition to the Scripture itself, there are study notes, book introductions, devotionals, questions to consider, charts, maps, a Bible dictionary, a concordance, and other features that give teens more information about what they're reading. I especially liked that these additions are mixed throughout the Bible rather than feeling like a completely separate devotional book.
My CSB Teen Study Bible Review
One of the things I liked most about the CSB Teen Study Bible is how realistic the devotionals are. They aren't written as though teenagers live in some little bubble where they never question anything or have to deal with what's happening in the world around them. The Bible covers real-life issues and encourages them to think about how Scripture applies to what they're experiencing TODAY, which I feel is especially important considering how much information our teenagers have coming at them from every direction.
Let's face it, our teenagers are growing up in a VERY different world than we did. Between social media, AI, their friends, school, movies, television, and everything else they have access to, there certainly isn't a shortage of people and things trying to influence what they believe. I actually appreciate that approach because at this stage in my daughter's life, I don't want the only reason she believes something to be, "Well, my mom said so."
I want her to be able to read something, ask questions about it, think about it, and decide what it means for her own life. Of course, as her mom, I pray that she develops a strong relationship with God. I want her to have faith she can lean on when life gets hard because I know firsthand how much mine has carried me through some of the hardest seasons of my own life. However, I also know I can't force that relationship on her. There comes a point when our children have to decide what they believe for themselves, and I feel like we're entering that season now.
There are also sections that encourage teens to look closer at the people and lessons found in Scripture. One that caught my attention was Women in Jesus's Lineage, which gives more information about Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. Another was a devotional called Round and Round, which uses what happened with the Israelites in Judges to encourage teens to think about the things getting their own time, attention, and concern.
That's probably why I appreciated the questions and devotionals throughout this Bible as much as I did. They give her opportunities to explore Scripture without me having to sit beside her and tell her exactly what she's supposed to learn from it. She can come across a question that catches her attention, read more about it, and think through it in her own time. If it leads to a conversation with me, I'm certainly here for that too, but it doesn't HAVE to begin with Mom assigning her another devotional to complete.
As a parent, I feel like that's an important distinction at this age. I'm not stepping away from encouraging her faith, but I'm changing HOW I do it. I can make sure she has good resources available, continue sharing things with her that encourage faith and trusting God, answer her questions when she wants my input, and pray for her. Most importantly, I can strive to live my own life in a way that shows her what my relationship with God actually means to me instead of simply telling her what she should believe.
What Did My Teenager Think of It?
My daughter is still exploring the Bible and figuring out what she believes, so I'm not going to pretend she grabbed this thing out of the box and immediately started spending hours doing Bible study every day. That's not where she is right now, and quite frankly, I think pretending otherwise would completely miss one of the reasons I'm grateful she has this resource available to her.
What matters to me is that she CAN explore it. When she has questions or something catches her attention, she has a Bible designed to help her dig deeper without needing me to direct every step of the process. The practical devotionals and questions give her places to start, and I like knowing that it's sitting there waiting for her whenever she's ready to use it.
Now, I do have to mention one thing I noticed immediately when I picked it up: this Bible is HEAVY. There is a lot packed inside it, and I personally wouldn't want to lug it around everywhere. However, we also need to remember that I'm WAY older than the teenager this Bible was actually created for because my daughter had absolutely no problem with it. Apparently Mom is the one who needs to work on her upper-body strength, not the teenager.
Because of the amount of study material included, the size makes sense to me. I wouldn't consider the weight a reason not to get it, but I would keep it in mind if you're specifically looking for a tiny Bible that can easily be tossed into a small bag. For using at home, during personal devotional time, homeschooling, youth Bible study, or really sitting down and digging into Scripture, I don't see it being an issue.
Would I Recommend the CSB Teen Study Bible?
I would recommend the CSB Teen Study Bible to parents or grandparents looking for a Bible that gives their teenager more than the basics. I especially think it's worth considering for teens who are reaching that stage where they're beginning to ask their own questions and figure out what faith means to THEM.
I also don't think your teenager has to have their faith completely figured out before this Bible would be useful. My daughter certainly doesn't, and honestly, I think that's part of why I'm glad she has it now. She's at an age where she's learning, questioning, exploring, and figuring out what she personally believes, and this gives her another resource she can turn to while she's doing that.
I think the CSB Teen Study Bible would also make a good gift for a teenager, especially with Christmas coming up. I could also see giving it for a birthday, baptism, confirmation, Easter, or simply because you want your teen to have a Bible of their own that they can continue using as they grow. For me, though, the biggest benefit is having another way to encourage my daughter's faith without feeling like I have to force it on her. I've spent years teaching my children about what I believe, but I'm reaching a different stage of motherhood now. I can give my daughter the resources, keep the door open for conversations, continue praying for her, and do my best to lead by example, but ultimately, her relationship with God has to become her own.
If you're interested in getting a copy for the teenager in your life, you can order the CSB Teen Study Bible on the B&H Publishing website.
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Giveaway: 1 GRAND PRIZE giveaway of the CSB Teen Study Bible Bundle (retail value of approx. $149.99)
Qualifications: Giveaway winners must be a US resident.
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Bundle contents: 1 CSB Teen Study Bible (Blue Hardcover), a CSB Backpack, a CSB Sweatshirt, Yeti, Journal, and Pen.
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