Are you thinking of teaching your kids about theology? It’s an easy subject to skip over because we assume that a) it’s too complex for them to understand, or b) it isn’t really important as long as we’re reading the Bible together. But that’s not true! Not only can you teach kids theology in a fun and effective way, but it will become an incredibly valuable part of their biblical education.
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Why Teach Theology to Your Kids?
We want our children to know and love the Lord, be intimately knowledgable of His Word, and have a genuine walk with Christ. Teaching them theology can help establish a strong biblical foundation in their education.
Here are 12 reasons why we should teach kids theology and doctrine:
- The more they know God, the more they will love Him.
- It provides a framework for understanding the whole of Scripture and recognizing patterns of truth.
- More meaningful discussions when they ask us the hard theological questions.
- It provides a springboard for rich Christ-focused conversations in your family.
- It helps them recognize and reject false teaching.
- It is a simple and effective way to teach children the basic doctrines of the faith in just minutes a day.
- It gives your children a substantial and biblical foundation in what the Bible teaches.
- It enriches Bible study and family worship.
- The more they know God, and understand their relationship to Him, the more they will realize their need for a Savior.
- It will teach them to interpret Scripture rightly (with Scripture), and to not neglect the whole counsel of God (no cherry picking verses).
- It will point them to and encourage them toward the character of Christ.
- It will help them to love others well in light of the gospel.
If your kids are like mine, they’ll begin asking questions anyway about who God is, who we are, and how to understand the world in light of those truths. Why not have a strategy in place now for teaching them these things?
Not only does learning theology help tie together the Bible stories and Scriptures they are read, but it will give them a pattern of faith (our own) to work from as they grow in understanding.
Using Catechism to Teach Kids Theology
A great way to teach kids theology is in the form of a catechism. When we hear “catechism,” most people think of the Catholic church, or boring drills, or empty rote memorization. But none of those things are necessarily true! Catechism can be a fun, easy, and effective way to teach our children.
So what is catechism? It is an orderly way of teaching facts through he use of questions and answers. It is a method often used various faiths as well as for secular and academic purposes.
In using the Q&A method to teach Biblical truths, we are establishing in our children a “pattern of sound words” or doctrine that can become building blocks in their spiritual lives. (Read more from Desiring God and John Piper about why using catechisms today is important.)
We actually teach our children Scripture in a similar way, hiding it in their hearts even when they may not yet have a full understanding of the meaning. Over time, the Holy Spirit brings it to mind during conversations, experiences, and Bible studies, and greater understanding results. This is especially true with continued review and instruction.
In a similar way, catechism helps provide a framework for Bible knowledge, connections, and understanding that is filled out as they mature in their faith and continue studying God’s Word.
Of course, is important to mention what catechism will NOT do for you:
- It’s NOT a replacement for regular Bible reading and study.
- It WON’T guarantee kids that love God and know His Word.
- It’s NOT useful unless it points to Christ.
Catechism is just one of many tools for biblical instruction. Just as memorization, using songs, writing things down, or using illustrations and stories are tools.
Catechism Resources for Teaching Kids Theology
To begin using this fantastic tool, our family initially began teaching catechism using the Westminster Catechism for Boys and Girls, which is excellent.
Later, we discovered some great children’s music called Questions and Answers, from Dana Dirksen of Songs for Saplings. Our kids LOVE the songs. They teach the questions and answers of the catechism with memorable tunes and Scriptures to back up the concepts.
To dig deeper into the theology and doctrine as we learned with catechism, I started writing lessons to go along with each question and answer. That effort resulted in the curriculum called Sound Words for Kids: Lessons in Theology.
Sound Words for Kids: Lessons in Theology
With Sound Words for Kids: Lessons in Theology, your children will learn what the Bible says about important topics such as God, creation, and salvation. Each lesson includes Scripture memory, notebooking, activities, coloring pages, discussion questions, and more!
Find out more and download a FREE sample on the Sound Words for Kids page!
More Bible-Based Resources for Your Family
- Bible Road Trip – This is the Bible resources we’ve used for homeschooling and family devotions for years.
- Character resources – A roundup of my favorite biblical resources for teaching character!
- Bible-based homeschool curriculum including language arts, history, math, geology, art, and more.
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This Post Has 3 Comments
It’s so important to teach our children about who God is and what He has done! We love incorporating catechism in our home, too, and it is amazing how often those short questions and answers come back to my own mind when I’m pondering Scripture!
I’m a 75 year old grandmother and I’m home schooling my 10 year old grandson whose mother has recently passed away. Before the day begins we start the day off with scripture and prayer. I can’t begin to tell you how important it is for our children to know the Lord and his Word and I am constantly amazed at how he is able to grasp hold of the scriptural concepts that many adults have had difficulty with. We are going through difficult times and we need to remember that the children we are teaching today will be the Davids and Daniels of tomorrow.
God is so important to me, because he will provide.