The Aquila Report

Your independent source for news and commentary from and about conservative, orthodox evangelicals in the Reformed and Presbyterian family of churches

Providence College
  • Biblical
    and Theological
  • Churches
    and Ministries
  • People
    in the News
  • World
    and Life News
  • Lifestyle
    and Reviews
    • Books
    • Movies
    • Music
  • Opinion
    and Commentary
  • General Assembly
    and Synod Reports
    • ARP General Synod
    • EPC General Assembly
    • OPC General Assembly
    • PCA General Assembly
    • PCUSA General Assembly
    • RPCNA Synod
    • URCNA Synod
  • Subscribe
    to Weekly Email
  • Biblical
    and Theological
  • Churches
    and Ministries
  • People
    in the News
  • World
    and Life News
  • Lifestyle
    and Reviews
    • Books
    • Movies
    • Music
  • Opinion
    and Commentary
  • General Assembly
    and Synod Reports
    • ARP General Synod
    • EPC General Assembly
    • OPC General Assembly
    • PCA General Assembly
    • PCUSA General Assembly
    • RPCNA Synod
    • URCNA Synod
  • Subscribe
    to Weekly Email
  • Search
Home/Featured/5 Reasons Churches Should Teach Theology to Children

5 Reasons Churches Should Teach Theology to Children

Kids in our churches, from the earliest of ages, need to begin thinking in theological categories about God, themselves, and the world around them.

Written by Jon Nielson | Monday, October 1, 2018

A focus on reading and teaching Scripture to children does not—and must not—mean that we fail to do our best to educate them theologically as well. And, yes, by theologically, I do mean through the use of the discipline of systematic theology—beginning in its simplest forms (historic catechisms and creeds) and growing more and more substantial and complex.

 

The Importance of Biblical Literacy

There is no substitute for parents and church leaders presenting the clear, simple, powerful Word of God to the children in their midst. We need to be reading the Bible to the children in our families and church congregations. We need to be teaching the Bible to the children in our families and church congregations. The children in our midst must become acquainted and conversant with the Bible during their early years; we must ensure that, as much as it depends on us!

However, a focus on reading and teaching Scripture to children does not—and must not—mean that we fail to do our best to educate them theologically as well. And, yes, by theologically, I do mean through the use of the discipline of systematic theology—beginning in its simplest forms (historic catechisms and creeds) and growing more and more substantial and complex.

Kids in our churches, from the earliest of ages, need to begin thinking in theological categories about God, themselves, and the world around them. Here are a few reasons why:

1. The theological education of our children gives them mental “hangers” on which to organize the truths, teachings, and stories that they are learning from the Bible.

We all need help with mental organization as we learn; that’s one reason why it’s helpful for expository sermons to have separate “points,” even if those points aren’t specifically noted by the biblical author in the passage itself!

As a child learns even the first few stories of the Old Testament (the Fall, Cain and Abel, the Tower of Babel), it is extremely helpful to make use of a short catechism to teach them a simple definition for “sin”—a theological category that certainly shows up in each of those stories, albeit with different manifestations each time.

2. The theological education of our children begins to acquaint them with a particular theological tradition.

I pastor a PCA church, so for us, this means beginning to acquaint our children with the Westminster Confession of Faith and the broader Reformed tradition. I’ll be the first to admit that no denomination is perfect! But, there is a value in going deep in one particular theological tradition, and appreciating the historical development of theological thought throughout the ages.

Read More

Related Posts:

  • 5 Reasons Churches Should Teach Theology to Children
  • Why Pastors Should Catechize Their Congregations
  • Why Do We Need Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms?
  • 8 Things to Remember When Teaching Kids Theology
  • How to Read Matthew Theologically

Subscribe, Follow, Listen

  • email-alt
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • apple-podcasts
  • anchor
Providence College
Coronavirus - and the Leadership of the Christian Church

Archives

Books

Geerhardus Vos: Reformed Biblical Theologian, Confessional Presbyterian - by Danny Olinger

Special

5 Solas of the Reformation
  • About
  • Advertise Here
  • Contact Us
  • Donations
  • Email Alerts
  • Leadership
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Principles and Practices
  • Privacy Policy

Important:

Free Subscription

Aquila Report Email Alerts

Special

5 Solas of the Reformation
  • About
  • Advertise Here
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Principles and Practices
  • RSS Feed
  • Subscribe to Weekly Email Alerts
Providence Christian College - visit

DISCLAIMER: The Aquila Report is a news and information resource. We welcome commentary from readers; for more information visit our Letters to the Editor link. All our content, including commentary and opinion, is intended to be information for our readers and does not necessarily indicate an endorsement by The Aquila Report or its governing board. In order to provide this website free of charge to our readers,  Aquila Report uses a combination of donations, advertisements and affiliate marketing links to  pay its operating costs.

Return to top of page

Website design by Five More Talents · Copyright © 2021 The Aquila Report · Log in