Thursday, February 9, 2012

Tips for Parents: Teaching Youngsters about God and Christianity - Tips for Parents

for St. John's, York Mills
by Candace Hurlock

Today, within the Christian community, many parents wonder how they may teach their children about Jesus. Certainly, my parents must have wondered the same thing before my brother and I were born. How can small children comprehend the Bible? How will they learn to love and follow Christ in a world where Christianity, increasingly, is deemed an out-dated and absurd system of belief? Based on my own experience, I think the answer begins at home. It is a good thing to send children to Sunday school, but, if there is no further reinforcement, the lessons they learn may not stay with them as lastingly as those they acquire daily from the secular world. In the Bible, we read that before God sent Gideon to fight the Midianites, He instructed him to destroy the idols at his father’s home (Judges 6:25). Similarly, parents must look to themselves as the first step. The answer begins within.

Therefore, parents of St. John, first and foremost, read the Bible. As you study and begin to learn and understand, you will have an easier time sharing with your children. You will feel more comfortable talking about God and answering their questions, and better enabled to demonstrate His love, patience, and forgiveness. By your example, they will learn how to read God’s Word for themselves and exemplify His truths in their lives—not all at once but over time. The Bible (in the following respect) is not unlike classic literature: it must be studied earnestly in order to gain deeper insight and ongoing change. If you do not read and study, you will not learn and mature; if you refuse to take time to learn, you will not be able to teach your children. Simply put, you cannot give to others what you do not, yourself, have.

Second, surround your children with fun and interesting instructive Biblical material. Look at how your children learn in school. It is not only through rote recitation; in fact, less so. Today teachers employ a variety of activities to help children learn. The Bible may be taught in much the same way. Start early! Babies and toddlers enjoy learning through music. Sing to them little songs like “Jesus Loves Me, This I Know”. Clap hands! Have fun! Online, there lies a plethora of worship songs for kids of all ages, along with dramatic ideas for churches. Christian DVDs and CDs featuring Bible stories or Bible-themed adventures are another great option, especially for Sunday afternoons. Before returning to evening service (which my brother and I were required to attend), it was a favourite activity of mine to sprawl on the couch and watch a Christian video. I also loved to play Bible games. With practice, I became quite good at them!

At night Mum read us bedtime stories, many of which were child-friendly summarized Bible stories. She further played Bible or religious stories while we slept and when we were travelling in the car. In addition, my brother and I each had our own Bible—initially, one for children, then one for when we were older. There are probably a great deal more of such resources now, perhaps better ones. There are even free children’s Bibles online. I, however, would recommend an actual Bible over a virtual one, whereby the family can gather ‘round and worship.

Third, ensure your Bible lessons are age-appropriate. As they progress through school, children are designated tasks suitable to their academic stage of maturity. Likewise, parents must exercise judgement in discerning what Bible stories to read their children, and when.

Some parents avoid teaching their children about the Bible, notably the Old Testament, because they deem it too difficult, or the subjects objectionable or, worse still, irrelevant. This is simply not true. No part of God’s Word is useless or empty: there is always something to be gained. The idea is to instruct in stages, expanding and intensifying the lessons as children develop. Indeed, stories about David and Bathsheba, Solomon’s many foreign wives, Lot and his daughters in the cave, etc., can wait. But you may surely tell about young David and Goliath the Philistine giant; the three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and their brave stand for God; Daniel in the lion’s den; Joseph’s triumph preceded by the terrible trials he faced in Egypt; Nehemiah and the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall--all of which speak of faith and courage. In the New Testament, there are the wondrous writings about Jesus in the Gospels; beyond unfolds the adventures of God’s first valiant carriers of truth. My favourite reading, as a child of 9 or 10, was Paul’s beautiful sentiments on love in 1 Corinthians 13. Later, in high school, I wrote a definitive essay called, “Behold, What Manner of Love”, conceived through my first innocent childhood lessons on Biblical love. Well into my teens I remembered.
Ergo, do not be afraid to teach the Bible, Old or New. Simply set the foundation and build as your children grow. You can do it, and they will remember, too.

Fourth, talk to your children about what it means to be a Christian child, and be their utmost exemplar. Children will speak and shriek loudly, carry the cross carelessly, and race through the sanctuary if they are not taught to have reverence. Children will not know how to apply Christian principles in the schoolyard if those principles are not explained or demonstrated. Children will not view the Day of Rest as a special day unless parents treat it as one. Children will not care about confirmation or baptism or the Eucharist if they are not spiritually nurtured. Resources, such as media and books, are meant to reinforce parental teachings, not replace them. It is imperative that you take time to discuss behaviour and Christian values with your children, and strive faithfully to become the Christian you want your children to be. Let your children see God in you, whatever your strengths or weaknesses. Involve them, whenever possible, in doing charitable works. Listen to their problems and guide them in Christ. When you make a mistake, show them how to ask forgiveness by doing so, yourself. In short, tell them how to live and demonstrate by example.

Fifth, be sure your children are firmly planted within a healthy, spiritual environment. Take your children to church regularly. Encourage them to get involved. At eight years of age, Mum put me up front to tell the Children’s Story. Having experienced years of her tale-telling, I was well able, and my equally young peers enjoyed it. If you have Christian friends with children, have lunch together after church so the children can spend time. Socialize: play Bible games together! Of course, children and parents can (and should!) have friends of other beliefs; but it is important to preserve strong ties with people of like values to help further solidify Christian faith and traditions. The Bible says, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Therefore, it seems reasonable to place in closest proximity to our lives people who, like ourselves, seek to behold Christ. What we see we may become; for impressionable young children, even more so.

Sixth, and most importantly, pray together as a family. What better way to teach your children about the Lord than to have them kneeling by your side! Let them hear you pray for them. Listen as they learn to pray for you, and for themselves. Help them learn to talk to Jesus by having them do so every day. Lovingly urge them to confess their wrongdoings and ask forgiveness. Remind them by example to be thankful before they eat and prior to retiring at night. Pray with them briefly in the mornings before they depart for school. Make prayer an integral part of your daily living. Be sincere. Show your children what it means to include God, so they will have a wholesome model by which to order their lives when they are older. Whether they choose to or not is their decision, once they reach the age of accountability. Your duty is to give them the tools to build character braced by grace; prayer, incontrovertibly, next to God’s Word, is the most valuable implement of all.

Below are resources, some of which my parents used when I was a child. Most are contemporary. Only google and you are sure to find a wealth of information. Some of my old favourites are still available; links are provided below. Please keep in mind, however, that these are only suggestions. You are encouraged to thoughtfully design the best program for your family. The process begins with you! May the Lord richly bless your efforts, now and always.

Adult Bible Reading

  • The Gathering-Sunday Evening- St. John
  • Wednesday Night study groups-St. John
  • St. John clergy-always available for support. Ask!!
  • Online Bible study groups, adult devotionals, aids in scriptural understanding and analysis—just google!

Instructional Resources for Children under 10


Music
Films
Bible Games
Bible Books and Audio
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