One of the most asked questions coming into my inbox is, “How do I start teaching my kids about God?” I am here today to tell you how you can start or continue, teaching your little ones about God and laying a solid and important foundation for the rest of their lives. This is No. 3 in the Faith and Practice series.

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Why do we need to teach our kids?

Because God commands it:

Deuteronomy 4:10

‘Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.’

Deuteronomy 6:7

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Deuteronomy 11:19

You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Ephesians 6:4

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Psalm 78:4-6

We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,

Psalm 145:3-4

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

2 Timothy 3: 15-17

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 1:5  

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

What happens when we do not teach our children?

Look at Judges 2:6-10

And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.

11 And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals. 12 And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the Lord to anger. 13 They abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth.

What do we teach our kids?

We teach them about God and His ways as known in the Bible.

My top do’s and don’ts tips:

Do:

1. Read the Bible with your kids consistently – pick a time and place and do it.

2. Do memorize Scripture with them. They are sponges. Make up a song, or look up Scripture songs online like Seeds Family Worship or Songs for Saplings that sing Bible verses. They will memorize them quickly and have a reference point of truth — and so will you!

3. Do you Scripture to correct and discipline your children. Refer back to the truths and stories you are learning. Help them connect the truth with living out their own faith in real life.

4. Repeat repeat repeat. Even if your kids know everything about Adam and Eve – always go back. Don’t feel like you always have to say something new. We learn new things from the same stories all the time. Refresh your children on things you’ve learned. Repeat themes of God being Creator, of God being Redeemer, of Jesus dying on the cross to forgive sins. Repeat the important things and find them in the stories you read.

Don’t:

1. Don’t feel like you have to explain every detail for something to make sense to a child. Children have a natural inclination for faith – it’s one reason why it’s so important to cement truth in them now. They are not skeptical. They have tender hearts. It’s why we are called to have faith like a child. If your kids are really young – pick one thing for them to know about what you read. If they are a little older, pick two things and ask a question or two about the text. Have them retell what you read. Ask them their favorite part. Always link it back to who God is and what he did. 

2. Don’t get caught up with what you don’t know. Truth is truth even if we don’t understand. We can keep learning about the Trinity but we can also acquiesce to the fact that there are some things that we can’t explain but they are still truth. And somethings we CAN understand but we ourselves need to mature and learn how to explain it. 

3. Don’t give up. Be consistent. Remember that you are teaching them life giving Words of God. You Are telling them the way of salvation.

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