When you think of Christian doctrine, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Doctrine, as defined by the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, is "Christian teaching about God, the gospel, and the comprehensive pattern of Christian truth." You may ask yourself, "As a teacher of boys and girls, how do I effectively teach these Christian truths?" The answer lies in knowing and understanding the age group in which you teach and in being able to communicate on their level.
Basic foundational doctrinal truths such as God, Jesus, the Bible, creation, family, self, church, salvation, Holy Spirit, and community and world will be taught to boys and girls of all ages. These basic truths are shared on a weekly basis through Sunday School and other programs by helping boys and girls learn that God is good, God is special, Jesus is God's Son, and that God is the creator of everything. Having an understanding of the Bible and how children fit into their families are also important truths that all boys and girls will learn through Sunday School.
As children continue to grow and learn more about who God is and what God plans for them, they will begin to ask more complex questions about other doctrinal areas. Do you think of salvation, baptism, the Lord's Supper, and Christian responsibility when you think of doctrine? All Christians should view these as their top priorities; however, many teachers don't list these among the most important doctrines to share with the children they teach. Perhaps they don't know how to effectively communicate these truths.
How can you help the boys and girls in your class truly understand these doctrinal truths? This first article will focus on the truths of salvation and baptism. Next quarter, a second article about doctrine for kids will focus on the Lord's Supper and Christian responsibility.
Salvation
Salvation is the foundation of who you are as a Christian. Without salvation, it would be impossible for you to reap the full benefit of God's mercy and plan for you. What does salvation mean to a first grader, a fourth grader, a preteen? Typically, it is not until children move into the school age years that they begin to ask hard, thought-provoking questions about salvation.
As a child begins to ask questions concerning her personal salvation, she is building upon basic foundational truths. You can say: "Because God loves you, He provided a way for you to become a Christian. God provided salvation through Jesus Christ. God loves people so much that He sent Jesus to earth in order to provide salvation for all people." As a teacher, be sensitive to understand the importance of the Holy Spirit in salvation. The Holy Spirit is responsible for bringing people to salvation, and it is impossible for them to become a Christian before the Holy Spirit lets them know they are ready.
When children ask questions about salvation, be careful to discover their true questions. Be patient and don't jump to conclusions. Be honest and succinct in answering children's questions about salvation, and never pressure a child to make a decision until the Holy Spirit is working in his life. Rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you as you talk with boys and girls about salvation.
Baptism
Baptism is another doctrine that can be confusing for many children. Simply stated, baptism is a picture of what Jesus Christ did for all Christians. But a child's first experience with baptism may be when she sees a friend or sibling being baptized in church.
It is important to help children understand that when a person is placed under the water in baptism, it is a picture of what Jesus did when He died on the cross and was buried. This symbolizes for Christians that they have now died to their sinful ways. When the person comes up out of the water, this is a picture of Christ's resurrection from the tomb. This symbolizes for the Christian his resurrection from sin and his desire to walk in a new way with Christ.
When talking about baptism with children, help them understand that baptism is not salvation. If this were the case, Jesus Himself would have no need for baptism as recorded in Matthew 3:13-17. Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist as our example. Baptism is a confession before others, of what Jesus did for our salvation. Baptism is to always follow salvation and serves to tell others who are witnesses of the baptism that the person has become a Christian.
The second article about doctrine for kids focuses on the Lord's Supper and Christian responsibility.