Add This to Your Must-Do List

For years I have written about how essential it is for those in Children's Ministry to be certain they engage children actively in learning, make sure all children feel wanted by helping all children make friends, plan each week for time to send notes/post cards to children who have missed Sunday and/or Wednesday services, and equip parents and grandparents so they are able to hand down confident faith at home. These are clearly the most important things we will do in Children's Ministry. Today I want to tell you about one more essential thing for those in Children's Ministry to add to this list.

Teach the "whys". Yes, at church we teach children "what" we believe when we teach them about the people and happenings in the Bible and this is absolutely something we must do. But, when we do not also teach the "whys" - why they are able to believe, these children in our ministries grow up and in ever increasing numbers they turn away from the faith they once had. 

This does not have to happen. We are able to teach the "whys" - and we must do so. We also must equip parents and grandparents so they know they are able to do this at home as well. It is essential and vitally important for us to do this.

There are few resources available which will help you teach the "whys" and currently it is not something publishers are adding to their curriculum resources, but these things can change. You are able to ask your curriculum publisher to add an apologetics feature to everything they publish. If enough Children's Ministry leaders (and parents and grandparents) ask them to do this, they will. So ask.

As far as resources you are able to use now, as I wrote, there are not many, but there are a few. Check out the Life on the Goldilocks Planet curriculum/book series at this link. Use it in your church and ask parents/grandparents to use it at home. the little answer book for children is another resource you are able to use at church - and/or ask parents and grandparents to use it at home - you will find it at this link. (Please be aware, both of these resources teach an Evolutionary Creationism view.)

It is vital for Children's Ministry leaders to prioritize teaching the "whys" - at church and equipping parents and grandparents to do the same at home. Commit to do this today!