Bible Lessons for Kids
Bible Lessons for Kids
Any Christian parent knows the value of teaching Bible lessons for kids, but not everyone views Bible lessons in the same way. For example, some parents think that Bible lessons are only intended to get their kids to behave right, and they wind up letting their kids memorize verses that emphasize obedience, in the hopes that it will give them kids who are a joy to spend time with because they are always quick to obey. While obedience is a necessary trait that kids need to learn, there are more to Bible lessons than simply behavior modification.
What important truths in the Bible should kids be taught from a very early age?
- God loves them. Children need to know that there is Someone who loves them unconditionally, and that that Someone is the God of the universe. Of course, they will see this truth demonstrated in parents who love them unconditionally, too, but you can also enforce the truth through songs like “Jesus Loves Me,” which you can listen to in albums like Sunday School Songs. A child as young as two years old can actually already memorize this short song. You may be wondering at what this kind of song can do. Do you know that a famous theologian, when asked to summarize the essence of Christianity, actually sang this well-known kids’ song, to the bafflement of the audience at the gathering?
- God is for them. Children need to understand that God is not against them but is actually for them. While they may not yet have experienced many situations in which nobody else was on their side, they can learn this truth early on through stories: for example, in the story of the lost sheep, you can show them how the shepherd is for the safety of the sheep and will risk even fighting wolves and lions only to keep his flock safe. Then they can relate that truth as a way that God fights for them, opening the way for them to understand, later on, how the cross is actually the way that God demonstrates His love for them.
- Jesus cares about them. Kids who grow up thinking that God is mad at them will not likely be confident to approach God. But when they understand that God is Someone who actually cares for them, and the Jesus enjoys listening to them, they will be bold to come to Jesus with whatever they are feeling. A great way to get kids to express their feelings would be through songs, such as getting them to express their thanks in music. This points to the wisdom of investing in children’s worship music, like Awesome God by Songs 4 Worship: Kids. Why? These music CDs encourage the child to sing what they feel, which is more fun than just talking to the ceiling. This in turn opens up the way for them to start learning to talk to God about just about anything, becoming the start of a beautiful lifelong journey of being friends with God.
- God is their Father. Along with learning that God is for them and cares about them, children also grow differently when they realize that they have a Father who will never leave them nor forsake them. As a baby grows into a frisky toddler, parents will do well to establish the truth that he will never be forsaken, and that God will always be their Father. A good album to establish this truth is the Cedarmont Kids Classics Sunday School Songs, as it contains songs about Jesus loving the little children and other classic Christian songs. It is truly crucial to teach children to expect good things from God as the Father who loves them and gave Jesus up out of love for them, as this will form the critical foundation of their confidence as they grow into their teen and adult years.
These basic truths will do well to establish your little ones in the love of God and will surely give them the strength to face up to the challenges of life even as they grow up. Bible lessons for kids are not just ways to entertain them during Sundays or at bedtime, but will serve as an important foundation for them to lay beliefs that they form in their future, and you get to mold that foundation for them!