Episode 006: Teaching Children The Truth

02/09/22 • 5 min

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Children’s Ministry Seminar

EPISODE 006: TEACHING CHILDREN THE TRUTH

by Steve Karges

Podcast Release: February 9, 2022

In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV), we read, “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.”

The most loving thing we can do for children is to teach them the Truth (1 Corinthians 13:6). To do that, Christian parents and children’s ministry leaders must know the Truth for themselves (John 17:17), speak the Truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), and faithfully live out the Truth every day (1 John 5:1-5).

In other words, our wisdom, words, and actions must be founded upon the Source of Truth – the Triune God. God the Father (Deuteronomy 32:4), God the Son (John 14:6), and God the Holy Spirit (John 16:13). are One God in Three Persons (Matthew 28:19), and God is the Source of Truth.

God has revealed His Truth on the pages of the Bible (Psalm 119:142; John 17:17). It is the Word of the Living God. When the Bible speaks, God speaks. All Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) and His written word proceeded from His mouth. He is the Source and Author of the Bible.

There is a primary author and a secondary author for every verse of Scripture. The secondary authors were men, whom God used as the human instruments to record His words (2 Peter 1:20-21). There were approximately 40 human authors of the Bible’s 66 books, but there was One primary Author – God Himself (Matthew 4:4).

Although men wrote down the Scripture, it is not of men or from men; it is from God. (1 Thessalonians 2:13). God speaks through the Bible, so we must be discerning and know the difference between His Word and the words of men (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Truth does not come from within ourselves, as Buddhists believe, but from the Word of God, to which we add nothing (Proverbs 30:5-6).

The Scripture is the revelation of God (Psalm 19:7-9; Hebrews 1:1-2), and in the Bible, the true God is revealed. In John 1:14 (ESV), we read, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”.

God’s Word has power, and through the Bible, God releases His power to save (Romans 1:16, 1 Corinthians 1:18; James 1:21) and to sanctify (John 17:17; Ephesians 5:26) sinful people.

Why is teaching children the Truth so important? Because God is Truth and how a child responds to His Truth, as recorded in the Bible, is the determiner of their life, indeed, their eternity (John 8:47, 20:31). Romans 10:17 (ESV) says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

God is not silent, as some believe. He has told us everything He wants us to know, and it is all written down in the Bible. We need to learn it, believe it, obey it, and pass on the Truth to the next generation (Psalm 78:4-7).

Teach these things to your children at home and at church. (Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4). First, give kids their own copy of the Bible. Then spend time together reading, studying, listening, memorizing, singing, and discussing the Scripture (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; 2 Timothy 3:15).

That, my friend, is how you impart Truth to children.

FOR YOUR MINISTRY TOOLBOX

1) Take some time to read and meditate on all the Bible verses listed above, and then hear God’s voice as He speaks to you through His written Word.

TAGS: Deuteronomy 6:6-7, 32:4; Psalm 19:7-9, 22:6, 30:5-6, 78:4-7, 119:142; Matthew 4:4, 28:19; John 8:47, 14:6, 16:13, 17:17, 20;31; Romans 1:16, 10:17; I Corinthians 1:18, 13:6; Epshesians 4:15, 5:26, 6:4; I Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:15-17, 4:3-4; Hebrews 1:12; James 1:21; 2 Peter 1:20-21; I John 1:14, 5:1-5; God; Truth; Bible; Scripture; Word of God; Teaching

Visit www.cmikids.com

Children’s Ministry Seminar

EPISODE 006: TEACHING CHILDREN THE TRUTH

by Steve Karges

Podcast Release: February 9, 2022

God’s Word has power, and through the Bible, God releases His power to save (Romans 1:16, 1 Corinthians 1:18; James 1:21) and to sanctify (John 17:17; Ephesians 5:26) sinful people.

That, my friend, is how you impart Truth to children.

FOR YOUR MINISTRY TOOLBOX

1) Take some time to read and meditate on all the Bible verses listed above, and then hear God’s voice as He speaks to you through His written Word.

Visit www.cmikids.com

Previous Episode

Episode 005: The Bible Is God’s Word

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Children’s Ministry Seminar

Episode 005: THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD

by Steve Karges

Podcast Release: February 2, 2022

Sometimes in children’s ministry, we assume kids know things that they really don’t know. So when it comes to the Bible, start at the beginning and be clear.

When you stand before children with an open Bible in your hands, you are holding the divinely inspired Word of God and communicating what He has said. Teaching kids God’s Word is such an awesome responsibility, and why it is crucial that you only say what the Bible says and not add anything or remove anything from the Scripture. Instead, let God speak for Himself through His written Word.

In I Thessalonians 2:13 (ESV), the Apostle Paul says, “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.”

As we teach boys and girls the Bible at church, we want them to know they are hearing the actual Word of God, not some fictional storybook. Make a clear distinction between the Bible and all other books because the Bible is the Source we use to teach kids about God. Children must understand that the Bible is God’s book, and it is all true. Therefore they can believe what it says and build their lives on it.

God speaks to us through the Bible, of which, He is the Divine Author. The Bible was written over 1,500 years by almost forty men whom God used as secondary authors to write down His divinely inspired words. Therefore, the Bible is God’s autobiography, and because of His Authorship, the Bible carries the full weight and authority of God Himself. That’s what makes the Bible different from every other book; it came to us from God.

When the Bible speaks, God is speaking through the written words. Therefore, we need to convey this truth repeatedly so that children will be attentive and respectful every time they hear God’s Word.

Children understand that God is in charge when they are taught the Bible, and when God speaks through His Word, kids begin to hear His voice through the pages of Scripture and learn to obey Him. God said everything He wants us to know about Himself in the Bible.

The Bible is a collection of 66 books presented in one volume. These books are divided into two parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament.

The Old Testament contains 39 books that are divided into five categories: 1) The Law, 2) History, 3) Wisdom, 4) Major Prophets, and 5) Minor Prophets. The Old Testament reveals the history of Israel and the promise of the coming Savior. The first book of the Old Testament is Genesis, which tells how God created the universe by speaking it into existence. Then God closes the Old Testament historically and prophetically with the book of Malachi.

The New Testament concentrates on the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His church. The 27 books included in the New Testament were written after 400 years of silence. During that time, no prophet spoke or wrote any Scripture until the arrival of John the Baptist, who broke the silence and announced that the promised Lord and Savior had come.

The first four books in the New Testament are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which are known as the Gospels because they reveal the story of Jesus. The last book of the New Testament is Revelation, which tells of Christ’s ultimate triumph over Satan.

Kids come to know and love God as they grow in their knowledge and understanding of the Bible. God uses His Word to convince and convert sinners and to help believers grow in Christlikeness. The goal of teaching kids the Bible is changed lives.

I want to encourage you to prioritize teaching God’s Word to boys and girls in your church, as this is the most important thing you can do as a children’s ministry leader.

FOR YOUR MINISTRY TOOLBOX

1) Purchase a study Bible for your own edification and to help you prepare to teach children. I highly recommend the MacArthur Study Bible or the Reformation Study Bible in the English Standard Version.

2) Make a commitment to daily Bible study and prayer if you are not already in the habit. You cannot teach children the Bible correctly if you are not into the Word yourself.

TAGS: I Thessalonians 2:13, Bible, Word of God, Scripture, God’s Word, Teaching

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Next Episode

Episode 007: Disney Way Undermines Authority of Scripture

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Children’s Ministry Seminar

EPISODE 007:

DISNEY WAY UNDERMINES AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE

by Steve Karges

Podcast Release: February 16, 2022

In Evangelicalism, there is a movement in children’s ministry that promotes the wisdom and business practices of entertainment mogul Walt Disney (1901-1966). These influencers encourage children’s pastors and children’s ministry leaders to use Disney’s ideas to build the children’s ministry in their congregations. This methodology is known as the “Disney Way .”

As with every innovative approach to ministry, this one must also be examined in the light of Scripture.

First, the Disney Way of children’s ministry robs God of His glory. The Bible says all glory belongs to God (I Peter 4:11), and He doesn’t share His glory with anyone (Isaiah 42:8, 48:11; Psalm 115:1).

If a local church successfully implements the Disney Way, and these methods effectively attract more kids to the children’s ministry, who gets the credit? Not Christ. The praise goes to Disney and his genius. The Disney Way glorifies man by putting human will, human ability, and human achievement above God. Giving a man credit for church growth steals glory from God.

Some may say, “the end justifies the means,” but that is pragmatism and a classic example of how Biblical theology has taken a back seat to methodology in the church today.

Second, the Disney Way of children’s ministry does not harmonize with Scripture. The Bible tells believers not to love the world or the things of the world (I John 2:15). With its “Happiest Place on Earth” motto, what is worldlier than Disney? Christ is the One who builds His church (Matthew 16:18; I Corinthians 3:6-7). To think we can do this, with some help from Disney, undermines the Authority of Scripture.

Why should Christians exchange the “God-breathed” infallible Scripture for human wisdom? They should not! I Corinthians 3:19 (NKJV) says “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God” (Also I Corinthians 2:5).

Third, the Disney Way of children’s ministry dishonors Christ and His church by trivializing the sacred and holy. The church is not supposed to be a Disney production. Disney is an entertainment company that is based on fantasy. The Church, which is sacred and holy, is “a pillar and buttress of the truth” (I Timothy 3:15, ESV). In the Old Testament, the brothers, Nadab and Abihu, faced God’s wrath when they trivialized the sacred and holy (Leviticus 10:1-3).

When children enter the church building to worship God, they cross the threshold from the secular to the sacred, from the common to the uncommon, and from the profane to the holy.

The Disney Way prioritizes the “customer.” The church’s priority is to worship Christ in spirit and truth (John 4:24). How does God want to be worshiped? What pleases and honors Him?

Christ alone is the One who draws sinners to Himself (John 12:32).

I want to encourage you to construct your children’s ministry on the Word of God, not on the Disney Way. Psalm 127:1a (ESV) says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.”

Is God building your children’s ministry, or are you laboring in vain?

FOR YOUR MINISTRY TOOLBOX

1) Whether your church uses the Disney Way or not, prayerfully examine your priorities for children’s ministry by asking yourself the following questions.

a.) Are we doing anything in children’s ministry that robs God of His glory?

b.) Are we doing anything that does not harmonize with Scripture?

c.) Are we doing anything that trivializes the sacredness and holiness of Christ and His Church.

If your answer is “yes” to any of these questions, first, repent of your sin and seek God’s forgiveness. Then talk to your pastor and church leaders. Work with them to reorganize your children’s ministry so that God receives all of the glory, and your ministry is in harmony with the Scripture. Also, remove anything and everything from your children’s ministry that trivializes the sacredness and holiness of Christ and His Church.

2.) Take some time to review the Scriptures listed in the Show Notes for Episode 7, as I did not mention all of them in this podcast.

TAGS: Leviticus 10:1-3; Psalm 115:1, 127:1 Isaiah 42:8, 48:11; Matthew 16:18; John 4:24, 12:32; I Corinthians 2:5, 3:6-7,19; I Timothy 3:15; I Peter 4:11; I John 2:15; Authority of Scripture; Disney Way

Visit www.cmikids.com