Balancing Cultural Examples with Biblical Truths in Children's Ministry
Children's ministry involves instructing children in the ways of God, a task that includes balancing biblical truths with relatable cultural examples [2]. The Bible emphasizes the importance of teaching children God's law and commands, so that future generations might know them [1, 4]. This instruction is not merely intellectual but aims for spiritual and experimental knowledge, facilitated by the Holy Spirit [4].
The biblical mandate for instructing children is clear. Deuteronomy 31:12-13 speaks of gathering people, including children, to hear and learn to fear the Lord. Proverbs 22:6 advises training up a child in the way he should go, while Ephesians 6:4 encourages fathers to bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord [2]. Children are seen as capable of glorifying God and should be brought to Christ and instructed in His ways from an early age [2]. They are to know the Scriptures, observe God's law, and obey their parents, which is pleasing to God [1]. The goal is for children to remember God, fear Him, and attend to parental teaching [2].
In teaching, the apostle Paul used the analogy of milk for new believers, representing the more plain and easily digestible doctrines of the Gospel [3]. This suggests a pedagogical approach that starts with foundational truths before moving to more complex concepts, much like children are fed milk before solid food [3]. However, believers are also exhorted not to remain "children in understanding," implying a progression towards maturity in spiritual knowledge [6]. The ultimate goal of ministry, including children's ministry, is for believers to understand and experience the Christian faith more deeply, gaining a profound knowledge of God's Son and maturing to be fully like Christ [5].
When considering cultural examples, the challenge lies in ensuring they align with biblical truths rather than diluting them. The Bible itself provides examples of children who honored the aged, made their parents glad, and showed love to them [1]. Christ himself served as an example to children, demonstrating obedience to his parents [2]. The instruction of children is a means by which they can partake in the promises of God and be blessed [1].
The use of cultural examples can help make biblical truths accessible and understandable to children. However, these examples must be carefully chosen to avoid misrepresenting or undermining the core message of the Gospel. The focus remains on nurturing children to walk in "the truth," which refers to Christ and the doctrines of the Gospel [7]. This involves teaching them to obey God, fear Him, and honor their parents, all within the framework of God's divine plan for their lives [2]. The aim is to raise children who are not only knowledgeable about biblical stories but who also spiritually and experimentally know divine truths, guided by the Spirit of wisdom [4].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Children, Good — The Lord is with -- 1Sa 3:19. Know the Scriptures -- 2Ti 3:15. Observe the law of God -- Pr 28:7. Their obedience to parents is well pleasing to God -- Col 3:20. Partake of the promises of God -- Ac 2:39. Shall be blessed -- Pr 3:1-4; Eph 6:2,3. Show love to parents -- Ge 46:29. Obey parents -- Ge 28:7; 47:30. Attend to parental teaching -- Pr 13:1. Take care of parents -- Ge 45:9,11; 47:12. Make their parents' hearts glad -- Pr 10:1; 29:17. Honour the aged -- Job 32:6,7. Adduced as a motive for submission to God -- Heb 12:9. Spirit of, a requisite f”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Children — Christ was an example to -- Lu 2:51; Joh 19:26,27. Are a gift from God -- Ge 33:5; Ps 127:3. Are capable of glorifying God -- Ps 8:2; 148:12,13; Mt 21:15,16. Should be Brought to Christ. -- Mr 10:13-16. Brought early to the house of God. -- 1Sa 1:24. Instructed in the ways of God. -- De 31:12,13; Pr 22:6. Judiciously trained. -- Pr 22:15; 29:17; Eph 6:4. Should Obey God. -- De 30:2. Fear God. -- Pr 24:21. Remember God. -- Ec 12:1. Attend to parental teaching. -- Pr 1:8,9. Honour parents. -- Ex 20:12; Heb 12:9. Fear parents. -- Le 19:3. Obey parents. -- Pr ”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 3:2: I have fed you with milk,.... It is usual with the Jews to compare the law to milk, and they say (c), that "as milk strengthens and nourishes an infant, so the law strengthens and nourishes the soul;'' but the apostle does not here mean , "the milk of the law", as they (d) call it, but the Gospel; comparable to milk, for its purity and wholesomeness, for the nourishing virtue there is in it, and because easy of digestion; for he designs by it, the more plain and easy doctrines of the Gospel, such as babes in Christ were capable of understanding and receiving”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 78:6: That the generation to come might know them,.... Not only notionally, but spiritually and experimentally; which is the case, when human teachings are attended with the spirit of wisdom and revertion in the knowledge of divine truths; for the truths of the Gospel are unknown to men; the Gospel is hidden wisdom, the wisdom of God in a mystery; the Bible is a sealed book, the doctrines of it are riddles and dark sayings; the ministry of the word is the means of knowledge, which become effectual when attended with the Spirit and power of God: even the children which sho”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 4:13: 4:13 The goal of ministry is for the whole Christian community to understand and experience the Christian faith more deeply and gain a deeper knowledge of God’s Son. In this way, believers will be mature in the Lord (see 1 Cor 2:6; 14:20; Phil 3:15; Col 1:28; 4:12; cp. Heb 5:14; Jas 1:4; 3:2). The standard of maturity is Christ himself; the Spirit’s transforming work is to make people fully like Christ (Rom 8:29).”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 14:19: Brethren, be not children in understanding,.... There are some things in children in which it is reproachful for believers to be like them; as nonproficiency in knowledge, want of capacity to receive, bear, and digest strong meat; levity, fickleness, and inconstancy, unskilfulness in the word, deficiency of knowledge, want of understanding, not of things natural, but spiritual and evangelical; which is the more aggravated, since their understandings were opened and enlightened; an understanding was given them; the Spirit of God, as a spirit of understanding, w”
- 2 John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 John 1:4: I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children,.... Not all, but some of them; for good parents have not always good children, or at least not all of them; Adam had a Cain, Abraham an Ishmael, and Isaac an Esau: God is pleased to show his discriminating grace in tribes and families, by taking some, and leaving others: it is a great mercy when any are called by grace, and instead of the fathers are the children: and this was the case of some of the children of this elect lady, they were walking in the truth: in Christ, the truth, by faith, as they had received him; a”