How to Teach Kids Theology by Sam Luce and Hunter Williams

How to Teach Kids Theology reminds parents and youth leaders of the whys and wherefores of biblical instruction.

How to Teach Kids Theology by Sam Luce and Hunter Williams. New Growth Press, 2024, 190 pages

Reading Level: Adult

Christian parents know that they’ll teach no more important subject than “Theology”—but too often, we put more thought into academic subjects and let the church, Sunday school, or youth group take up the slack. Or we confuse Bible knowledge with theological understanding and leave some vital connection unmade. The opening chapters of How to Teach Kids Theology provide important correctives and reminders: “Theology isn’t merely a subject we look at—it’s truth we look through.” The authors, both church youth-group leaders, are driven by some alarming statistics:

The Cultural Research Center made the shocking discovery that 12 percent of children’s pastors have a biblical worldview. Only 12 percent! Respondents were asked fifty-four worldview-related questions, which fell into eight different categories of belief and behavior. Of those eight categories, children’s pastors scored the lowest in the category of the “Bible, Truth, and Morals,” [as well as] “Human Character and Nature” and “Lifestyle, Behavior Relationships.”

The authors equate these dismal findings with syncretism, or the (often subconscious) attempt to hold together conflicting beliefs just because they appeal to our personal taste. A consistent theology, while not a panacea for human failing, can be a vital corrective to the me-centeredness of our age.

The book is addressed mainly to youth ministry leaders and teachers, but the home connection is vital. The authors see church and home as equal partners in developing true discipleship, especially as children grow older and more independent. Group lessons can easily be adapted to home use, and rather than detailed lesson plans, the authors offer practical tips and resources for developing Christ-centered lessons appropriate to age level.

It’s too easy for both church and home to get off-track or out of focus in our biblical instruction. How to Teach Kids Theology can be a helpful refresher course in the Things that Matter Most.

Bottom Line: A useful corrective to solipsistic Christian teaching.

Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Reviews: Do you have teenagers ready to fly the coop? They might benefit from Finding My Vocation while thinking about what to do with their lives, and Do Not Be True to Yourself is a direct challenge to the spirit of this age.
• Review: For young adults still at home, see our roundup of Devotionals for Teens (or families with).
• Reviews: The Ology is a great teaching aid for middle-schoolers, while Visual Theology can be a useful tool for graphic-minded teens.

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