If you are hesitant to teach foundational Christian doctrines to young children who are capable of understanding, then what are you truly teaching them?
Are you content to teach that Jesus is a healer without guiding them to understand His true mission? How will you respond when they face situations where healing doesn’t occur? They may either drift away from faith or blindly accept the common teaching: “You lack faith.” For example, when asked in a small area-wise fellowship group, “Who is Jesus?” many simply say, “Jesus is a healer.” Few can confidently proclaim who He truly is! Additionally, many believers speak of the rapidly rising ‘Sachai Kendra’ in Nepal, where healings are performed in Jesus’ name. Yet many don’t realize it is not a true Christian church. As a result, children might assume it is a true church like theirs because of the healings! Many preach or evangelize by saying Jesus heals, creating a false impression that Jesus is merely a god of healing and the church is a hospital. Even non-Christians often offer prayer requests when someone is ill, showing how the gospel is being shared incorrectly!
Are you focused on teaching about the gifts of the Holy Spirit without explaining who He is and the purpose behind those gifts? This approach may lead children to chase the gifts rather than seeking the Spirit’s power and work to renew their minds daily to become like Christ. For instance, children are often involved in hours-long revival prayers to receive certain gifts. They may enjoy the experience and even receive gifts but remain empty without knowing the Giver or developing Christian character through the fruits of the Spirit.
Are you teaching that Jesus is the true God by criticizing other religions and gods without providing clear, valid reasons to choose Jesus as the only way? This could lead children to grow up uninformed and overly antagonistic toward other faiths! For example, when I was in Sunday school, I mentioned Allah’s name in a specific context and topic. My friend responded, “How dare you mention Allah’s name in the church?” I’ve also seen friends mock other religions. We were taught that other gods are demons, and now we see the harmful consequences! Many know we label their gods as demons, creating barriers in relationships. Moreover, what understanding guides us to call their gods false or demonic? What principle leads us to dismiss idol worship as foolish?
Are you encouraging children to sing songs and pray without teaching them what these actions mean and why they matter to their lives? They might sing anything, even songs with unbiblical themes, and pray with misguided understanding! For example, singing “Come Holy Spirit, come” may lead them to believe they don’t have the Spirit, a misunderstanding that persists into adulthood! Even if a song is biblically sound, we must clarify its context.
Many teachers avoid exposing children to biblical doctrines or topics that spark controversy. But when these children encounter such issues later, it may be too late to reshape their understanding! This is the reality in Nepal and its churches! They encourage children to sing, pray, and participate in revivals but hesitate to teach essential biblical doctrines.
To be clear, I’m not opposed to teaching songs, encouraging prayer, or fostering a revival environment. However, I strongly oppose the mindset that children should not receive doctrinal teaching. Yes, doctrines don’t save, but teaching them isn’t about saving children from hell—it’s about shaping their minds with God’s true knowledge! I speak from practical experience: even mature believers in Nepal often lack foundational biblical knowledge. What, then, will children learn?
Some teachers are overly cautious about controversial topics. Yet controversy and conflict aren’t harmful in themselves; what matters is how we resolve them. Controversy doesn’t disprove a faith; it simply shows that some topics are complex, requiring us to carefully consider all perspectives before forming conclusions.
We live in a postmodern age where the church faces many deceptive beliefs! If we don’t act now, when will we? What are we truly doing in Sunday school classes? We don’t need complex language—significant knowledge can be shared in simple words! We must take responsibility and be deeply concerned about this.
Here is one example how I did it in my own class to students who were studying in higher level of classes. I didn't hold back and provided them with sufficient useful contents with possible easy approach before they reached their graduating point:
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