This term at our children's groups, I made the decision to attempt teaching the doctrine of union with Christ — with mixed results!
It got me thinking about how we teach tricky concepts and ideas to children, and whether that's a good idea or not. Let me tell you what went well, and what didn’t go quite to plan.
Positives and negatives of teaching this doctrine
Teaching a complex idea like union with Christ is a great investment in children’s long-term spiritual development. We definitely want our children to learn about it eventually, and there will always be a first time when a concept sounds hard to grasp. It’s a bit like buying clothes for children to grow into - we teach truths that they gradually grow into in understanding.
That’s true for adults too - often when we’re first introduced to ideas like this, we will perhaps push back or feel confused. But after hearing it a few times, it begins to make sense and we start to accept it. Specifically with union with Christ, there are lots of helpful images and metaphors that can make it fun to teach to kids.
I’ve also really valued how this has forced us, as a team, to engage with doctrine in a way we might not have done otherwise.
So, lots of positives — but also a fair few challenges...
Union with Christ, like many doctrines, is abstract and hard to get our heads around. That’s especially tricky for children, whose brains aren’t yet wired for that sort of conceptual thinking. We found that many of the kids really struggled to understand what union with Christ meant, often interpreting it in a literal or physical way.
It’s also been tough on our leaders, particularly those with less experience. I’ve often found myself feeling bad for giving them such a difficult topic to teach. Week by week, it’s been hard to gain momentum, because no one can really remember what we learned the week before.
Lessons learnt
Do I regret teaching union with Christ to children? No - mainly because God is sovereign. And if Paul can talk about “forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead” (Philippians 3v13), despite his past, then I don’t need to feel bad about biting off more than anyone could chew in the kids' work! But there are definitely some lessons I’ve learned. Here are a few:
- Pick what serves the children, not just what excites me
I need to choose material that the children can understand and benefit from - not just whatever I’ve been reading and getting excited about lately. - Be aware of what kind of food they can digest
In 1 Corinthians, Paul talks about spiritual infants only being able to handle milk, not solid food. While that’s a call for growth, it also means that we shouldn’t serve “solid food” to those who aren’t ready for it. If we want children to grow, we must start by feeding them milk - not overwhelming them with truths they can’t yet digest. - Make sure other leaders feel able to ask whether this really is a good idea
In youth and children's ministry, it can sometimes feel like a badge of honour to say you’re tackling a lesser-known doctrine or obscure book of the Bible. But I need people around me who will challenge me and push back, to help me ask whether it’s really a wise idea. And I’m really grateful for those who do.
