In the previous post, I discussed my top reason for teaching the Bible to my kids. Here are five more.
To equip my kids to respond to the gospel.
We must remember that the divine, mysterious work of salvation occurs in context. We can plant the seed of truth in the hearts of our children, and we can nourish this seed, and then we depend on the Spirit to give this work fruit (1 Cor. 3:5–7). That fruit—the salvation and redemption of our children—normally comes after continued exposure to the light of Christ. As we share His truth, we trust the Spirit to bring our children closer to Himself.
In salvation, God turns the lights on—and our hearts see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. As teachers, we must help direct kids into that light, giving them time to respond to its warmth. The more we show Jesus to our kids, the more willing they’ll be to submit to Him when the Spirit works.
To equip their hearts to worship properly.
We worship the God we know and we love, so errors in our theology will result in errors in our worship. But as we teach our kids to stand in awe of God—as He is revealed in His Word—the Spirit will direct and focus their worship. They will learn to reject anything that does not reflect the God they know.
If worship is the fire of the heart, we can add fuel through the knowledge of God. Give them a glimpse of their God, and watch Him set ablaze their passion (Isa. 6:1–7).
To train their consciences.
The more we teach our kids about the character and work of God, the more they’ll want to reflect God through their decisions. No one can maintain a “Christian worldview” without a knowledge of Christ. Christianity is worthless without Him (1 Cor 15:1–28).
We cannot simply teach our children to defend their faith—we must focus their faith on the true, loving, personal Jesus Christ. Faith is only as important as its object.
To realign their values.
When we present to our kids the eternal treasure of Christ, they will learn to value the eternal over the temporal. They will see that life in Christ and life for Christ is never a waste. They will seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness before all else.
To reach another generation.
Truth is a burden, but our children will not carry it just for their own sake. They’ll have the responsibility to reflect light and love to others—their own children, perhaps, and everyone else they meet.
By passing our love for Christ on to our children, we entrust them with an inheritance more valuable than any other wealth or wisdom. By teaching our kids truth, we teach our grandkids truth, and our great-grandkids. We trust God to direct His Word as He sees fit.
Teaching the Word and multiplying disciples for Christ—if that sounds like the Great Commission, it’s because we teachers are privileged to pursue it every day.
Born in Chicago but raised out West in a pastor’s family, Jason Ehmann has been involved with ministry all his life. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in Bible and a master’s in Counseling, Jason has served as youth pastor, senior pastor, and now president at Positive Action. Today he helps pastors and teachers show God’s glory and grace to their students. A big fan of coffee, Jason also enjoys skiing and football, as well as art and design. He and his wife live in North Carolina with their four children.
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