Equipping Parents to Teach Theology to Children

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The church is a partner in discipling children

When it comes to passing on the faith, the church is not a substitute for parents—but a vital partner. Scripture clearly places the primary responsibility for discipling the next generation on parents. Yet the church plays a crucial supporting role. Every time we gather children—whether in Sunday morning programs or midweek childcare—we’re given a meaningful opportunity to reinforce what parents are teaching at home. Children must not be overlooked in our discipleship strategy. When they’re in our care, we have both a responsibility and a privilege: to point them to Christ and help nurture a faith that will grow for a lifetime.

Why choice of curriculum matters

Selecting a curriculum for children’s ministry is a key pastoral responsibility. While you may delegate the task of researching options, it’s essential to review the final selection. That ensures the teaching is both theologically sound and centered on the gospel. Some children’s ministry leaders may prioritize creating a fun environment and unintentionally select curriculum with a ton of games and activities, but one that is theologically shallow. Others may lean toward moralism, favoring character development over solid gospel truth. By staying involved in the selection process, pastors can help ensure that children receive solid theological instruction — without sacrificing creativity and enjoyment in the learning experience.

Supporting parents in their role

Still, our children are only in formal church classroom instruction for an hour or so per week. That doesn’t compare with the scores of weekly hours parents have at home with their children. But sadly, parents can assume the responsibility for teaching theology is the work of the church and wrongly believe we as pastors and the programs we lead are sufficiently accomplishing the task.

We as pastors, on the other hand, can wrongly assume parents are providing the bulk of the theological instruction at home. But are they? Do we even know what percentage of our families are engaging in family devotions? Or, do we know if our parents have a framework and plan for theological instruction at home? Do you provide resources for your parents to use in their homes?

I haven’t met a pastor that didn’t believe theological training of children is important. But far too many pastors assume the parents know what they are doing and are faithfully discipling their children.

Here are a few tips:

1. Take a survey of your parents

discover how many families are engaging in regular family devotions and theological instruction and are following the simple pattern of Abraham’s example to “keep the way of the Lord.”

“For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” (Genesis 18:19)

To be able to keep the way of the Lord your children will need to know what that is. Simply put – “Abraham believed God.” (Romans 4:3, Galatians 3:6, James 2:23)

2. Set an example by faithfully discipling your own children

Pastors are just as prone to failure in this area as other parents in your church. Knowing the importance of training your children and actually doing it are two very different things. If you as a pastor are doing well in this area, encourage your parents to follow your example.

If you are not faithfully teaching your own children, don’t be afraid to share your struggles with other parents. The reality is that every family struggles to maintain family devotions from time to time. When parents hear us admit to our own weakness, they are less likely to feel condemned and more likely to press in with fresh vision.

3. Teach your parents the importance of teaching theology to children

We are not talking seminary here. Break it down – Theos (God) logos (word). Teaching theology is simply telling our kids about God, who he is and what he’s done. That simply means that we familiarize our children with the Bible – from Genesis to Revelation.

Consider Paul’s exhortation to Timothy and the description of how his mom and grandmother discipled him.

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:14–17)

Notice that it doesn’t say, “how from childhood you labored to memorize books of the Bible and endured rigorous testing.” What does it say? “from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings.” If our parents are reading the Bible as a family their children will grow up “acquainted” with the sacred writings.

Why is this important? Paul tells us when he says that the scriptures “are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” Knowing God is the purpose behind our study of theology. The same is true for the children in our church. Remember, the Word of God is living and active and discerns the intentions of the heart and exposes our need for Christ (Hebrews 4:12).

4. Provide tools to help your parents

Parents are often intimidated to teach their children theology and don’t know where to begin. They glance over at the thick study Bible on the shelf in their family room bewildered. The enemy is at the ready to discourage them with his lies – “Don’t even think about taking that Bible off the shelf. You don’t have a clue where to start, and you will end up failing.”

As a pastor, you don’t have to write a home devotional Bible curriculum – that has already been done for you. Twenty years ago, there were few helpful family discipleship resources but today there are many to choose from. I’ve dedicated many of the resources I’ve authored to help parents disciple their children. Rich discipleship resources are also available from authors like, Kevin DeYoung, Sally Michael, Champ Thornton, Jared Kennedy and many more.

Invest in the families of the church by providing a discipleship resource for free. When families with school aged children become new members we give them a copy of Long Story Short or Old Story New depending on the programming of our church. We cover the material for those devotionals in our Sunday children’s ministry and give away the books to parents so they can follow up with companion devotions at home.

5. Train your parents on the art of home discipleship

Solomon offers this wisdom, “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.” (Proverbs 1:8–9). The instruction of both mom and dad are important and result in grace in the life of their children. But Parents can become discouraged quickly.

Here are few simple tips to encourage your parents:

Family devotions can be short and ordinary

All you need is ten minutes a day. Consistency is more important than charisma – the power is in the Word of God not the parent’s presentation.

Expect opposition

The moment you begin family devotions, the enemy will oppose you and try to get you off your game. Expect your children to look bored, complain, get into spats, etc. Don’t let any of this trigger an anger response and don’t give up.

Your kids are listening

Even when it seems like your children are bored stiff know they are listening. The very fact that you are faithfully engaging in theological instruction is communicating a message of priority they will never forget.

Get your children involved

Have your children read the scripture passage, suggest a prayer, or if you have a few older children help them lead through a family devotion from start to finish. Review with them the day’s lesson ahead of time so that they know what to present and then encourage them for the job they did. Remember, many of our sons and daughters will have children of their own one day and need to know how to lead a family in devotions.

Expect that life will get busy and you will drop devotions

Life is busy, and parents should approach family devotions with the expectation that interruptions will come. Whether it’s sickness moving through the household or an especially hectic season filled with back-to-back activities, there will be times when devotions are missed—and getting back on track may not be easy. But if parents anticipate these challenges, they’ll be less likely to fall prey to the enemy’s lies whispering that they’ve failed. Recognizing the ups and downs as part of the journey helps them persevere with grace.

Training the next generation in the things of God (Theology) is a partnership between the church and the parents. We see this in Aspah’s charge in Psalm 78. He points out the instruction of fathers (Psalm 78:4-3) but then goes on to say, “We,” (the community of believers), “will not hide them” (the glorious deeds of the Lord) from their children (the children in the gathered community of saints.)

“things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.”
(Psalm 78:3–4)

Let’s ensure as pastors that we are doing all we can to train the next generation in sound gospel theology while they are under our care. Let’s also purpose to help equip parents to do the same at home.

© 2025, Marty Machowski. All rights reserved. Used by permission.