How to Teach Kids Theology: The Epistles Q&A Series

By Jessica Wolstenholm

 

Teaching Theology to Kids

In Volume 12 of his series Buck Denver Asks … What’s in the Bible?, Phil Vischer addresses some of the trickiest topics and biggest theological concepts in the whole Bible from Paul’s epistles. In Volume 12: Letters from Paul!, Vischer talks about grace, faith, justification, sanctification, the fruit of the spirit and more! Many adults have difficulty understanding these topics, so how does Vischer begin to teach theology to kids?

 

Vischer says, “Quite often we shy away from the really big stuff in teaching kids … I don’t think that’s the right approach.”

He explains that our goal shouldn’t be just to tell kids the definitions of big theological terms, but to visualize them in a way that makes them memorable. Vischer uses animated scenes to illustrate the theological concepts of justification, sanctification and the fruit of the spirit in Volume 12.

“For me, the key for explaining complex things to kids, is rather than telling them, show them. Demonstrate the concept,” he says.

 

How to Teach Justification

For example, when teaching about justification, Vischer uses the illustration of a girl pushing her little brother off his bike. That action looks wrong! But it is justified when the illustration shows that the brother was about to bike off of a cliff! Her action is justified – changed from wrong to right.

“It’s not that they’re too complex,” Vischer says. “It’s just that they’re too abstract just to talk about.”

Learn more about justification, sanctification, and other theological terms in Paul’s letters in the latest volume of Buck Denver Asks … What’s in the Bible? – Volume 12: Letters from Paul!. Available now.