How to Teach Your Family Theology

You and I probably don’t think about digging wells. We pull water from wells already dug for us, perhaps long ago. Sometimes we do the same when it comes to teaching our family biblical doctrine. We don’t give time to digging doctrinal wells and we just go on operating life like the water will arrive somehow.

The rich water of doctrine is readily available to us, and as parents and husbands, we should be taking the lead in providing our family access to that water. I want to provide 4 simple and practical ways to dig wells to the deep and rich waters of biblical doctrine.

Talk theologically about preaching

On the drive home from church engage your kids in theological dialogue. Don’t overthink this. Ask them:

1. What did you learn about God?
2. How did this passage help us think about Jesus?
3. What did you learn about sin and the gospel?

These are basic theological questions which have limitless capacities to be answered. They allow you to talk simply, but theologically. After church is the perfect time to follow-up because it maintains the priority of church, even after church; and because you’ve likely all heard the same thing in the message. If you attend a church with children’s church, ask the same questions about their lessons and messages.

Talk theologically about memorizing verses

Growing Fathers has provided several resources¹ for Scripture memory, so I won’t go into methods or motivations for Scripture memory. Hopefully you’re motivated to store the Bible in your kids’ hearts and minds.

Rather, I encourage you to think about how to talk about memorized passages as you’re teaching them. Don’t jump immediately to how a Bible verse should be applied to your kids, but why it’s significant biblically.

You don’t need to know hermeneutics to do this. For example, Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right (Eph. 6:1). Don’t jump straight to, “ok so now obey us.” Ask, “Why does this verse say it’s important to obey?” The answer is theological! God says it! God’s word is authoritative. And it’s right. The only reason we can identify what is right is that God himself is altogether right, therefore he standardizes it and expects it.

We now know him a little better so our obedience is not practically detached action, but theologically rooted action.

Catechize your kids

Catechisms sound daunting and outdated, but they’re actually the most enduringly effective method for settling theology in young hearts. Enduring practices endure because they work.

Catechisms teach kids the way kids naturally seek to learn— they ask questions! We’ve all had the experience of trying to fix pipes or cabinets while being riddled with questions by our children. Catechisms ask and answer the questions of the human heart. We (Growing Fathers) recommend the New City Catechism for its balance of simplicity and profundity, as well as its “kiddish” aesthetic. Start with the simple catechisms and then work your way up to other ones. I still occasionally reassure myself in this truth (New City’s reframing of the Heidelberg Catechism):

Q: What is your only comfort in life and in death?

A: That we are not our own but belong, body and soul, both in life and death, to God and to our Savior Jesus Christ.

Learn creeds as a family

Our Christian theology recognizes three ecumenical creeds: The Apostles, the Nicene, and the Athanasian Creed. The creeds do not intend to teach all theology, but set up and affirm the pillars of theology.

In other words it’s a great way to teach your kids the most essential, or foundational, theology. Indeed, anything anti-credal is not actually Christian. The creeds help us set our kids on solid ground. I recommend the Apostles Creed first. It’s easy and short.

I’ll also add personally, this last method of well-digging is so special to our family. One morning after family worship— wherein we were learning the Apostles Creed— my youngest child wanted to have further conversation about “Jesus Christ, his [God’s] only Son, Our Lord,” and it led to her profession of faith. Doctrine sparks inestimably wonderful conversations.

We wear many hats at home, but few can be as important as “well-digger.” Help your kids discover the rich waters of doctrine, and your whole family will be constantly refreshed.

Footnotes

1. See Songs to Help Your Family Memorize Scripture and How to Plan for Family Worship. ↩