22 Ways to Teach Kids HOW to Think

And Not Just WHAT to Think

June 19, 2009 in Teaching Tips with Comments (1)
I recently read a statistic about the overwhelming number of kids that grow
up in church then leave as soon as they graduate high school. It got me
thinking. Why are kids leaving the church in droves? Should we just blame
it on the evil influences of culture? Are those of us who work in Childrens
Ministry failing to give them enough information? Are we not praying for
them enough? Is it just inevitable? What are we doing wrong? Most
importantly, what if anything can we do to fix it?
One problem I have observed with many kids in our society is that they are
taught WHAT to think and not HOW to think. We live in a time and a
culture where many people just do not possess the mental skills to critically
think through an issue and come to a conclusion on it. This failure to teach
our kids how to think is a serious issue in the secular world where
indecisiveness seems to be a virtue. But, it is critical in the spiritual realm
where we must teach our kids that faith in Christ is not a blind faith but a
considered faith. Faith is not a leap so much as it is a choice. In order to
teach them these truths, it is critical that we teach them more than just
who Jesus is or how to accept him we must teach them how to question
their faith and determine for themselves what they truly believe.
Both in Childrens Ministries and with our own kids as parents, we often
focus on filling our kids minds up with information. We tell them the stories
of the Bible, we encourage them to memorize scripture and we try to lay a
foundation of facts. Sometimes we try to fill their hearts up with emotions.
We teach them about the love of God and how to love other people. And,
while all of this is necessary in the spiritual growth of our kids, I wonder
sometimes whether we are missing the forest for the trees. Are we
teaching our kids in a just the facts dragnet style? Are we emphasizing
moral lessons to the determinant of the gospel? Are we teaching our kids
what to believe without encouraging them to question their beliefs and
figure out why they believe what they do? In my spiritual walk, I have found
that two things solidify Gods truths in my mind and heart more than
anything else. The first is teaching Gods truth to others. The second is

critically working through challenges to my faith. Those challenges come

both from other people and from me. A faith that is untested tends to
wither and die. A faith that weathers the storm of critical analysis grows
stronger and more enduring.
So, how do we encourage our kids to think about God and analyze their faith
even at a young age? How do we teach them the critical skill of questioning
their faith and working through the answers? How do we teach the essential
skills of critical analysis? Here are twenty-two ideas for elementary age
kids:
1. Encourage questions. Every week in our Childrens Ministry we have
some time for small group discussion or a craft for the kids to
complete related to the lesson. Over the last year or so, there have
been a number of times when we have asked the kids to draw or write
something about their own lives related to the topic we discussed that
weekend. And, every week, there are a number of kids who cant think
of anything to write or draw. By way of example, last weekend we
learned about having faith in God when we are afraid. I had at least
two kids explain to me that they have never been afraid of anything.
By far the easiest week we ever had was when we asked kids to write
down their questions about heaven. Rather than struggling to come up
with questions, most of the kids were struggling to decide which
question to ask. The point is clear kids have plenty of questions!
That is true in everyday life, and it is definitely true when it comes to
matters of God and spiritual things. We should always encourage kids
to voice their question. You never know when the answer may be the
one the forever deepens the faith of a child.
2. Draw questions out of kids. So, weve seen that kids have plenty of
questions, but there are a some kids who just dont want to ask them.
Whether they are shy or embarrassed or whatever the reason may
be, as workers in Childrens Ministry we must establish the kind of
environment that not only encourages questions but draws them out
from those kids who are reluctant to ask them. Ask kids what is on
their mind. Leave time for questions and answers. Call on kids who
may be reluctant and ask them to give you a question. Have reluctant
kids ask the children who are less reluctant what they learned that
weekend.

3. Let kids know that it is OK to ask questions about God. Remind

kids that our God is a big God, and he can take our questions. There is
no question that catches God by surprise or changes his love for us.
There is no question that God cannot answer. We serve a God who
encourages us to test everything (1 Thessalonians 5:21)! Not only does
God not object to questions, we must teach our kids that God actually
loves their questions. Meditating on their faith is a means of
worshipping God. Really trying to understand Gods word brings him
glory, and God loves it!
4. Model asking questions in your life. Kids learn best by example. We
must model asking hard questions about God and about our faith. We
must share with them how we have worked through our own questions
about God. We can even suggest questions for kids to think about.
5. Be prepared to answer their questions. When were working with
kids to teach them how to think through their faith, it is critical that
we be prepared. That means we must actively engage in the same kind
of critical analysis in our own lives and in our own walks with God so
that we can lead kids through the process.
6. Try to lead the child to an answer rather than just giving it to
them. It is easy to just answer a question especially if youre in a
hurry. It is harder, but much more edifying, to help a child work
through their question prompting them when necessary. For example,
if a child asks you about the trinity, ask them what they know about it
before launching into to your own answer. If a child asks you about a
moral decision, ask them what verses they remember from the Bible
which might be applicable. If you have to just give them an answer in
the end, thats OK. However, when the opportunity exists to lead a
child to the answer rather than just give it, you should make the most
of that opportunity.
7. Never minimize a childs question. Sometimes kids ask questions
which seem simple or trivial or which are an annoyance in the grand
scheme of trying to teach your lesson. That said, you must never
minimize their questions. The question was important enough to them
to ask it, and you should treat it with the same level of importance in
answering. If you dont, you risk building a culture where the kids do
not feel free to ask questions.
8. Try to figure out if there is a bigger question behind the question
which was articulated. Another reason not to minimize any question

is because the questions that children ask sometimes mask bigger

questions which are on their minds. They may not feel comfortable
asking the question that they really want the answer to, or they may
not even know how to express it. Your job as the adult is to try to
figure out what the bigger question might be and help your child to
think through that issue.
9. Be willing to admit when you dont know the answer. Kids are pretty
astute. If you try to fake your way through an answer, one of two
things will happen. You will either teach them some flawed theology
that could stick with them and harm their spiritual journey, or they
will see right through you and no longer trust you to answer their
questions. If you dont know the answer to a childs question, use that
as an opportunity to work through that question alongside the child.
What a wonderful opportunity to teach them exactly what critical
thinking and evaluation of a question looks like! Teach them how to
brainstorm answers, and use the Bible to come up with the right
answer.
10. Ask hypothetical questions. This encourages children to apply what
they have learned. Give them age appropriate scenarios and ask them
what they would do. If theyre wrong, dont just tell them theyre
wrong and move on. Encourage them to think through the issue and
explain why they gave the answer they did. Encourage them to
explore the other sides of the hypothetical question.
11. Ask questions where the answer is not always God or Jesus. Kids
will default to these answers at church, and with good reason! Most
of the answers to the questions they are asked at church are either
Jesus or God. Obviously our lessons will focus on God, but we must go
out of our way to ask questions in such a manner that the kids will
have to think about their answers.
12. Ask open-ended questions. Simple yes/no questions and factual
questions serve a purpose, but in order to get kids thinking, it is
important to ask open ended questions. Dont just ask who saves us,
ask kids why they think God saves us. Dont just ask who spent three
days in the belly of a big fish, ask the kids why a fish? Dont just ask
where the tower was when God confused the peoples language, ask
the kids what life would be like if everyone understood everyone else.
Dont just ask how many people Jesus fed with the bread and fish,
ask why Jesus used the bread and fish rather than just creating more

food. All of these types of questions force kids to think about their
answers.
13. Encourage kids to consider other perspectives. Ask them how other
people they know might handle a situation. Ask them what they would
say if they had to defend the opposite position on an issue you are
discussing. Ask them why they think some people dont believe in God.
Teaching kids to identify and think about potential issues in their way
of thinking (right or wrong) helps them to critically analyze what they
believe and to arrive at a considered opinion rather than leaping to a
conclusion or basing there conclusion solely on feelings.
14. Encourage kids imaginations. Imagination spurs on the thought life.
Encourage kids to draw pictures and make up stories. Show them a
picture and ask them to tell you a story about. Help them if you must,
but encourage them along the way to come up with their own story. In
encouraging their imaginations, you are encouraging them to think and
to think outside the box. You are encouraging them to pay attention
to details. All of these skills are useful in learning how to think.
15. Ask kids what they think something means before you tell them.
Read kids a Bible story and encourage them to tell you what they think
it means. Offer the kids a scripture verse and ask them to explain it
to you. All of these exercises move us from teaching kids what to
think to teaching them how to think!
16. Teach kids to keep an open mind. Most kids, most people in fact,
think they are right most of the time. It is important to teach kids
how to keep an open mind. Once a child decides they are right and
there is no reason to even entertain dissenting opinions, they have
closed themselves off to thinking and analyzing their beliefs and
positions critically. Truth is truth, and it can stand up to rigorous
examination. There is no danger in keeping in an open mind.
Ultimately we hope that our kids will have strong convictions and an
open mind based on their own analysis of the evidence.
17. Teach children that there is right and wrong in the world. In the
post-modern, relativistic world that we live in, and that kids are
subjected to every day, it is important that they realize that there is
such a thing as right and wrong. However, it is not enough just to tell
them this truth, you must show them why it is true. We must teach
them that truth exists because God exists and that the Bible is the
revealed truth of God.

18. Work to move kids from the milk to the meat of Christianity.
Dealing with children either as parents or in Childrens Ministry is an
act of discipleship. All too often, we underestimate what kids are
capable of. I think this leads to a tendency to teach knowledge
rather than the acquisition of knowledge. Give your kids room to
amaze you. Reiterate the elementary principals of the gospel, but
work some meat into their spiritual diet. These issues will often lead
to more thoughtful and deeper questions from the kids than the more
elementary principals. I guarantee a talk about the Trinity will
generate more questions than a lesson on how to accept Christ into
your heart. There is room for the latter, but we must not ignore the
former.
19. Encourage children to talk about their doubts. Even kids have
doubts. We must encourage kids to talk about them. Doubts left to
fester can eventually undermine a childs faith. Encourage kids to deal
with their doubts quickly. Doubts are a great way to teach kids the
art of how to think. If a child has a tragic event happen and doubts
the love of God, ask them what they know about Gods love from the
Bible. Point to examples of Gods love in their life. Point to examples
of Gods love in helping you through difficult times.
20.Teach them to actively listen. In order to think critically, we must
be able to listen to other people. This entails a lot more than just
hearing. Encourage kids to not only repeat what you have said but to
tell you what they think you meant. Teach kids to hear people out and
think about what they are saying. Explain to kids that you cant listen
to what someone is saying when your using all of your brain power to
come up with your response before they are even done. This can be
particularly hard with younger children who do not have a long
attention span. However, just because its hard doesnt mean that you
shouldnt encourage it! Make a game out of it. Be deliberate and
repetitive about asking kids to tell you what they think about what
they have heard. Ask them what they think about something one of
their teachers or their piers said.
21. Teach kids to love and to use their Bibles. In other words, teach
them to think biblically! As Christians, we do not worship the Bible,
but we worship him who the Bible teaches us about. Show your kids
how to read the Bible. Teach them how to research issues and moral
question in their Bibles. Show them how to use a study Bible. Talk to

them about tools like concordances and word studies that can help
them understand their Bibles. They may never use one, but just
knowing they exist helps to plant a seed in children. Go to your local
book store and buy age appropriate study tools and show them to your
kids. The number of tools for even young children is amazing. I have
seen childrens study bible, childrens bible dictionaries, childrens
devotionals and so much more. Get kids into the habit of using these
resources when they are young. Instill in them an understanding that
the Bible is Gods revelation given to us to help us with our everyday
lives. Help them apply the Bible to their everyday lives. Even with
kids who are not old enough to read, you can teach them verbally how
to use their Bible to answer their questions or decide on the right
path.
22.Encourage children to pray about their questions and their doubts.
We must encourage kids to take their questions and their doubts to
God in prayer. This may mean leaving a question hanging until the next
week so that the child can pray about it. The next weekend, ask them
if they have been praying about the question, and ask them what they
have learned in their prayer time. Even with the skill of knowing how
to think, it is important for kids to understand that God knows all and
they should take their questions and their decisions to him.
Many thanks go out to a number of my personal friends and fellow workers
who share the calling to minister to Gods children. Thanks for your input
and your suggestions.