LESSON DESCRIPTION

The realities and challenges that face the church today regarding the present culture’s values and mindset toward children do not differ from the realities and challenges God’s people faced regarding children throughout the Bible. Children have been and still are the smallest, weakest, and most vulnerable humans in society. Children are easily exploited and are the primary recipients of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. They often are silenced, treated in a condescending manner, patronized, and deemed as second-class citizens in society. 

While progress has been made in light of children’s rights, there still exists an acceptable cultural norm of ignoring the “least of these.” At times, the church has allowed the culture to dictate our view of children, even narrowing our conceptions of children’s place in the kingdom of God. As members of the body of Christ, we affirm that humans are a unique and distinct creation of God in that each person is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Yet, while we may affirm the image of God in children, we may still fail to value their personhood and spiritual life. This lack of integration becomes evident in the ministry models used in the church today. 

In this lesson, the student will be challenged to assess their present view regarding the value of children and their spiritual life so that local ministry may reflect God’s commitment to every child. We will examine the biblical witness, historical witness, and practical witness so that we may develop a sound theology regarding the value of children and their spiritual life. These three aspects are the building blocks in the foundation of a theology that truly values children and their spiritual life.