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Are You Teaching Facts or Nurturing Faith?

Are You Teaching Facts or Nurturing Faith?

Last updated on: August 21, 2024 at 11:07 am by Joy Wendling, MA

Are You Teaching Facts or Nurturing Faith? 2024-08-21T11:07:51-07:00 Joy Wendling, MA

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Faith is about relationships, not facts. | Photo by Ivorymix.com.

As parents and children’s ministry leaders, we often unintentionally focus on teaching our kids facts about God rather than helping them develop a genuine relationship with Him. This approach, while well-intentioned, may not effectively nurture their faith. Let’s explore the difference between knowing facts about God and truly knowing Him.

Understanding Two Types of “Knowing”

In Spanish, there are two verbs for “to know”:

“Saber” – to know facts or information
“Conocer” – to be familiar with a person, to have a relationship

When it comes to our children’s spiritual education, we should aim for them to “conocer” God – to know Him personally – rather than just “saber” facts about Him.

Moving Beyond Fact-Based Questions

Often, when discussing Bible stories with our children, we ask questions that focus on memorizing details:

How many loaves and fish did Jesus use to feed the 5,000?
How many stones did David carry to fight Goliath?
What was the name of the king after David?

While these questions help build biblical knowledge, they don’t necessarily nurture faith or deepen a child’s relationship with God.

Engaging Children Through Wonder and Curiosity

Instead of fact-based questions and statements, try asking open-ended questions that encourage reflection and emotional engagement:

I wonder how the boy felt when Jesus used his lunch to feed thousands of people.
Why do you think David took more than one stone if he trusted God?
How do you think it felt to be the king after David, whom God called “a man after his own heart”?

These types of questions help children:

Engage with the story on a personal level
Wrestle with the implications of faith
Move beyond facts to develop a deeper understanding

Embracing the Unknown

It’s okay not to have all the answers. In fact, asking questions without clear answers can lead to rich discussions and imaginative exploration of faith. This approach helps children become what Parenting for Faith calls “God-connected” rather than just “God-smart.”

Practical Tips for Nurturing Faith

Ask curious questions that may not have definitive answers.
Encourage your children to imagine and play with biblical stories.
Focus on helping your kids know God, not just facts about Him.
Share your own wonderings and thoughts about Bible stories.
Create space for open-ended discussions about faith.

Remember, faith is nurtured by growing in relationship with Jesus, not just by accumulating knowledge about Him. By fostering curiosity and wonder, we can help our children develop a vibrant, personal faith that goes beyond mere facts.

This week, challenge yourself to engage with Scripture alongside your children in this new way. Ask a curious question, explore the possibilities together, and watch as your child’s faith begins to flourish in new and exciting ways.

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Relationships and Religion

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About Joy Wendling, MA

Enthusiastic. Passionate. Profound. Joy Wendling is a family pastor, writer, speaker, podcaster, certified parent coach, and founder of Created to Play. She has over 20 years of experience in children, youth, and family ministry, as well as a Master’s in Youth, Family, and Culture from Fuller Theological Seminary. She also is certified in Connected Families Parent Coaching and Parenting for Faith. Her idea of relaxing is gazing at the mountains from her island home with an ice-cold Diet Coke and a good book. Joy lives in the Pacific Northwest and enjoys laughing and playing with her five daughters and husband. You can read more about the author here.

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