A look through the Bible on educating young children

by Glen Schultz                                                                                            Vol. XV, No. 7, August 2002

Consider these biblical principles on educating young children.

1. The education of young children is the primary responsibility of parents. Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:18-21; Psalms 78:1-7; 127:3; Proverbs 22:6; Malachi 2:13-16; Ephesians 6:4.

2. The education of young children is a 24 hour-a-day, seven-day-per-week process that continues from birth until maturity. Deuteronomy 6:7; 11:19; Proverbs 22:6.

3. The education of young children must have as its primary goals the salvation of and discipleship of the next generation. Psalm 78:6-7; Matthew 28:19-20.

4. The education of young children must be based on God's Word as absolute truth. Matthew 2 4:35; Psalm 119.

5. The education of young children must hold Christ as preeminent in all of life. Colossians 2:3, 6-10.

6. The education of young children must not hinder the spiritual and moral development of the next generation. Matthew 18:6; 19:13-14; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17.

7. The education of young children, if and when delegated to others by parents, must be done so with utmost care to ensure that all teachers follow these principles. Exodus 18:21; 1 Samuel 1:27-28; 3:1-10

8. The education of young children results in the formation of a belief system or worldview that will be patterned after the belief systems or worldviews of the child's teachers. Luke 6:40. [BP]

[Schultz is director of Christian education for Lifeway Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention and author of Kingdom Education: God's Plan for Educating Future Generations (Broadman & Holman, 1998).]