Download “Gospel-Centered Children’s Curriculum” PDF

So what curriculum do you recommend

Rarely do I leave a comment on a blog, but here’s one of my first: I have been wanting to think out loud and develop Christ-centered, gospel-driven children’s curriculum (Christian education): thanks for doing this. Gives me a jumpstart where I’ve been putting thoughts off to another day. Send more thoughts, links, curricula.

Thank you so much for articulating what I’ve been thinking for several years about children’s curriculum! I hope you don’t mind that I am sharing thoughts from your article with a group of 150 women during a Bible study this week (I’ll direct them to your blog!) In this day of so much spiritual confusion, instilling the truth of the gospel in our children, instead of just good morals, is so important. And thank you for the curriculum suggestions, I’ll check them out; I’m directing Children’s Ministries in a new church plant and this will help us get off the ground on the right foot.

Hello Yancey,
I have been in kids ministry as a kids director in three different churches with 200 kids plus for many years. I am currently serving as what I thought was an interim position with Redemption Bible Church (part of Acts 29) I thought I was burned out because of the years. Or maybe I needed to switch to Jr. Hi? (crazy right?)
I was online once again searching for curriculum and came across your article. I was hit like a tsunami(in a good way) and flattened on my face before God with the realization that I was simply burned out on just giving kids values and morals instead of helping them develop soft hearts that are open to Jesus and his gospel. I have been inspired and revived by the article.
I shared it with my Pastor who then attended my recent RKids training and shared his heart concerning his desire and responsibility to oversee gospel-centered curriculum in our kids dept. Our teachers/volunteers hearts were also opened and inspired. I stood before them and asked for the privilege of leading them and serving them as their Kids Deacon.
I am a former teacher who has always thought that I would one day write our curriculum. Because of your article and Gods leading I now meet each week with our Pastor and we have developed our first month of curriculum!
Thank you for sharing your vision and helping to change my heart! May God greatly bless you!

Everforward,
Julie Huguley
P.S. May we have permission to post your article on our website for our volunteers as part of our training?

Excellent article. You articulated many of the things I have been trying to communicate within our church. We are in the process of taking a look at the God’s Story curriculum from Covenant Life.

Blessings, bro. Really good article. We utilize Children Desiring God at this point. Found that the supporting work around it with parents and complimentary work on Wednesday nights is (potentially) really helpful. However, material still only as good as conveyed by the teachers, and they must be gospel-saturated thinkers and communicators. That’s particularly a challenge when transitioning a church more that direction, away from moralistic leanings. Hope Jen is doing well.

Thanks for this article Yancey; I was so excited to read your well articulated thoughts on something I believe so passionately! This is one of the biggest problems in our churches today. I search and pray that I can find some curriculum that will be gospel centered for our teachers to give to our children. So far I have found two; “The Story”, by Sovereign Grace ministries, and “Children Desiring God”, by Bethlehem Baptist Church. I see others have found these as well. I would love to know of others if they are out there. I too will be giving your article to my teachers to read and savor.

Hi Yancey! Do you remember me? We were on staff together at Lake Pointe back in the day. I am still a Children’s Pastor, and SO very burdened by this. My son is very involved in ministry to Muslims, and we took Perspectives with him last year. It totally ruined me for the ordinary! And now I see what we teach in our typical curriculums is so far off the mark. I am fairly new at this church, and we are using a curriculum that is very popular (you can probably guess which one!) , but unfortunately falls into the category you describe in this article. I SO want to change this! My friend Kevin Harbuck shared this link with me and I am grateful for the info and to reconnect with you.

Your article is wonderful. I brought the concept of teaching a chronological gospel to Discovery Clubs (Creation, Corruption, Rescue and Restoration). Thankfully they received this new direction – with some reservations. It is very hard to change the mentality of those who adhere to morality based curriculum. I have been writing a children’s curriculum for our organization for the past two years. Last year we introduced it to all of our volunteers, and held a special training session just to teach them the “Big Story.” The response has been overwhelming. They come up afterwards and ask if I can come teach it at their church. It makes me so sad that God’s people are walking around so ignorant of the wonderful larger redemption story that is woven throughout Scripture. This has been a radical shift for Discovery Clubs. The executive Director has had her eyes opened to the beauty of a gospel-centered curriculum. However, because I am her sister, she has needed validation from outside sources. Your article helped to sanction my push in this direction. I am so excited about how God is using this in the children’s lives and the volunteers. They are receiving a biblical foundation and worldview. My passion for this fundamental teaching is growing by the day. Grace to you, Kinsey

Great work. Keep up blessing this generation