Grades 3-5

Give Them the Whole Counsel of God

PARENT EMPHASIS

• Teach the doctrines of the Bible 
• Talk in more detail about the gospel
• Encourage their prayer life

Children undergo enormous cognitive changes during the elementary years. One of the most distinctive features is the transition into reading and writing. Along with that comes an increasing ability to absorb and retain information, apply critical thinking to what they learn, and make personal application to their everyday lives. These are essential years to instruct the mind, engage the heart, and influence the will with the whole counsel of God.

• Introduce more substantial texts to read and study (e.g., an entire narrative/story).
• Demonstrate how to use basic inductive Bible study skills.
• Explain how the Bible is organized.
• Acquaint them with helps often found in Bibles (e.g., introductory notes, glossary/dictionary, commentary, cross references, etc.)
• Point out the unity of Scripture from Old Testament to New
• Testament.
• Guide and implore children to respond in faith and Spirit-empowered
  obedience.

Find more age-specific Bible training in From Childhood You Have Known--Guiding Children to Understand and Treasure the Bible.

FAMILY DEVOTIONALS

• Fighter Verses
• Lord, Teach Us to Pray by Sally Michael
• Your Promise Gives Me Life by Sally Michael
• The World Created, Fallen, Redeemed, and Restored by Sally Michael
• Making Him Known books by Jill Nelson and Sally Michael
• More Than A Story by Sally Michael

MORE DISCIPLESHIP RESOURCES

• The Disciple-Making Parent by Chap Bettis
• Meeting God in His Word by Jill Nelson
• Teach your child about God's good plan for male and female with God's Design by Sally Michael
• Peacemaking for Families by Ken Sande
• Boyhood and Beyond: Practical Wisdom for Becoming a Man by Bob Schulz
• Making a Tech Exit for the Faith of Children webinar with Clare Morell

TOWARD SALVATION

Your Role: caretaker—providing food for the new plant that it may grow

At this stage the child understands that the gospel has implications for him personally—he must either make a personal commitment to Christ or reject the Savior. Saving faith involves surrendering our rebel hearts to God’s control, and this often involves a battle that can be accompanied by emotional swings and attitude/behavioral problems.

We do not see this battle in younger children, because they are unable to count the cost of surrender. However, a 7- to 12-year-old child is more able to understand what is at stake in giving up control of his life to embrace God’s leadership.

This section was excerpted from Helping Children to Understand the Gospel , a booklet for parents about teaching the gospel to their children, that also includes a 10-lesson devotional to help present the gospel to children.