Why You Need a Curriculum
It’s important when we think about discipling our children that we realize the importance of the curriculum we put in the hands of our leaders. The curriculum is the road map, and it can either keep our children’s ministry on track or lead them astray.
We recommend you choose a curriculum that is word-based and relationally-driven. Our culture has lost its reverence for Scripture, so we must intentionally teach our children that the Bible is authoritative and inspired by God. Beware of children’s curriculums that spend more time entertaining or teaching moralistic lessons. Instead, choose a curriculum in which the gospel is the center of every lesson.
The curriculum should also equip the leader to relate to the children in his or her class because discipleship is about showing the children they are loved by God. We can’t emphasize the importance of leaders who:
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learn the names of each child,
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spend time getting to know something specific about each child,
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pray for each child,
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and who are willing to invest time and energy in knowing the children in their groups outside the walls of your church.
How you train your children’s ministry leaders to use the curriculum you choose is an important part of equipping them to disciple children.