Teaching Children to Have a Correct View of Who God Is

By Amber Pike

Children are naturally inquisitive. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, educator, or ministry leader, if you work with kids, you get asked a lot of questions. “Why?” is a particularly popular question, but children’s questions can range from “What’s for dinner?” to “Can you help me?” to “How many types of cats are there?” and everything in between. Sometimes the seemingly endless amount of questions can be exhausting, until a child’s question causes us to pause: “Does God love everyone?”

While children are learning, growing, and figuring out the world around them, they are also trying to understand who God is and why they should follow Him. As parents, grandparents, ministry leaders, and educators, we must be intentional about giving our children an understanding of God and helping them correctly answer the question, “Who is God?”

Who is God?

God is loving (John 3:16).

God is kind (Rom. 5:8).

God is omnipotent (Gen. 1:1).

God is holy (Rev. 4:8).

God is just (Rom. 6:23).

God is wise (Isa. 40:28).

God is eternal (Ps. 90:2).

God is caring (1 Pet. 5:7).

God is our Savior (Isa. 43:11).

God is… loving, kind, merciful, holy, sovereign, just, mighty, powerful, wise, good, eternal, caring, Creator, our Savior. 

We could go on and on listing attributes of God and fill page after page after page listing the amazing deeds God has done. In fact, we could spend our entire life trying to fully understand God and never fully know Him. Psalm 145:3 reminds us that “His greatness is unsearchable.”

If we can’t fully and completely understand God, then how are we to help the boys and girls under our care develop a correct view of who God is? We start with the Bible.

A correct view of God stands on the authority of Scripture.

The Bible is not a collection of man’s thoughts on who God is, but rather it is God’s inspired Word (2 Tim. 3:16) in which He reveals Himself to us. Since we know that the Bible is from God and every word is true (John 17:17), we can trust what the Bible reveals to us about God. 

You could read book after book, listen to podcast after podcast, searching for man’s thoughts and opinions on God. Some will be accurate, with a foundation built on the Word. Others, however, are just plain wrong.

Here are just a few of the wrong views of God portrayed in current books and media for kids:

• God is the “big mamma” in the sky who created the world.

• God can be a he, she, or it—whatever you decide.

• All gods are the same.

• God is quirky, human, and often makes mistakes.

We must be careful when we bring in resources other than the Bible. Even resources that seem “Christian” can misrepresent God in their attempt to make the book relatable. Thankfully, though, God has made it easy for us to learn about who He is and what He has done. He’s given us the Bible!

As we teach boys and girls from God’s Word and disciple them, they can begin to develop a correct view of who God is. As they draw near to God, like Hebrews 11:6 tells them, they can begin to seek Him, know Him, and follow Him. What a gift that the God who spoke the universe into existence with the power of His voice wants us to know Him.

There is a danger when children have a misguided view of who God is.

Understanding who God is isn’t a suggestion or merely a good idea. It’s crucial for faith. Without understanding God, we can’t understand our need for salvation. Apart from God, we can’t know love, because God is love. Without a correct view of who God is, we can’t understand the Bible, our world, or even the purpose of life. A person’s faith depends upon knowing God.

When children don’t have a correct view of who God is, according to the truth of His Word, their faith is in jeopardy (if they develop a faith at all). If a child views God as distant and unloving toward humanity, that child will have no desire to follow Him. If a child believes that all gods are the same, then he or she will not understand that God is the one true God and that Jesus is the only way in which they can be saved. That child will face eternal judgment for their wrong belief.

Children need to understand that God Almighty created the world with the power of His voice. They need to understand God’s radical and redemptive love for them. They need to understand God’s mercy, grace, and forgiveness. They need to fear God and realize He is good and sovereign. Eternity is at stake.

How do we practically teach children to have a correct view of who God is?

Whether you teach at home, school, or church, these four tips will help children correctly understand God.

1. Always read from the Bible. Many lessons, curricula, and devotionals center on man’s thoughts versus God’s Word. Read from the Bible! Have children reading God’s Word in their physical Bibles. Commentary can be useful during your preparation, but children need to hear God’s Word, not only man’s opinions. 

2. Teach God’s Word as truth. We can’t pick and choose which parts of the Bible we believe are true. All of its Words are true; teach them as such. Take it a step further and show children how we know that the Bible is true. Bring in archeological evidence, show scientific discoveries, and read historical confirmations of the events, people, and places in the Bible, all happening just as God’s Word says.

3. Don’t neglect prayer. Though God reveals Himself to us through His Word, He also reveals Himself to us through His Spirit (1 Cor. 2:10). Lead children in prayer, allowing the Spirit to reveal Himself to them.

4. Study the attributes of God. Whether you have a designated study on the attributes of God or you just point out His attributes during your regular Bible reading, be intentional about showing children different attributes of God. If the goal is for children to know God, we need to be intentional about showing Him to them.

Teach children to respond to who God is. 

Having head knowledge about God is well and good, but we shouldn’t stop there. Once a child begins to understand who God is, what’s next? Responding. Hopefully, the children in your life will respond to God by choosing to follow Him as their Lord and Savior. If you have questions about how to lead a child to Christ, make sure to check out my article “Leading a Child to Christ” on the RenewaNation blog.

There is another response that children (and adults) should have to who God is: praise. Praise is our response to who God is and what He has done. Teach children to respond to who God is through praise. As they learn more about God, His character, attributes, and actions, lead the children in praise! Worship through song. Have times of thanksgiving. Dance with joy like King David did. As their hearts gain understanding about God’s goodness and greatness, their natural response should be to praise God for it. Provide the opportunity, join in with them, and praise the Lord!

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​​Amber Pike (amberpike.org) serves as the Church and Family Ministry Coordinator at RenewaNation and managing editor of The RenewaNation Review. Amber is the author of Exploring the Bible Through History, The Family Cookbook Devotional, Top 50 Ordinary People in God’s Extraordinary Plan, Intentional Children’s Ministry, and Praise Him: A 30-Day Family Devotional. She is a speaker, content creator, curriculum writer, and host of The Kidmin Huddle podcast. Her most important (and favorite) role in life, however, is taking care of the wonderful family God has blessed her with.