Your Children Are Theologians—Make Them Good Ones!

By Hunter Williams

“Are people born wicked, or is wickedness thrust upon them?”

This question not only appears as an early line of dialogue in the widely popular musical-turned-blockbuster hit Wicked, but it also serves as a profound theological question—one that Scripture answers with unwavering clarity.

Many wouldn’t expect to find such an overtly theological question in the origin story of the Wicked Witch of the West, but theological themes and questions are unavoidable. There isn’t a single moment, space, or event in a person’s life that is devoid of theology. Of course, certain people and places promote bad theology, but they are still promoting theological ideas nonetheless.

Because theology is ever-present in our lives, we as Christian parents and educators must ask ourselves, “How do we discern good theology from bad theology, and how do we teach our kids to do the same?”

Sam Luce and I seek to answer this question (among many others) in our book, How to Teach Kids Theology. Throughout its pages, we argue that everyone is a theologian—including you and your children.

Everyone is a Theologian

We make this claim because Scripture states that God has revealed Himself generally to all people in all places (Ps. 19; Rom. 1). Since everyone has received revelation from God in some form, they are theologians. Of course, not all theologians are equal. Some are good, and some are bad. The difference between the two is determined by how a person receives and responds to God’s revelation.

For instance, bad theology can be seen in how our culture responds to God’s revealed design for marriage. The unique biological makeup of humans implicitly reveals the intended union of a man and a woman, and Scripture explicitly defines marriage as a covenant between one man and one woman (Gen. 2) to glorify God and point to Christ’s relationship with the church (Eph. 5). Culture distorts this revelation by redefining the God-given parameters of marriage and rejecting its God-glorifying purpose.

If we want our kids to be discerning in a world of distortion, we must teach them to receive and apply God’s revelation correctly. But how? By providing them with the right source, object, and goal.

The Right Source: Scripture

The primary source through which our children should see and understand all things is Scripture. While God reveals Himself to all people through creation, this revelation is insufficient on its own. Why? Because it is general in nature and suppressed by sin. However, the revelation of God found in Scripture is specific and acts as a corrective lens, bringing clarity to His general revelation.

When children are saturated in the ways and words of Scripture, they gain a clearer understanding of what they experience in the world.

The Right Object: God

God is the right object of good theology. While this may seem obvious, our culture conditions us to place ourselves at the center of all things, and this mindset can influence how we read and interpret God’s Word. It’s easy to open the pages of Scripture and twist its words to fit our own preferences and desires. However, when we recognize that Scripture was written by God to reveal Himself to us, we’ll submit our desires to His truth about us and the world—even when it challenges our own inclinations.

The Right Goal: God’s Glory

This reality brings us to the final piece of good theology: the right goal. The goal of God’s revelation is His glory. Any other goal risks leading to the misapplication of His truth.

For example, if we make ease or efficiency the primary goal of teaching Scripture, we may be tempted to water down difficult stories or oversimplify complex doctrines. On the other hand, when God’s glory is our ultimate goal, we will share what is necessary (even when it’s uncomfortable) and teach what is true (even when it’s challenging).

When our kids have the right source, object, and goal, they are equipped to correctly apply God’s revelation to every area of their lives. Whether they are reflecting on a line from a popular movie or grappling with questions posed by their friends, they will be good theologians who are able to discern truth and proclaim it with confidence.

The concepts in this article are drawn from Chapter 2 of How to Teach Kids Theology by Sam Luce and Hunter Williams.

Hunter Williams is the children’s pastor of Ridgedale Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and co-host of the Cross Formed KidMin podcast. He has served in various ministry roles, including chaplain, youth pastor, and missionary with Awana. He has written articles for numerous ministries, such as INCM, The Gospel Coalition, and KidsMatter magazine, and is the co-author of How to Teach Kids Theology. Hunter and his wife, Sammie, have four children and love serving in their local church.