When you bring a child into your family, you pray you will be the best parent possible. You want your child to have the best of everything. That includes wanting them to have all the things they desire, making sure they attend the best schools, and giving them the clothes and shoes they need.
As they grow up, we add extra-curricular activities—like music lessons and sports—to their schedules. Let’s not forget that we also plan vacations and play dates. But do we also think about how our children will be taught that God loves them and the importance of their choosing to have a relationship with Him?
The Bible teaches us that children are a gift from God. They are a blessing and a reward from Him!
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Proverbs 22:6 ESV
Before having a child, we typically talk about the values we want to teach our children. We reflect on what we learned from our parents, grandparents, and other family members. Maybe you and your spouse weren’t raised going to church or under the same denomination, so you keep an open mind with your discussion.
It’s funny how, as parents, we often want our children to have more in life and have more opportunities than we experienced during our childhoods. What did your life look like? Did you go to church and Sunday school, mid-week services, or participate in church-related activities?
Discuss and Determine What Matters
Talk about what is most important to you in raising a child. What is it that you want your child to experience on their Christian journey?
Remember, what you teach your child in the early stages of their life will impact their future.
As a parent, I remember hearing these words in church: “Parents, don’t provoke your child to anger, but raise them with discipline and instruction about the Lord.”
The Bible teaches us that children are a gift from God. They are a blessing and a reward from Him!
How do we do this? By making sure we are teaching them God’s Word and by showing them through our actions how to love one another, how to worship God, and what it looks like to assemble ourselves with other believers.
It is important for you to pray for and with your child. Involve your child in church activities that will teach them the Word of the Lord. It is also important for you to know what your child is learning in church.
Check out the curriculum the church has chosen for their age levels. Be sure your church is teaching your children the values you align with, such as faith, baptism, repentance, and following the Word of God.
Choose the Right Curriculum
Connect with your church as to what they are using to teach your child. There are many options when the church is looking for a curriculum for children. As churches evaluate, they should also think through when and where they want to use the curriculum. Will it be Sunday morning or during the week? Will it be in-person or virtual? Should this curriculum be print material or a digital resource?
Echoes
Echoes Children’s Curriculum
Echoes is designed for and chosen by many African American churches and denominations—it is a leading curriculum for the African American church today. Echoes includes lessons for age levels toddlers through adult.
It is important when teaching children that they can visualize themselves in the lessons they are learning. When children can see themselves in the materials they are using, it makes a difference. It enables them to relate to the lesson and, more importantly, to know that they are included in God’s Story.
The beauty of Echoes lessons is that they help children establish their relationship with the Lord. Children learn about the goodness of God and of His love for them.
In the African American church, children need to understand their cultural history. Echoes provides this with lesson content, images, and stories to which students can relate. Included in teacher guides is an article highlighting a pioneer in the African American culture. This is important because these stories rarely celebrated in schools today.
In the African American church, children need to understand their cultural history.
Echoes curriculum reaches many people. Teachers share testimonies about how biblically sound and relevant the lessons are for all age levels. The lessons challenge students to take what they learn and apply it to what they do each day. Echoes teachers have used the lessons to lead many children to salvation.
Why Echoes?
- Echoes lessons are Christ-Centered and biblically sound.
- Students will learn everyday life lessons to apply in their daily lives.
- Echoes includes a Quarterly Black History Feature.
- Echoes lessons are age appropriate for ages toddler through adult.
- Lessons include Life Needs, Bible Learning, Bible Application, and Life Response.
- Teachers receive Bible resources to help when preparing and teaching the lessons.
- Lessons are available in print or as downloadable PDF’s.
It is often said that it takes a village to raise a child. When it comes to teaching children in church, it takes a community of believers to invest in the lives of children.
Echoes is an excellent investment in teaching today’s church. Children’s lives are nurtured at all ages while studying the Word and becoming disciples of Christ.
To learn more about Echoes, visit EchoesCurriculum.com.
