By Mike North

1. Theology
“Theology is faith seeking
understanding”
Practical Theology in Action by Ballard &
Pritchard, 2000, p1
Theology = The Study of God
Recipe for theology:
• Scripture
• Tradition of the church
• Human reason
• Personal experience
(Wesleyan Quadrilateral)
2a Theology of Young People

2. • Young people in the Bible - what is their role in God’s
work?
• Are all children ‘in the Kingdom’? What about children
outside Christian families?
• Baptism - for babies or believers?
• Jesus and children - What did Jesus say and do?
• Spirituality of young people
Do you believe that young people are a gift from
God?
Do you believe that young people can teach adults
something?
Have reasons for your beliefs
2a Theology of Young People
What do you believe about…

3. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not
hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such
as these." Matt 19:14
"Truly I tell you," He said, "unless you change and
become like little children, you will never enter the
kingdom of heaven. Matt 18:3
At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of
heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things
from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to
infants. Matt 11:25
Then some children were brought to Him so that He
might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples
rebuked them. Matt 19:13
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved”
Acts 16:31
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God
is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6: 23
God has already done all of the work. All you must do
is receive, in faith, the salvation God offers.
Eph 2:8-9
Fully trust in Jesus alone as the payment for your
sins. Believe in Him, and you will not perish.
John 3:16
God is offering you salvation as a gift. All you have to
do is accept it. Jesus is the way of salvation.
John 14:6
Theology
2a Theology of Young People

4. Baptism
In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not
performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh
was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been
buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with
him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him
from the dead. Col 2:11-12
Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin,
children also have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed
from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the
freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called . . .
The Church and the parents would be denying a child the
priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to
confer Baptism shortly after birth.
Catholic Church
(http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2
c1a1.htm)
Arguments for / against infant baptism
Circumcision was a sign and seal of physical birth into the Jewish
nation, and baptism is a sign and seal of new birth (born again).
Baptism is for the remission of sins, and infants are not capable of
repenting.
(Luke 3:3, Mark 1:4, Acts 13:24, Acts 19:4)
Infants can not outwardly express faith.
The Lord's Supper and Baptism are both sacraments or
ordinances and are the same sign and seal, since the Lord's
Supper may not be given to unbelievers, neither should baptism.
Baptism represents more than just physical washing, but being
clean and in good standing before God, and therefore regenerate
(Romans 6)
Theology
2a Theology of Young People

5. Verses about Children
CHILDREN - A GIFT:
Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to
shame when they contend with their opponents in court. Psalm 127: 3-5
CHILDREN - TO BE TAUGHT / TRAINED
Impress [these commandments] on your children. Talk about them when
you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and
when you get up. Deuteronomy 6: 7
CHILDREN - COVENANT PROMISE
‘Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for
the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all
whom the Lord our God will call.’ Acts 2: 38-39
2a Theology of Young People

6. Rebecca Nye - Children’s Spirituality -
what it is and why it matters (2009)
2a Theology of Young People

7. Create your own creed
concerning young people.
I believe…
Theology
2a Theology of Young People

8. A Christian Theology of Children (Marcia J. Bunge)
Children are vulnerable. This means we have the responsibility to look
after, genuinely care for and provide for the needs of children.
Children are gifts from God. This means we should respect them, rejoice
over them and celebrate their intrinsic value as human beings made in
the image of God.
Children are still developing and sinful. This means that in all spiritual,
intellectual and moral matters, we need to teach, guide and appropriately
discipline them.
Children are models of faith to adults. This means that children can teach
us something about what it means to be God’s children and members of
his kingdom.
https://www.youthworks.net/articles/developing-a-theology-of-children
Theology
2a Theology of Young People

9. The mission of the church to children is not to try to get
them converted from a sense of sin, but to encourage
continual acceptance of the grace of God along the way.
(Jeschke 1983: 104-106; Bushnell 1967:4).
Jeschke, Marlin. Believer’s Baptism for Children of the Church. Scottdale and Kitchener: Herald, 198
Bushnell, Horace. Christian Nurture. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1967
Theology
2a Theology of Young People

10. God is in relationship – three in one.
Therefore, relationship is
fundamental to all being, and
relationships are at the heart of youth
work.
(p55, Nash/Whitehead)
Theology
2a Theology of Young People

11. Your theology is your
roadmap for ministry.
What you believe will
determine the direction
you go and what you do.
Theology
2a Theology of Young People