Passion for Preschool Ministry

By Sherrie Davidson

Why have "class" for preschoolers during Sunday School and worship hours, especially for two- and three-year-olds?  Aren't they "just toddlers"?  While many may ask this question, the fact is that the brain develops by age five into 90% of the size it will be in an adult!  If the brain is developing that quickly during the infant and preschool years, it is important to teach those little ones the Bible during that time!

“The fact is that the brain develops by age five into 90% of the size it will be in an adult!”

Paul David Tripp says in his Everyday Gospel, "Our children are meaning makers.  They will develop ways of thinking about their identity, about what is important in life, about what is right or wrong, and about relationships... [this] will determine how they live. Every day our children are observing, learning, interpreting, connecting, concluding, associating, and developing a view of life that will guide every word they say, every action they take, and every decision they make."

The preschool years are incredibly important opportunities to instill the Word of God into those little minds. Teaching them that everything in the Bible is TRUE and that the Biblical accounts of Noah, Jonah, Abraham, etc. really did happen instills a view of life that will last into adulthood.  The children are taught what is right and what is wrong (sin) from the lives of these Bible characters.  The children are asked questions to review the Bible lesson, and they are also given the opportunity to ask their own questions!

In the preschool area of Eastland Baptist, the children are taught these truths through visuals, songs, rhymes, table-time activities, and action activities, as well as words.  Teachers, knowing that these children are exposed to screens, sometimes for hours, prepare well to keep the children's attention and engage them in a thought-provoking learning atmosphere.  Thought is put into "telling" the biblical account (Bible story) through facial expressions, voice inflections, flannel graph, and opportunities to act out the story.  The teachers also strive to know and love each child, greeting them outside of the classroom, so the child knows he or she is valued. 

Yes, the preschool years are an incredibly important time to begin to instill biblical Truth that will guide these children throughout a lifetime.