Big Truths for Small Hearts: 7 Tips for Teaching Theology to Kids

How do you explain the Trinity to a seven-year-old? 

That was the question my friend asked me last week – half laughing, half spiraling. Her son had come home from church asking, “Is Peter Parker to Jesus as Spiderman is to God?” and, well… cue the theological panic. 

As I processed this very intelligent young boy’s question, it got me thinking about how often we find ourselves trying to make really big spiritual truths understandable for really small hearts. 

And I’m not just talking about abstract truths like the Trinity. Even the stories we do teach in Sunday school – Noah’s Ark, David and Goliath, Jonah and the big fish – carry weightier themes than we sometimes realize. Judgment. Violence. Death. Floods. Giants.

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Teaching Theology to Kids Takes Practice

Teaching kids the Bible isn’t simple work. It takes serious skill to take deeply complex theological truths and present them with clarity, compassion, and care. We don’t need to explain every detail or solve every mystery, but we do need to lead with wisdom, guiding the kids in our care toward a deeper understanding of who God is. And through every story we teach, we should point them back to the goodness of God that runs through it all!

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Teaching Theology to Kids: 7 Things Every Leader Should Know

So, how do we actually teach the hard stories of the Bible without skipping over them or dumping too much on kids all at once?

Here are seven things every children’s ministry leader, Sunday school teacher, and Christian parent should keep in mind when teaching theology to kids.

Start with God’s Character

Before diving into the details of a story, begin with the bigger truth: Who is God in this story? What does this moment show us about His heart? When you’re teaching Noah’s Ark, highlight His faithfulness and the rainbow of promise. When you teach Jonah, emphasize God’s mercy and patience.

Framing Bible stories for kids through the lens of God’s character helps them form a healthy and lasting understanding of Scripture. Instead of just learning what happened, they begin to understand that God is good, holy, and deeply loving!

Highlight Redemption, Not Just the Tension

Yes, many Bible stories for children involve hard moments like disobedience, fear, and judgment, but they almost always lead to redemption. That’s the part we want to spotlight!

In Sunday school lessons or midweek ministry programs, help kids see how God brings rescue out of chaos. The flood ends with a new beginning. The fish spits Jonah out. Jesus comes back to life. If we’re going to teach the hard parts, we also need to teach the hope.

Teaching kids the Bible isn’t about skipping the tension. Instead, it’s about showing them what God does with it!

Build in Layers, Not Leaps

One of the most effective strategies for teaching theology to children is to go slowly. Instead of dumping everything into one lesson, teach in age-appropriate layers. Preschoolers don’t need a full breakdown of divine justice, but they do need to know that God is kind and keeps His promises.

As kids grow, their questions grow with them. Revisit familiar stories with deeper insights. Teaching the Bible to kids is a journey of building, reinforcing, and expanding.

Take Their Questions Seriously

Kids ask some of the best (and hardest!) questions. And when they do, it’s a sign that they’re engaging deeply with the story – and with God.

In children’s ministry, those moments matter. Don’t brush them off or panic if you don’t have a perfectly polished answer. Instead, affirm the question, share what you know, and be okay with the mystery. A simple “That’s a great question. Let’s talk about it together” can go a long way.

It’s also more than okay to say, “I don’t know,” or “Let me get back to you on that.” Those responses model humility and give kids permission to keep asking, wondering, and growing.

Answering kids’ Bible questions isn’t about having perfect theology. It’s about being a faithful, present guide  who walks with them as they discover who God is.

Don’t Skip the Hard Stories – Shepherd Through Them

Some Bible stories feel intense. Others feel confusing – or even a little dark. And in kids ministry, the temptation is to tiptoe around them or skip them altogether. But teaching difficult Bible stories to kids can be one of the most powerful opportunities for discipleship, especially if we approach it with care. Avoiding hard stories doesn’t protect kids. It simply creates gaps in their understanding of God’s Word. And those gaps can grow into confusion or distrust later on. Our job is to walk kids through it with wisdom.

That said, you don’t need to cover every story at every age. Some parts of Scripture simply aren’t age-appropriate for younger kids, and that’s okay. Use discernment. Ask what this group of kids needs right now. What truths are foundational at this stage? What can be saved for later?

When you do choose to teach a heavier story, slow down. Pray before you teach. Choose clear, gentle language. Focus on what the story reveals about God’s character: His justice, His mercy, His rescue, His faithfulness.

You don’t have to explain everything. You just have to shepherd them through it.

Pay Attention to Emotions Not Just Information

It’s easy to focus on the facts of a Bible story: what happened, who did what, what it means. When you’re teaching kids theology, however, it’s just as important to pay attention to how the story feels. Does it spark fear? Confusion? Curiosity? Awe?

When you name and validate those emotional responses, you create space for deeper trust. You let kids know it’s okay to feel unsure, to ask hard questions, and to sit tension. Saying things like, “That part makes me feel sad too,” or “That’s a really big moment, isn’t it?” helps children feel seen and safe.

Kids may not remember every detail of a story, but they will remember how it made them feel and how you walked with them through it.

Partner With Parents

Sunday school may last 30 minutes a week, but discipleship at home happens every day. As ministry leaders, we can serve families well by equipping them to continue the conversation at home, especially when it comes to big theological ideas.

Offer simple resources, reflection questions, or just a heads-up when a lesson touches on a more complex topic. And if you’re a parent yourself? Remember that your dinner-table chats, bedtime prayers, and car ride conversations are doing more than you think.

You don’t have to be a theologian. Just be present. Ask good questions. Keep pointing your kids (and the kids in your care) to Jesus.

You’re Not in This Alone

Teaching theology to kids takes wisdom, creativity, and a whole lot of grace. You don’t need perfect answers. You just need a steady heart, a soft voice, and a commitment to pointing kids back to the goodness of God.

And you don’t have to do it alone!

Tithely offers tools that help you steward your ministry well, from secure kids check-in to volunteer coordination and simple communication solutions. We’re here to support you every step of the way.

Explore resources and ministry tools at Tithely.com, and keep going! You’re doing holy work.

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