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Give Them Truth: Teaching Eternal Truths to Young Minds
Christian parents and churches want their children to believe and live by the truth of God’s Word. But can children believe what they do not know? We want our children to love and serve God. But can they love Him if they know little about Him? Give Them Truth is a call to rigorously teach children the Bible and its doctrine. While head knowledge alone is never enough, it is the place we must begin. This book shows what our children need to know, why they need to know it, and how to begin to teach it to them.
208 pages, Paperback
First published April 13, 2015
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141 people want to read
About the author
Starr Meade
32 books10 followersStarr Meade served as director of children’s ministries for ten years at her local church and taught Latin and Bible for eight years in a Christian school. She is a graduate of Arizona College of the Bible and has authored a number of books, including Training Hearts, Teaching Minds. Starr and her husband live in Arizona where she currently teaches home school students and is mother to three grown children and three grandsons.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 17, 2018
This book is written not just for parents but for anyone teaching children (as such, it is disclosed as "not a book on parenting"). It acknowledges the importance of the heart, as well as personal salvation, yet it stresses that we must not neglect the head, because we cannot believe what we do not know.
This book is in three parts. Why Our Children Need to Know discusses the significance of "head knowledge", not only as the body of truth central to Christianity but also as the "lifeboat" for all the struggles, trials, opposition, and cultural lies our children will eventually face in life. What Our Children Need to Know provides high-level yet solid discussions of core areas of Christian knowledge (as well as some age-appropriate application/explanation ideas), from God's person and attributes, the person and work of Jesus Christ, and Humanity, to Scripture, Salvation, the Church, and God's Law. How to Help Our Children Know offers some general how-tos, such as learning to read well, and some more specifics regarding the "grammar" of Bible and Christian doctrine, such as catechism.
Overall, I appreciate (and agree with) the premise and content of Give Them Truth. While I did feel it was "preaching to the choir" (and then also long-winded at times, and redundant especially in the bullet lists of key points at the end of every section, sometimes almost as long as the section itself), nevertheless it is a good reminder of why we all need head knowledge, for the solidity and stability of our faith especially in an age of "tolerance", moral (etc.) relativity, and self; it is also a good reminder of some foundational tenets of our faith. Note in my opinion this book has a Reformed/Calvinist slant, which may be a source of disagreement in some areas, such as sovereignty and salvation (primarily), depending on the reader's viewpoint.
"Biblical, doctrinal, Christian knowledge is the foundation of all we long for our children to have. If their religion consists of experience or emotions or good behavior, their religion will crumble in the end" (34).
This book is in three parts. Why Our Children Need to Know discusses the significance of "head knowledge", not only as the body of truth central to Christianity but also as the "lifeboat" for all the struggles, trials, opposition, and cultural lies our children will eventually face in life. What Our Children Need to Know provides high-level yet solid discussions of core areas of Christian knowledge (as well as some age-appropriate application/explanation ideas), from God's person and attributes, the person and work of Jesus Christ, and Humanity, to Scripture, Salvation, the Church, and God's Law. How to Help Our Children Know offers some general how-tos, such as learning to read well, and some more specifics regarding the "grammar" of Bible and Christian doctrine, such as catechism.
Overall, I appreciate (and agree with) the premise and content of Give Them Truth. While I did feel it was "preaching to the choir" (and then also long-winded at times, and redundant especially in the bullet lists of key points at the end of every section, sometimes almost as long as the section itself), nevertheless it is a good reminder of why we all need head knowledge, for the solidity and stability of our faith especially in an age of "tolerance", moral (etc.) relativity, and self; it is also a good reminder of some foundational tenets of our faith. Note in my opinion this book has a Reformed/Calvinist slant, which may be a source of disagreement in some areas, such as sovereignty and salvation (primarily), depending on the reader's viewpoint.
June 4, 2019
So I feel the need to start this off by saying that I STRONGLY disagree with Starr on certain points of her theology. That said, this is still a good book for parents, or anyone in a position to teach children. Throughout the book, she makes a strong case for teaching children good doctrine, without watering it down. The first section explains why children should know these things. This section was, for me, a bit repetitive; "how can they believe what they do not know?" Which is a valid point, just too oft repeated, and I think the author could pretty safely have assumed that anybody taking time to read the book probably agreed with her.
The second section was by far the best, laying out some basic doctrines and truths that children should know, in a very systematic, easy to follow format. This was also the section that had parts I most strongly disagreed with. (Seriously, the lesson with her husband pretending to be dead was just...super cringey for me, I have to admit.) However, this was also chalk full of some really neat activities and ideas that I would gladly make use of.
The final section listed some resources for parents and teachers of children of different ages. I plan to research some of her recommendations, though doubtless I won't use all of them.
All in all, a good primer for teaching children, with some handy object lessons and activities, as well as slightly turning the lense through which we present Bible stories to children, with the intention of focusing less on the character and how we should emulate them, or even what God did for the character, but what the story reveals about the character of God Himself. For me, this was the greatest take away, and alone made the book worthwhile, even without it's other valid points. Definitely something I would recommend reading, just with a few personal reservations.
The second section was by far the best, laying out some basic doctrines and truths that children should know, in a very systematic, easy to follow format. This was also the section that had parts I most strongly disagreed with. (Seriously, the lesson with her husband pretending to be dead was just...super cringey for me, I have to admit.) However, this was also chalk full of some really neat activities and ideas that I would gladly make use of.
The final section listed some resources for parents and teachers of children of different ages. I plan to research some of her recommendations, though doubtless I won't use all of them.
All in all, a good primer for teaching children, with some handy object lessons and activities, as well as slightly turning the lense through which we present Bible stories to children, with the intention of focusing less on the character and how we should emulate them, or even what God did for the character, but what the story reveals about the character of God Himself. For me, this was the greatest take away, and alone made the book worthwhile, even without it's other valid points. Definitely something I would recommend reading, just with a few personal reservations.
September 14, 2018
Should be in every household!
June 24, 2015
In my humble opinion, there has long been a dearth of quality books, if any at all, aimed at the youth of the church as well as their parents, in particular efforts that assist both in obtaining and providing respectively a firm foundation in Scripture. Given the troubling statistics concerning the departure of youth from the church once they reach college age never to return more often than not to church, it is essential to address this problem. One way to address this mass departure is to ground kids in biblical truth. Starr Meade, in her book Give Them Truth: Teaching Eternal Truths to Young Minds, sets out to do just that.
When I saw this book I have to admit I was very excited. It is not often I come across a book with this subject matter and with this particular cross-section of individuals as the focus of discussion. Furthermore, I have a 13 year old daughter who is in that group being targeted by the barrage of carnality in our world today, the allure if you will that attempts to draw so many of our youth away from truth. After reading this book and the plethora of helpful information provided by Meade, let’s just say my excitement has only served to increase as I have been provided with a great many tools to use in my own home regarding teaching these eternal truths of Scripture to the young mind that resides in my home.
Meade notes in the preface this book “is not a book on parenting. It is a book on teaching, and it is directed to anyone – parent, grandparent, teacher, or pastor – who teaches children.” She divides her effort into three sections wit part one addressing the unfortunate reality that far too many children are biblically illiterate, part two discusses the basic doctrines of the faith children should be taught, and part three gets into some specific concepts and ideas to drive home those basic doctrines. Additionally, Meade provides an excellent list of resources for children, parents, and all those who will even remotely be involved in teaching children biblical truth. Since all in some way or another will at some point in their life engage with children, this book and the recommended resources should be part of our collective toolkits.
If there was one portion in this book that struck me the most and was a veritable and need punch in the gut it was the following: “Make the time to give your children (or students) rigorous, diligent instruction in the Bible and in Christian doctrine. You don’t have to teach it all overnight; you can take years to teach, and then go back through and reteach. But find or create a plan, and then work your plan. Purposefully teach the whole Bible, in its broad overview and in its details, to your children. Choose a method for making sure they are learning the doctrines of the Christian faith well enough that they will be able to articulate them back to someone.”
While many books on this subject matter only provide lip service and frightening statistics while falling short on sound methodology to address the issue at hand, Meade’s effort avoids those pitfalls. This book is overflowing with sound methodology and helpful tools to assist parents and teachers in their effort to invest in their children with the message of Scripture. In an age where many youth programs seem to be more entertainment minded, Meade saliently reminds the reader of the need to teach our children issues such as the importance of God’s law and the high standards set forth in Scripture. Why? She rightly notes, “A correct understanding of our holy God will give our children a sense of right and wrong, sin and guilt. A right knowledge of God’s grace and of the gospel will give them the power and boldness to go out each new day, regardless of yesterday’s failures, and begin anew to live faithfully for God’s glory.”
If you are a parent who has been struggling with how to teach your children the truth of Scripture then this book is for you. If you are involved in children’s or youth ministry and understand there needs to be more to what you offer than funny videos and games, this book is for you. The time is now to get serious about training the next generation in the foundational truths of God’s Word. Meade’s book is a valuable tool for engaging our youth in a way that will have a lasting impact on their lives and I highly recommend it.
I received this book for free from P&R Publishing for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
When I saw this book I have to admit I was very excited. It is not often I come across a book with this subject matter and with this particular cross-section of individuals as the focus of discussion. Furthermore, I have a 13 year old daughter who is in that group being targeted by the barrage of carnality in our world today, the allure if you will that attempts to draw so many of our youth away from truth. After reading this book and the plethora of helpful information provided by Meade, let’s just say my excitement has only served to increase as I have been provided with a great many tools to use in my own home regarding teaching these eternal truths of Scripture to the young mind that resides in my home.
Meade notes in the preface this book “is not a book on parenting. It is a book on teaching, and it is directed to anyone – parent, grandparent, teacher, or pastor – who teaches children.” She divides her effort into three sections wit part one addressing the unfortunate reality that far too many children are biblically illiterate, part two discusses the basic doctrines of the faith children should be taught, and part three gets into some specific concepts and ideas to drive home those basic doctrines. Additionally, Meade provides an excellent list of resources for children, parents, and all those who will even remotely be involved in teaching children biblical truth. Since all in some way or another will at some point in their life engage with children, this book and the recommended resources should be part of our collective toolkits.
If there was one portion in this book that struck me the most and was a veritable and need punch in the gut it was the following: “Make the time to give your children (or students) rigorous, diligent instruction in the Bible and in Christian doctrine. You don’t have to teach it all overnight; you can take years to teach, and then go back through and reteach. But find or create a plan, and then work your plan. Purposefully teach the whole Bible, in its broad overview and in its details, to your children. Choose a method for making sure they are learning the doctrines of the Christian faith well enough that they will be able to articulate them back to someone.”
While many books on this subject matter only provide lip service and frightening statistics while falling short on sound methodology to address the issue at hand, Meade’s effort avoids those pitfalls. This book is overflowing with sound methodology and helpful tools to assist parents and teachers in their effort to invest in their children with the message of Scripture. In an age where many youth programs seem to be more entertainment minded, Meade saliently reminds the reader of the need to teach our children issues such as the importance of God’s law and the high standards set forth in Scripture. Why? She rightly notes, “A correct understanding of our holy God will give our children a sense of right and wrong, sin and guilt. A right knowledge of God’s grace and of the gospel will give them the power and boldness to go out each new day, regardless of yesterday’s failures, and begin anew to live faithfully for God’s glory.”
If you are a parent who has been struggling with how to teach your children the truth of Scripture then this book is for you. If you are involved in children’s or youth ministry and understand there needs to be more to what you offer than funny videos and games, this book is for you. The time is now to get serious about training the next generation in the foundational truths of God’s Word. Meade’s book is a valuable tool for engaging our youth in a way that will have a lasting impact on their lives and I highly recommend it.
I received this book for free from P&R Publishing for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
December 6, 2016
Starr Meade has a passion for teaching children the great truths set forth in Scripture. Give Them Truth is a call for parents and teachers of children to ensure they focus on giving children a solid foundation of Biblical truth so that they are prepared for adult life.
She splits her book into three main sections. In the first section she argues her case, explaining why it is important to teach children doctrine. She answers some common objections, such as the idea, "Shouldn't we care about their hearts more than worrying about teaching them doctrine?" She makes a very powerful case for the importance of focussing on doctrine in these early years as a way or preparing children for the suffering and challenges they will face as adults. This section is an absolute must read.
In the second session of the book, Meade discusses what our children need to know. This is basically a Systematic Theology introduction. She touches on the doctrine of God, Scripture, man, Jesus Christ, salvation and the church. As she does this, she often gives down to earth examples that a parent or teacher might use to explain these doctrines to their children or students.
In the final section, she looks at how we can help our children know truth. In this section, she discusses the importance of getting our children reading, whether the classical (grammar, dialectic and rhetoric) approach is useful to teaching children doctrine. She also considers the use of a catechism, presenting a good case for their use, and talks about how to look at narratives. She points to two common ways narratives in the Bible are misused: the moralistic approach where students are encouraged to look at good and bad characters and copy or not imitate, and the child-centred approach where the narrative is always used to make the child's concerns central. Over and against these approaches, Meade encourages us to see the Bible from a God-centred approach, asking what God is doing in the story. This approach is evident in her children's devotional / teaching book Grandpa's box.
Another gem in this book is in the last section where she highlights helpful resources for teaching children doctrine. Gold!
She splits her book into three main sections. In the first section she argues her case, explaining why it is important to teach children doctrine. She answers some common objections, such as the idea, "Shouldn't we care about their hearts more than worrying about teaching them doctrine?" She makes a very powerful case for the importance of focussing on doctrine in these early years as a way or preparing children for the suffering and challenges they will face as adults. This section is an absolute must read.
In the second session of the book, Meade discusses what our children need to know. This is basically a Systematic Theology introduction. She touches on the doctrine of God, Scripture, man, Jesus Christ, salvation and the church. As she does this, she often gives down to earth examples that a parent or teacher might use to explain these doctrines to their children or students.
In the final section, she looks at how we can help our children know truth. In this section, she discusses the importance of getting our children reading, whether the classical (grammar, dialectic and rhetoric) approach is useful to teaching children doctrine. She also considers the use of a catechism, presenting a good case for their use, and talks about how to look at narratives. She points to two common ways narratives in the Bible are misused: the moralistic approach where students are encouraged to look at good and bad characters and copy or not imitate, and the child-centred approach where the narrative is always used to make the child's concerns central. Over and against these approaches, Meade encourages us to see the Bible from a God-centred approach, asking what God is doing in the story. This approach is evident in her children's devotional / teaching book Grandpa's box.
Another gem in this book is in the last section where she highlights helpful resources for teaching children doctrine. Gold!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews