How to Teach Kids Theology, by Sam Luce and Hunter Williams, is the book we didn’t know we needed. For every church member who has been “volun-told” to work in children’s ministry, this is the ideal how-to guide to put into their hands.

Luce and Williams introduce the book with an all-too-familiar problem: once children come of age and can make decisions for themselves, they are leaving the church in astounding numbers. Even more concerning than this mass exodus is the discovery of a 2022 Barna Group study that the vast majority of children’s ministry workers are uncomfortable sharing theological truths with children (p. 2). Linking these findings together, Luce and Williams conclude that a lack of clear and applicable theological education is the main reason children leave the faith when they enter adulthood. This book seeks to remedy this problem by supplying leaders with the “principles and practices needed to teach biblical passages and stories to kids with theological conviction and competency” (p. 3).

In order to accomplish their goal, the authors, who have decades worth of experience ministering to families, structure each chapter in three parts: (1) “The Problem,” which describes the concern to be discussed in the chapter; (2) “The Principle,” which lays out their main point in the given area; and (3) “The Practice,” where Luce and Williams show how the principle can be applied in the church setting. The authors helpfully provide a working definition of theology as “the application of God’s revelation to all of life” (p. 18). They draw an important distinction between over-simplifying truth to the point of untruth versus distilling theological concepts for children. They also stress the role of orthodoxy and charity when doctrinal distinctions arise and doctrinal precision matters. Attention is then given to what a longitudinal plan may entail for achieving the goal of helping young people stay in the church. Finally, the last chapter discusses the coordination that must take place between the church and the home for Bible-based children’s ministry to be effective in the long term. Several helpful appendices are included that provide templates for Bible studies, lessons, and ministry trajectory plans.

The book’s primary audience is those lay leaders in children’s ministry teams who find themselves with a desire to give teaching of substance to the children in their care but are struggling with how to implement this ideal. Discussion questions are included at the end of each chapter to guide the reflections and conversations of leaders who may be using the book as a training tool in a group setting. Parents, too, may benefit from many of the topics included in the book (particularly each chapter’s “Problem” and “Principle”), but the primary arena of application (“The Practice”) is a local church setting in which ministry to children is separate from ministry to adults. Both pastors and seasoned children’s ministry leaders will benefit from the call to incorporate the doctrines with which they are familiar into the theological education of children.

The book has a gentle tone and clarity of expression that allows readers to engage with the text at their own pace. While more experienced theologians may find it a quick read, contemplation and careful consideration of the implications of each chapter is recommended. Luce and Williams are skilled communicators with a demonstrable understanding of both the Scriptures and the real-world experiences of children’s ministry. They humbly tell their own stories of both success and failure, especially highlighting the ways in which they could have been more proactive in the use of theology in their ministries. Drawing on a variety of church historians, theologians, and modern writers, Luce and Williams prove their awareness of the theological landscape and bolster their claims with appropriate quotes.

While Luce and Williams helpfully demonstrate practical ways of introducing theology to children, the deeper theological reason for providing such teaching deserve more attention. Laying out the statistical data of young people leaving the church is a helpful spur to do a better job of teaching theology to children, but the vast array of scriptural supports and encouragements to engage in this task are more important still. To be fair, many Bible passages that speak of the ideals of godly family life are sprinkled throughout the book’s chapters, but they are not foundational to its argument. Of course, the main purpose of the book is practical, not theoretical—which is why it is called “How to Teach Kids Theology,” not “Why to Teach Kids Theology*.” Nevertheless, in my view, strengthening the biblical foundations for the theological education of children would have made the book’s practical applications even more valuable.

Additionally, in terms of its ideas for implementation, the book displays a strong tendency toward the cerebral. There are a few passing references to the disciplines of holiness or kinetic learning, but most of the proposed practices for teaching theology rely heavily on an informational model of learning. Children’s ministry leaders who implement the ideas in this book would do well to further consider the reality of a child’s developmental stage and the dynamic of embodied souls, as they seek to train not only the minds but also the affections and actions of children to a deeper understanding of God.

Overall, I found How to Teach Kids Theology to be a breath of fresh air and a welcome addition to the genre of children’s ministry resources, as many books in this vein are either theologically simplistic or practically unapplicable to the lived experience of children’s ministry workers. This book is neither. Luce and Williams do an admirable job explaining to the next generation of children’s ministry leaders how to plumb the depths of God’s word for themselves and how to bring it faithfully to the children in their care.