When I was growing up there were a few key phrases that were repeated often:
- A place for everything and everything in its place.
- Clean your plate.
- If you take it, you eat it.
- Cleanliness is next to godliness.
- Children are to be seen and not heard.
- A penny saved is a penny earned.
Some of these were probably passed down from generation to generation. Some I did not agree with.
However, they were repeated so often that they became a part of the family culture. These repeated little “ditties” were shared before dinner, at dinner, when we cleaned the house, and when we had guests.
They were repeated so many times that when I write this, I can hear my mom and dad’s voices intoning one of these pithy proverbs.
My parents, and theirs before them wanted the next generation to embrace the values woven into these sayings such as cleanliness, not being wasteful (particularly regarding food), learning deference for others, personal discipline, and thriftiness.
In fact, I found myself repeating some of these little “pearls of wisdom” in my own family.
Repetition in Deuteronomy 6 and 11
Repetition is a powerful tool and one that is used in the Bible.
We find it in Deuteronomy 11, where Moses revisits a teaching that he had developed in Deuteronomy 6.
His concern is for the children of Israel and their future, particularly their relationship with God. In this case, repetition is a literary tool for emphasis.
It was not accidental, but rather, for emphasis. In Deuteronomy 11:18-20 we find a nearly identical repetition of the early teaching in Deuteronomy 6:5-9.
The following table compares and contrasts the two passages.
Deuteronomy 6 | Deuteronomy 11 |
|---|---|
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.” - Deuteronomy 6:5-6 NIV | “Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always.” - Deuteronomy 11:1 NIV “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds" - Deuteronomy 11:18a NIV |
"...when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." - Deuteronomy 6:7b NIV | "...when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." - Deuteronomy 11:19b NIV |
“Impress them on your children." - Deuteronomy 6:7a NIV | “Teach them to your children,” - Deuteronomy 11:19a NIV |
"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 6:7b NIV | "...talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." - Deuteronomy 11:19b NIV |
"Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” - Deuteronomy 6:8-9 | "...tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads." - Deuteronomy 11:18b NIV "Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” - Deuteronomy 11:20 NIV |
Like Deuteronomy 6, Moses’ concern is with the children of Israel.
In chapter 11, he elaborates on this concern. Over the coming five weeks we will revisit the five principles that are repeated in this passage.
This week we will provide an overview and note the similarities and differences.
In both passages the concern is for children and their future relationship with God. In Deuteronomy 6, Moses expresses his concerns with the phrase “your children and their children after them may fear the LORD” (6:2).
He urges the Israelites to obey the LORD so that might increase greatly in the new promised land (6:3). He then articulates principles that we have looked at in an exhaustive manner over the last many blog posts.
The preamble in Deuteronomy 11, expresses similar concerns but in more detail. Moses expresses his concerns more elaborately in three basic categories.
Experience
In Deuteronomy 11:1-7, he reminds the Israelites that their children were not alive to see the great miracles that God wrought to bring their grandparents out of slavery in Egypt.
These include the plagues and conflict with Pharaoh (11:3), the parting of the Red Sea and subsequent destruction of the Egyptian armed forces (11:4), the miraculous provision in the wilderness (11:5) and the discipline meted out during the rebellion in Number 16.
He is concerned that life with God be experienced anew by generations to come.
Obedience
In Deuteronomy 11:8-15 he repeats in more detail the earlier instruction to obey the LORD so that they might have the strength to take the promised land (11:8) and experience His blessing on them (11:9-12).
He repeats the admonition to obey God’s commands, given by Moses, so that God will provide rain, plentiful harvests and what might be described as a “Garden of Eden” life with God (11:13-15).
Moses knows that obedience to God is crucial for the life of coming generations.
Idolatry
The preamble closes with a warning regarding idolatry.
Moses warns the Israelites that they and their children will be enticed to worship other gods and turn away from Yahweh (11:16). If they succumb to that temptation it will incur God’s wrath, ruin their life and they will “perish”(11:17).
Moses is certain that idolatry will be a lurking temptation for children and the generations that follow.
5 Smooth Stones for Transformational Children's Ministry
Those three areas of concern prompt Moses to repeat his earlier instructions regarding life-changing children’s ministry.
Before we examine the five principles that follow, we should pause and take to heart the situation facing our children today.
The same issues that troubled Moses remain. For many of us, our children are unaware of the amazing things that God has done that we have witnessed ourselves. I have experienced God’s provision and miraculous activity over many years.
While I was a first-hand witness and actually experienced the work of God, my children have yet to experience life with God for themselves. It is our responsibility to share those stories and encourage our children to have their encounters with God that build their own faith.
Similarly, our children need to know that obeying God leads to a life filled with His presence and blessing.
Grace and mercy are needed in every hour of the day, and that grace has given us the opportunity to live the life that He intends for us.
When our children experience the fruit of the Spirit and the transforming work of God in their own lives, they are empowered to follow Christ more consistently and live as He desires.
Finally, and most apparent are the current temptations our children face to give worship and allegiance to the gods of this world.
Children face enormous temptations to idolize wealth, fitness, popularity, drugs and alcohol, and a host of other aspects of the culture that promise “blessings” to those who swear allegiance.
When children give in to those temptations they are rewarded with narcissism, emptiness, and hedonism. This eventually leads to a life that resembles that of “perishing”.
This sobering assessment of the situation should cause us to take careful note of the children’s ministry instructions that follow. Those can be summarized in five principles, stated earlier in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and repeated here in Deuteronomy 11:18-20.
Relationship
“Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always.” - Deuteronomy 11:1 NIV
“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds." - Deuteronomy 11:18a NIV
Transformational children’s ministry is relational ministry. In a relationship time with their leaders, children experience for themselves the amazing love of Christ.
They also learn from their leaders’ example what it looks like to live with Jesus as the Lord of every aspect of life.
The Holy Spirit works through these honest, caring relationships that ministry workers develop with the children to bring life change and genuine transformation.
Experience
"...when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." - Deuteronomy 11:19b NIV
Experience is a crucial element of the learning process, and experiential teaching helps connect biblical truth to the children’s real life.
Experiential teaching engages both the heart and the mind of boys and girls.
Truth
“Teach them to your children,” - Deuteronomy 11:19a NIV
Children need to hear Bible Truth—and they need to hear it repeatedly.
After all, the Word of God is more than a collection of stories, doctrines, and ideas.
It is life-changing truth that teaches us who God is and who we are. The Bible is the handbook for living the life God intends for all children. Its truth stands at the core of God’s transformational work.
Discussion
"...talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." - Deuteronomy 11:19b NIV
Connecting the Word of God to the children’s real life is essential to our being able to effectively minister to them.
Transformational children’s ministry means that the workers engage the children by talking about the Truth of God’s Word and, in that context, about the challenges they face at home and at school.
Discussing what God’s Word says about specific aspects and certain circumstances in their real life helps children understand the Bible and come closer to experiencing its relevance.
Response
"...tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads." Deuteronomy 11:18b NIV
"Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” - Deuteronomy 11:20 NIV
Helping boys and girls respond to the truth revealed in God’s Word is every teacher’s goal.
So transformational children’s ministry makes sure that children are given the opportunity to respond to God’s Truth.
This putting into practice what they learn is the next crucial step on the path toward life transformation. When we keep on responding to God’s truth, He changes us. In fact, He transforms us into the likeness of Christ!
Closing Thoughts
These five elements—Relationship, Experience, Truth, Discussion, and Response—are the building blocks of a transformational children’s ministry.
The Word of God comes alive for children and speaks into their real life in a fresh new way. In fact, thanks to these building blocks, many boys and girls experience the Bible’s relevance for the first time ever.
As we noted earlier, children today are living in difficult circumstances and the concerns that Moses expressed are our own.
When we incorporate these five principles into our ministry with children, we help them live the life that God intends for them, even in the face of challenging circumstances.
Over the next five weeks, we will examine each of these five qualities, comparing and contrasting with the Deuteronomy 6:4-9 passage. I hope you will join us!