The faith of a child is not the same as the faith of an adult. Faith is not dependant on human development, but it is expressed differently depending on the ages of the people involved. Physical, intellectual, and social development all affect how faith is expressed and experienced.
The teaching of faith does not only happen in a classroom, but we do need to be intentional about how it happens. Children and teens need to learn about the faith, its richness, its stories, and its images. But faith is also something that must be lived. We should be ready to talk about their faith in all sorts of settings: driving the car, waiting for baseball games to start, sitting at the table after dinner. Sharing our faith with our families and our fellow church members should take place in age-appropriate ways so we, as God’s people, can walk, talk, and live in faith together most effectively.
There are many excellent books available on the topic of faith development. Many are listed in the Resource section of the Walk On book.
You can find a good summary of children’s intellectual, social, and spiritual development in the Walk With Me Coordinator’s Handbook, pages 47-59 or on the web at: http://www.walkwithmeonline.org/support/teachingtips.asp?SupportMenu
