This is a blog about something that was highlighted to me and I feel strongly that I should share it with other Kid’s Church volunteers.  I am thankful for the teachers and theologians God has raised up who share their knowledge with the body of Christ.  I invest time in learning from them because I have a responsibility to be vigilant and to ensure what I share with children is accurate and Bible based.  I do not want to cheat them.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8   

Have you heard about Progressive Christianity?  It was a little over two years ago that my sister told me about the ministry of Christian apologist, Alisa Childers, whose own Church became ‘progressive’.  I was shocked to learn that people who termed themselves Christians could hold such non-Biblical tenets.  According to their own website Progressive Christians have 8 points of Progressive Christianity they believe in.

1. Believe that following the path and teachings of Jesus can lead to an awareness and experience of the Sacred and the Oneness and Unity of all life;
2. Affirm that the teachings of Jesus provide but one of many ways to experience the Sacredness and Oneness of all life, and that they can draw from diverse sources of wisdom in their spiritual journey;
3. See community that is inclusive of all people, including but not limited to:

• Conventional Christians and questioning sceptics
• Believers and agnostics
• Women and men
• Those of all sexual orientations and gender identities
• Those of all classes and abilities

4. Believe that the way they behave towards one another is the fullest expression of what they believe;
5. Find grace in the search for understanding and believe there is more value in questioning than in absolutes;
6. Strive for peace and justice among all people;
7. Strive to protect and restore the integrity of the earth;
8. And commit to a path of life-long learning, compassion and, selfless love.

Progressive Christians have their own children’s curriculum, ‘giving our children the foundation they need to walk the path of Jesus in today’s world’.  The curriculum ‘has stories and affirmations written to help children clarify their own personal beliefs while staying open to the wisdom of other traditions’.

Should a person choose to be a Progressive Christian, attend a progressive Church that offers progressive curriculum to their children, is of course their personal choice.  The concern of apologists and teachers is that the teaching is finding its way into what Alisa terms ‘historic’ Christianity, and many Churches are using curriculum that has progressive beliefs embedded in it.  And in fact, most millennial Kid’s Church volunteers do not hold a Biblical worldview.  (According to research by the Barna institute only 6% do!)   

What is a Biblical Worldview?

A Biblical worldview is that absolute moral truths exist; that such truth is defined by the Bible; and firm belief in 6 specific religious views:

1. Jesus lived a sinless life.
2. God is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe, and He still rules it today.
3. Salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned.
4. Satan is real.
5. A Christian has a responsibility to share their faith in Christ with other people.
6. The Bible is accurate in all its teachings.

Sanitized Children’s Church

Alisa refers to the kind of applications you’ll find in Bible lessons in a progressive curriculum:

• Noah’s Ark is a floating zoo
• The Loaves and the Fishes is about sharing
• The Man Lowered Through the Roof is about having good friends

As with secular humanism, children are taught to lead good lives without the supernatural, and to be good people.  They are taught psychology but not how to walk in righteousness.  As Alisa says, ‘We must put guard rails around historic Christianity.’

Take a discerning look at your curriculum.  Are you teaching children to be good?  Or are you teaching them about The Atonement?  Are you preaching the Gospel or do they have the idea that being a good person is enough?  Do the children see you teaching from an actual Bible?  Are you persisting with Memory Verses?  Are your young people being discipled in what it means to follow Jesus, and are your Kid’s Ministry volunteers being trained in a Biblical worldview?  We cannot take anything for granted anymore.   (Taking something for granted means to never think about something because you believe it will always be available or stay exactly the same!) 

Just as Paul wrote to Timothy, we are living in perilous times, but have precious truth.

But evil people and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.  But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  2 Timothy 3:13-15

I encourage you to visit Alisa Childers’ YouTube channel to learn more about progressive Christianity.  TheologyMom, Krista Bontrager, also has a terrific channel.  She exposes progressive Children’s Church curriculum, explains signs to look for in curriculum you may be using, and the type of curriculum your Kid’s Ministry should teach.

God bless you,

Deb Wassenberg