What to know?

The education of children in Christian faith is up to the church to deliver expertise (parents deliver modelling and family instruction and encouragement); the local church, helped by school religious education that is provided through local churches.

From what I hear, most 'education' is story telling. Stories have a place, of course, but that place is the context of biblical knowledge.

To equip children to grow as Christians we need first to nurture their faith: that they become Christians is paramount, but that they obtain the knowledge to live as Christians and proclaim the faith, giving answers to questions whether asked or implied is also vitally important to their spiritual and intellectual development.

I think we should have two aims: preparing a child for the high school environment, where they will meet challenges to faith from other religions, blunt instrument secularism, and articulated atheism; with the occasional 'village atheist' fellow student.

The next challenge is preparing then for university and/or the workforce.

At university they will meet ideas from some of the brightest and most inventive intellects that have ever lived. Many of these will assail their faith, and, without their own intellectual equipment being prepared will result in their faith being submerged, denied, or atrophying.