““The future of the church is right in front of us. It is represented by the children in our churches (and the children our church is reaching) today. These young precious souls will end up composing the church of tomorrow.””
It was in 1994 that Open Bible Churches published our first doctrinal “catechism” for children. We were concerned that children in our churches would have opportunity to be taught central doctrinal truths about what the Bible says. CrossTraining for Kidswas as advanced as we could be at that time. It was a three-ring binder with black and white pages that could be photocopied.
Flash forward to 2021; our children are under assault by our culture with ungodly influences that are disdainful of, if not stridently opposed to, biblical truths and values. The threats to our children in 1994 look mild compared to today! Additionally, although the Word instructs us, Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6 NLT). A sad reality is this is simply not happening in many homes, even in some homes of people connected with church.
My heart resolved that we must come alongside Open Bible churches with a new and contemporary resource that will help children’s ministries leaders teach and instill foundational doctrinal truths in our children. We Believe For Kids!, based upon our We Believe publication for adults, is now a reality, and I am excited about introducing it to you. Produced in full color, it incorporates superhero graphics, and is written by a team of Open Bible’s finest children’s workers. It is designed for 5th and 6th graders.
Our creative team has worked hard to make this a top-notch publication for your kids and also developed a quality Teacher’s Guide companion. This guide provides step-by-step instructions and verbiage for teachers, even those who may not have a teaching or theological background.
Randall A. Bach
President, Open Bible Churches