Want to Teach Your Children About Jesus? China Says “No”

Chinese Christians can’t legally host Sunday school classes, bring their children to church, or teach their own children their Christian faith. Teachers can’t share their faith, and religious materials can’t be used as textbooks. Those who break the law can face fines or other consequences.

While this should sadden us and remind us to keep our Chinese brothers and sisters in prayer, it shouldn’t surprise us. Persecution has been the norm since the beginning of the church (just read the book of Acts!). Jesus told us to expect persecution and that’s certainly what we’ve seen around the world throughout church history. And as anti-Christian sentiment grows across the West, including here in America, we can expect policies like those in China to make their way over here, eventually (unless something changes, of course). Actually, the foundation for such persecution and limitation of Christian freedom is already being laid in America and the entire Western world.

It’s not surprising that China is attacking children—God’s plan is for faith to be transmitted to the next generation through godly parents (Deuteronomy 6:7, Psalm 145:4). And Jesus says that we must have the faith of a child to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3). Children are generally very receptive to the gospel and many Christians come to faith in Christ as children, living lives of devotion to him from a young age.

Answers in Genesis produces many materials for children—including a four-year Sunday school curriculum (which teaches through the whole Bible chronologically), Answers Bible Curriculum, our Answers VBS (Vacation Bible School) program which teaches apologetics and is very evangelistic, and a variety of children’s books and DVDs—because we want children to come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. I encourage you to check out our children’s resources and use them in your church and home!

No matter what the government says about our Christian faith, we must obey God and not men

Pray for Chinese Christians. Pray for the parents in China and their children. No matter what the government says about our Christian faith, we must obey God and not men (Acts 5:29). So I know many parents will defy the government and share the good news of Christ with their children. Pray for their protection and boldness. Above all, pray that many people—including children of all ages—will come to faith in Christ.

Get More Answers on Answers News

This item was discussed today on Answers News with cohosts Dr. Georgia Purdom and Dr. Gabriela Haynes and frequent guest Roger Patterson. Answers News is our weekly news program filmed live before a studio audience here at the Creation Museum and broadcast on my Facebook page and the Answers in Genesis Facebook page. We also covered the following topics:

• Do we need new “progressive” Christian children’s books?
• Some Pig?
• Climate change brainwashing?
• And more!

Be sure to join us each Monday at 2 p.m. (ET) for Answers News. You won’t want to miss this unique news program that gives science and culture news from a distinctly biblical and Christian perspective.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.