Some people are blasé about history – they dismiss it as simply the past. ‘You don’t drive down the street looking in your rear-view mirror’ is one of their dismissive observations. However, you don’t drive down the street without checking what’s behind you either.
Ignoring our history can be as dangerous as bad driving. The historian George Santayana remarked that those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat its mistakes. This is an important lesson for the church – and for the children that are the church. So, let’s look at a few titles that will help navigate kids through the web of church history.
YWAM have a series Christian Heroes Then and Now, Christian Focus Publications has a similar series called Trailblazers. Both cover over 50 different characters, and many of the titles are available as audio books either through their website (YWAM) or through Amazon Audible audiobooks (CFP). For younger children the series Little Lights is also worth a look.) Christian Simonetta Carr’s series Biographies for Young Readers, published by Reformation Heritage Books, are large-format quality hardback productions, ideal additions to the library of any budding historian. I have read her edition of Martin Luther’s life (ISBN: 978 1 601 784 544) and have on my reading pile her title about Marie Durand (ISBN: 978 1 601 783 905).
For young readers, Crossway’s The Church History ABCs: Augustine and 25 other heroes of the faith (ISBN: 978 1 433 514 722) is a lovely illustrated hardback that introduces a diverse range of Christians from all eras of church history. Some are familiar, such as John Knox and Martin Luther – and others were new to me – such as Absalom Jones and Anne Bradstreet.
If your kids are into info graphics then Linda Finlayson’s book God’s Timeline: The Big Book of Church History (ISBN: 978 1 527 100 985) would be the ideal purchase. Each era of church history is laid out in a timeline format. Church history is stitched together in a factual but visually appealing way. There is also a pull-out poster at the end.
To conclude I should mention the Banner Board Books set written by Rebecca van Doodewaard – aimed at younger children, these introduce the lives of Martyn Lloyd Jones (ISBN: 978 1 848 717 244); Susannah Spurgeon (ISBN: 978 1 848 717 268); Katharina Luther (ISBN: 978 1 848 717 695) and George Whitefield (ISBN: 978 1 848 717 251).
So why should kids know about church history? Well, for those who go to church today the body of believers, past and present, is like their family. Studying church history is similar to drawing up a spiritual family tree. In church history we have people we emulate and look up to as well as those who teach us by their mistakes. We don’t want to repeat the errors of the early church even though there are individuals like Augustine who were pillars of the faith. The heroes and heroines of the church laid their lives on the line for truth. The next generation of Christians may very well have to do the same. Learning about how the church tackled false teaching, persecution and faith is certainly a lesson we should not dismiss.
