When you hear the word, doctrine, what thoughts come to mind? If you’re like most people, your eyes have already started to glaze over and your finger is twitching as you reach for the delete button.

But, as they used to say, don’t touch that dial!

Doctrine is just a formal word to describe what we believe and why we believe it. Biblical doctrine is the collection of critical truths in the Bible that form the foundations for what we believe about God, ourselves, and our world.

It’s important to understand what we believe, so that we’re not simply parroting a group of statements without truly owning those truths. Do we understand the meaning of such Biblical doctrines as grace, special revelation, and the Trinity? How about justification, sanctification, and glorification? Or what does the Bible teach about redemption, reconciliation, or repentance?

If we as adults struggle with these concepts, how can we possibly teach them to children? That question was the motive behind the Faith Basics for Kids  children’s picture book series.

The first book in the series, Do You Love Me More?, addresses the truth about grace It tells the story of a child who tries to earn God’s love, and who learns that we can’t do anything to make God love us more or less.

The second book in the Faith Basics series, Will I See You Today?, explains the ways God reveals Himself by telling a story about a child who wonders if she will see God when she goes out to play.

Both books include an addendum that addresses the Bible truth at an adult level for parents, grandparents, or teachers.

Don’t let the word doctrine scare you. Instead, learn what the Bible teaches about the foundations of our faith. Share it with your children in age-appropriate ways…perhaps even by reading Do You Love Me More? and Will I See You Today?

Ava Pennington