One of the most glaring problems Christian parents face today is that our children don’t believe the creation story from the Word of God. In fact, too many Christians (adults and children alike) believe that the Bible isn’t really God’s word. Friends, this has to change. We are crippling our children’s worldview by allowing them to think that Genesis is irrelevant. The gospel of Jesus Christ hinges on understanding that sin entered the world through the very first man and woman.
Bible lessons on creation for youth of all ages
Moms and dads, pastors, teachers, and church leaders: the truth of Genesis is of utmost importance. We cannot relegate this to basic Sunday School coloring pages and cartoon lessons. The bottom line is that creation apologetics is imperative to the Christian faith, and it is accessible for everyone.
I’ll share my favorite resources for teaching about the story of Creation, how the whole Bible is relevant to this, how to teach this in your home and in your youth ministry, and even resources for adults who are learning for the first time.
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The creation account in the Bible
This is the first thing. Read Genesis chapters 1 and 2. If you have a good study Bible, take advantage of the notes and cross-references. However, even some reference Bibles tend to allow the plain truth of scripture to get blended with evolutionary ideas. Some of those are:
- gap theory
- day age theory
- framework hypothesis
- theistic evolution
But according to Answers in Genesis, “Adherents to each of these positions must rearrange events described in Scripture.” The creation of the world according to Genesis 1 and 2 must be taken at face value, or the rest of scripture must be dismissed as only myths and literature. The world challenges us to know and defend the fine details of our faith. Let’s prepare to do so with confidence. It is astounding how people will let their imagination run wild to avoid taking Genesis as literal history.
Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. (1 Peter 3:15)
Why the Gensis account of creation matters
Do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe in the virgin birth, or that Jesus died and then rose from the dead? Do you believe that Jonah was swallowed by a big fish and lived for three days in the belly of the fish? Do you believe that David killed a giant with a stone and a sling? Do you believe that Moses parted the Red Sea?
Do you see where these questions lead?
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) So begins the key passage where God spoke the heavens and the earth and all living creatures into existence. He created humans in His own image.
We either believe that “all scripture is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:1) or we don’t. And if we believe that Jesus was the Son of God, we must also believe the words He said, and the Genesis scriptures that He liberally quoted. The beginning of the Bible is every bit as important as the end. Our worldview is shaped by this handful of Bible verses: marriage, life, gravity, the universe, food, animals, and so much more.
Denying the validity of Genesis is to deny the rest of scripture. It is too important to treat as a cute Bible story or a myth. Now is the time to decide whether you believe it to be true, or not.
Parents and church leaders
In order to teach this to the children in our care, we must know it. But we are facing a lack of biblical literacy in the church. Don’t fret if creation apologetics is new to you as an adult. You are certainly not alone. Below are some suggestions for articles, videos, and books. Choose your favorite media and dig in:
- (Articles) Dr. Jason Lisle of the Biblical Science Institute has a helpful series of articles called Creation 101.
- (Video) Dr. Jason Lisle presents “The Ultimate Proof of Creation” in this 1-hour presentation.
- (Blog) Walk through this basic primer on Biblical creation from Answers in Genesis.
- (Online course) Answers in Genesis has a wonderful set of courses, including CAP101: Fundamentals of Creation Apologetics.
Understanding the foundational importance of Genesis 1 and 2 are vital to so much of our worldview. We believe that human beings were created in the image of God, that God is the origin of life, that God’s creation is very good, and that the “Bible stories” are world history.
You can be confident that the Bible is the inspired word of God and that it is trustworthy, and you can confidently teach this to the children in your care.
Resources for young children
A good picture Bible is perfect for the youngest children. Ergemeier’s Bible Story Book is a good one, as well as The Child’s Story Bible. The Ten-Minute Bible Journey is a wonderful overview of the entire Bible, and is suitable for all ages (even adults who want an easy way to understand the big picture!). It includes discussion questions and further references, and is written with a strong apologetic view.
For in-depth creation lesson plans, I highly recommend the Answers Bible Curriculum from Answers in Genesis. It is perfect for a homeschool curriculum, children’s church, and Sunday School lessons for younger kids. It answers many important questions that children need to be equipped for, including the literal six days of creation, dinosaurs, and much more.
Resources for middle school students and high school students
Teens and tweens are facing challenges to their faith on numerous fronts: education, entertainment, and social media. They need to be prepared to understand and defend Genesis during their teenage years (or before). If you teach youth group or any youth Bible lessons, you already know how impactful video can be. Dr. Jason Lisle’s DVDs have always been a favorite with my kids. Though he is an astrophysicist, his presentations are perfect for everyone. Reasons for Hope has a series of Debunked videos that are fast-paced and fun for young people.
Creation apologetics in your homeschool
As homeschoolers, we have the ability to make creation apologetics a central part of our curriculum. A few curriculum choices that we have appreciated are Mystery of History Volume 1, The 101 Series science courses, Berean Builders science, and the Answers in Genesis Creation Apologetics master course. These all work well together to lay a solid foundation in theology, history, and science. Read my full post on the great Answers in Genesis books and videos that we use in our homeschool.
I cannot stress how important it is to give your children this education in biblical history and creation science. While public education spends 13 years stressing a world without a Creator and denying basic biology, a child given a Christian at home has the opportunity to study God and His creation in depth.
So I cannot recommend basic free Sunday school lessons, because this is worth more than a one-time freebie. We serve a powerful God who created a beautiful world in six days. We should spend a lot of time on this topic with our children and small groups. A memory verse or a play doh activity is not enough.
Dig in. The creation story is foundational to the Christian faith and deserves our time.
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