Big Truths for Young Hearts by Bruce Ware

Equips parents to guide their young children through all major doctrines in an understandable, chapter-a-day format.

Sure, it’s easy to teach your children the essentials of Christian theology when you’re a theology professor. But what about the rest of us?

With Big Truths for Little Hearts, Bruce Ware, (you guessed it!) a theology professor, encourages and enables parents of children 6–14 years of age to teach through the whole of systematic theology at a level their children can understand. Parents can teach their children the great truths of the faith and shape their worldviews early, based on these truths.

The book covers ten topics of systematic theology, devoting several brief chapters to each subject, making it possible for parents to read one chapter per day with their children. With this non-intimidating format, parents will be emboldened to be their children’s primary faith trainers—and perhaps learn a few things themselves along the way.

Bruce Ware is an evangelical theologian and author. He is currently Professor of Christian Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Formerly, he was at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where he served as Associate Professor and Chairman of the Department of Biblical and Systematic Theology. Prior to this, he taught at Western Conservative Baptist Seminary and at Bethel Theological Seminary. Dr. Ware has written numerous journal articles, book chapters, and book reviews.

Crossway is the publisher of the English Standard Version of the Bible that I won several months ago. I've been so enjoying that Bible - it's easy to read because of the large size and the additional study notes are so helpful in learning and researching more about the Bible. Dr. Ware's new book - Big Truths for Young Hearts - is a great way to utilize my Bible (or your version of choice) to teach my kids important Biblical truths.

I have not actually started working through this book with my children yet, as I thought it would be a great way to usher in 2010 - by starting the year off learning more about God and His Word. This book could be used in a family setting, for family devotionals (daily or weekly, depending on how much time you choose to spend); but it would also be useful for Sunday School teachers. It's been my experience that so many of the current Sunday School curriculums are extremely dumbed down; so if I were teaching a younger children's class right now, I'd enjoy using this book to teach truths and stir up intelligent discussions. Children are so smart and absorb so much. This book will help them absorb things that are important.

NOTE: I received this book free from Crossway in exchange for my honest thoughts.