From Graeme Goldsworthy's Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture, 151.

"The nature of the biblical text, and the unity it exhibits theologically, indicates that preaching from historical narrative requires us to honor the revealed purpose of God to transform the universe with the coming of his kingdom. I have often reflected on the possible reasons why, in the heyday of Sunday School attendances, so many children graduated from programs and were never seen again. There were no doubt a host of reasons, including the lack of parental encouragement or of active ministry in the home. There is another contributing factor that I think bears consideration. While I certainly do not want to appear to be carping and critical of the multitude of faithful volunteers who prepare curricula and teach them in Sunday Schools, I get the impression that both tasks are often carried on with little or no understanding of the big picture of biblical revelation. Consequently, children are often taught a whole range of isolated Bible stories, each with its neat little application deemed appropriate to the respective age levels. So much of the application is thus moralizing legalism because it is severed from its links to the gospel of grace. By the time many of these children reach their teenage years they have had a belly full of morality, enough, they would think, to last them for the rest of their lives. They thus beat a retreat to live reasonably decent but gospelless lives." 

This is why all of us that teach children, at least to some degree, should be both biblical and systematic theologians. We need to have a working knowledge of the “big picture” of the Bible. We need to know what the whole Bible says about a particular doctrine and apply the truth to present-day people within the context of the big picture of the Bible. If I had to choose just one verse to help determine the big picture of the Word of God, I’d choose Romans 11:36  --  “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” It’s all about God.

What Goldsworthy articulates is yet another reason why I’m such a big fan of Scriptural catechism. Catechism is to the catechist as the cover on a puzzle boxtop is to the puzzle-maker. Both the puzzle boxtop and a good Scriptural catechim are big picture, overall, bird’s-eye-view guides. Catechism provides a theological puzzle box-top of what good, God-focused Scriptural teaching looks like in the mind of the learners. As learners attend Sunday School and listen to sermons and receive another puzzle piece of biblical knowledge, it helps them understand where all the pieces fit. It enlightens one to see that all of Scripture weaves together as a beautiful tapestry that displays the glory of God in the Person and work of Christ. And just as important, it enables one to discern when a piece doesn’t fit anywhere at all.

Oh, and catechism is one of the foundational pillars of the Kids 4 Truth curriculum. We want to help inspire and equip you to firmly emboss upon young minds a correct and beautiful theological puzzle box-top.

HT: A.F.