Walking with Children

What Is Child Theology?

　　On October 8, 2025, I met with alumnus Chi-wang Chan, who has long embraced God’s calling to work within children’s ministry. During our conversation, I recalled my former faculty colleague in the United States, Marcia J. Bunge, a leading scholar of child theology, and recommended to him the anthology she edited, Child Theology: Diverse Methods and Global Perspectives. The contributors to this volume suggest that “child theology” may be understood, for example, as “theology using the ‘lens’ of a child or children as a category of analysis,” “child-attentive theology,” or “theology in solidarity with children.” In their reflections, they deliberately draw on their own childhood experiences while carefully observing and relating to children in real life, integrating these insights into their theological thinking.

　　The contributors invited by Bunge are largely key participants in the global Child Theology Movement. She observes that although contemporary theology has explored many doctrinal areas with considerable depth, it still lacks a doctrine of children that is grounded in solid historical and biblical foundations and framed within a holistic perspective. This gap helps explain why many churches struggle to establish robust programs of religious education and children’s ministries. It was precisely to address this need that the Child Theology Movement emerged in 2002 and gradually took shape. The theologians involved have focused particularly on the holistic well-being and discipleship of children, hoping to encourage churches to reexamine their faith practices and visions of pastoral care in light of the image of “Jesus placing a child in the midst of the disciples” (cf. Mt 18:2) .

　　In these discussions, scholars have distinguished between “theologies of childhood/theologies of children” and “child theology.” The former essentially begins with theology and moves toward children: adults start from existing theological resources and attempt to understand children by synthesizing the Bible, church tradition, life experience, and research findings from the natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences to construct a deeper understanding of childhood. In contrast, “child theology” deliberately reverses this approach—starting from the lived realities of children and then turning to theological reflection, thereby resisting the temptation to bypass real children with abstract theories. This approach reminds theological educators and pastors to “take children seriously,” to encounter them without preconceptions, and to place children at the centre of their thinking by recalling specific children, childhood stories, and concrete situations. In this way, child theology acknowledges both children’s vulnerability and their subjectivity and contributions, while urging adults to assume responsibility for children in both theological and pastoral contexts.

Child Theology Reading Camp

　　These ideas prompted me to consider how child theology might serve as a resource for local churches in renewing their children’s ministry and faith formation. Out of this reflection arose the vision of organizing a reading group or camp, inviting pastors and mentors to engage these themes together. In January 2026, I convened the first Child Theology Reading Camp at the Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary, in partnership with Brotherly Love Swatow Baptist Church, where Chi-wang serves, as our inaugural collaborating congregation. On January 30-31, more than a dozen church representatives interested in children’s education joined me for six hours of study on books and articles related to child theology. Alongside my explanation of key points, the participants actively applied what they had read to the specific contexts of their own churches, working together to discern practical directions for their ministries.

Avoiding Pitfalls in Children’s Ministry

　　During the camp, we also explored the relationship between child theology and the themes of “mission” and “evangelism,” carefully engaging with relevant articles. The literature highlights several pitfalls in contemporary children’s ministry. One of which is the tendency to “objectify” and “instrumentalize” children. For instance, when churches or mission organizations promote their ministries, they often employ images of children—especially vulnerable children—to evoke emotion and sympathy in publicity or fundraising campaigns. They may even unconsciously employ (implicitly or explicitly) coercive tactics, emotional manipulation, unequal power dynamics, and/or misleading representations. As a result, children risk being treated as “resources for ministry strategies” rather than as human beings with dignity and unique subjectivities. In such circumstances, children are reduced to missionary “tools” rather than being genuinely seen as subjects of faith.

　　During the discussion, one sister shared her reflections on the assigned reading. She observed that in some local churches, children’s worship and gatherings have actually been reduced to mere “childcare” or “babysitting services.” At times, parents even pick up their children before the service concludes, disrupting their worship, prayer, and learning. Admittedly, such actions often arise from practical considerations that are not necessarily unreasonable. Nevertheless, we must remind ourselves: as a church community, do we truly honor each child who attends our gatherings, recognizing them as individuals with their own subjectivity before God and as participants in the same calling? Are we willing, for the sake of their spiritual well-being, to reexamine our worship practices so that they may receive fuller faith formation throughout the entire service?

　　Furthermore, the literature also points to the opposite extreme: in certain contemporary societies, children are virtually excluded from the scope of evangelism. Some Christian parents, influenced by pluralist and liberal perspectives, believe they should not “impose” religious commitments on their children. Consequently, they deliberately treat their children’s faith as a “purely personal choice” and are reluctant to offer concrete guidance. In practice, these parents neither model the Christian faith through their own lives nor create a family environment where children can freely ask questions and explore beliefs. In the end, rather than being nurtured, the children’s developing subjectivity and spiritual lives are weakened, and in some cases even stifled.

Children Thrive in Relationships

　　Faced with these two extremes, churches and their leaders must ask: how should we respond?

　　First, we must return to the core of Christology and anthropology and reclaim this truth: Jesus Christ is an example of authentic humanity and the true manifestation of the image of God. In Him, we see that human nature is essentially relational—true humanity is formed within the relationship of “being with God and living for God,” as well as within the relationship of “being with others and living for others.” In other words, no one can become truly human while remaining isolated or detached from others. Therefore, any practice in mission or pastoral care that objectifies or instrumentalizes children risks “dehumanizing” them, running directly counter to the anthropology revealed in Christ.

　　When churches plan their ministries and allocate resources, they must sincerely prioritize the well-being of children rather than simply beginning from concerns about institutional image, performance metrics, or growth figures. Only then can children be recognized as true subjects of faith, rather than treated as “ancillary resources.” On this basis, the church community can learn to truly see, listen to, welcome, and serve every child. And only through such genuine encounters can churches bear concrete witness to the Lord Jesus Christ—who is with the Father and lives for the Father, yet also with all humanity and lives for all humanity.

A Reflection on Our Calling: Bearing Witness to Children

　　Second, we need to rethink the calling to “bear witness to children.” Christian witnessing is not merely about verbal persuasion, but rather about pointing others—through both our words and deeds—to God’s Word and works in Christ. Fundamentally, the Christian calling is to be a witness to Christ. Admittedly, Christ alone is the true “One who proclaims God’s word” (the Speaker) and the true “One who performs God’s works” (the Doer). Although churches have often appeared weak throughout history and at times have even become obstacles, by the Lord’s grace, Christ still invites and commands churches to participate in bearing witness to Him.

　　Therefore, the essence of churches’ witness to children must be Jesus Christ Himself—His identity and the salvation that He has accomplished—rather than merely certain moral rules or religious activities. This witness can take many forms: sometimes direct—at other times more subtle; sometimes expressed in words—at other times through silent companionship or concrete actions. In some instances, words take the lead while actions serve as a complement; in others, actions come first, with words providing appropriate clarification and explanation. In any case, true witness is never reduced to slogans, nor to a flurry of activities lacking Christ’s genuine presence and clear reference to Him.

　　In light of this, when churches and Christians share their faith with children, their aim is not to manipulate or intimidate them into raising their hands to decide to follow Jesus, but rather to acknowledge that churches serve merely as witnesses and companions; it is the Holy Spirit who truly transforms their hearts and guides them to respond to the Gospel. Those who bear witness must respect children’s developing agency and take into account their characteristics and needs for their growth. The role of churches is to faithfully bear witness to Christ’s words and deeds, trusting that children’s responses take shape through the interplay of the Holy Spirit’s work and their spiritual agency. Churches cannot force them to believe, but they can walk alongside them in God’s grace, accompanying them as they learn to express their faith in language appropriate to their age and stage of development, and helping them cultivate trust in God in their daily lives.

　　From this perspective, resisting the tendency to objectify children means that churches must acknowledge each child’s unique personhood and life circumstances, and interact with them in ways that attend to their developmental needs and modes of being. Within the church community, the congregants and the children of the Christian parents should be immersed, over time, in a God-centred atmosphere of witness composed of both words and deeds. If children have never truly encountered God through the daily words and deeds of believers in their homes and churches, they miss many opportunities to come to know and explore the Gospel. Today, many children from Christian families are gradually drifting away from—or even forsaking—their faith. One reason for this may be the lack of concrete, credible Christian witness in their homes and churches, leaving them with little opportunity to understand and embrace the Gospel.

Revitalizing Spiritual Formation for Children

　　In summary, over the past two decades, the global field of child theology has offered significant insights to ecclesiology and missiology. For Chinese churches and Christian leaders, these insights contain valuable resources for dialogue and challenges. Perhaps child theology can help us reorient children’s faith formation with greater purpose, enabling families and churches, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to unleash more creative pastoral energy, so that children and adults alike may experience their lives more abundantly in Christ. We will discover that churches do not merely “teach, guide, and empower” children; they also continually learn from them, drawing inspiration and hope from their lives and faith. Within families and churches, we can share stories, nurture faith, pray and worship together, and walk alongside them in this way. On a societal level, out of a genuine love for children, we actively promote their holistic well-being in public life.

　　I look forward to a future in which more and more churches and leaders in Hong Kong will not only prioritize the operational aspects of children’s ministry, but also place greater emphasis on the spiritual lives of children. May they learn to witness, within their specific contexts, how God’s Word and works in Christ are truly present and renewing the lives of children. We welcome brothers and sisters in churches to contact us so that together we may promote the study of child theology within Hong Kong’s churches and collaborate in organizing growth camps and gatherings in child theology.

May 2026