Leading Little Ones to God III: Teach from Love and Life

Jun 12, 2025

Misty Snyder, a devoted mother and experienced Sunday school teacher, shares her insights on instilling faith in young hearts. She emphasizes the necessity of genuine love and personal experience in teaching children about God, inspired by Charles Spurgeon's principles. Misty discusses the importance of parents actively participating in their child's spiritual education, stressing that prepared, heartfelt lessons resonate more than mere words. The conversation encourages listeners to reflect on the transformative power of nurturing a close relationship with Christ while educating the next generation.

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ADVICE

Love As The Primary Preparation

Love Jesus and the children as the primary preparation for teaching them.
Without real love your teaching will be lifeless and ineffective.

ADVICE

Make Love Visible To Children

Show children love through words and actions they can understand.
Otherwise your words about God's love become a living contradiction.

ADVICE

Teach From Experienced Faith

Know gospel realities by experience, not just concepts or doctrine.
If you have not first been fed, you cannot feed the children effectively.

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In this week’s episode, Dr. John Snyder and his wife Misty continue discussing Charles Spurgeon’s small pamphlet, Feed My Lambs, focusing on teaching the gospel to young children. Today they focus on getting the most out of Sunday school. Some argue the practice is worse than unnecessary but claim it is bad. Provided that the Sunday school teacher is converted, we, along with Charles Spurgeon, disagree.

But Spurgeon gives us some helpful advice that extends beyond Sunday school teachers to include parents of children at any age. He reminds us of the necessity to be living on the truths we are teaching and not attempt to put a lesson together on the way to church on Sunday morning. Beyond that, we must be driven by love. Our love and duty is first to Christ, and then that love and duty must be pointed toward the children.

Throughout the conversation, John and Misty share how they have been impacted both by learning as children and by teaching them. We pray this encourages you to think carefully of the privilege and responsibility we have to share our faith with the youngest generation.

Show Notes:

Behold Your God: Seeking Him Early -

https://shop.mediagratiae.org/collections/childrens-curriculum

Charles Spurgeon’s book for parents and teachers: https://gracegems.org/B/Spurgeon_children.htm

J. C. Ryle - Two Bears and Other Addresses to Childre:

https://www.christianbook.com/two-bears-and-other-addresses-children/j-c-ryle/9781583391051/pd/391052

Love to the Unseen Christ by Thomas Vincent - https://www.amazon.com/Christians-Unseen-Christ-Puritan-Writings/dp/1877611573

Christ is All by Henry Law - https://www.amazon.com/Christ-All-Pentateuch-Classic-Reprint/dp/0243899300

Looking Unto Jesus by Isaac Ambrose - https://www.trinitybookservice.com/looking-unto-jesus/

The list from Looking Unto Jesus by Isaac Amrose

Of considering Jesus in that respect
Of desiring after Jesus in that respect
Of hoping in Jesus in that respect
Of believing in Jesus in that respect
Of loving Jesus in that respect
Of joying in Jesus in that respect
On conforming to Jesus in that respect

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