WHO AM I?
(resources from our Summer 2023 teaching series on the subject of "who does God say that we are?")
Questions of identity are everywhere in our culture: identity politics, gender identity, 'you do you', be yourself, whoever that is. Our identities are no longer just about where we are from, our family, our faith and our physiology. It's not even just about what music you like, what skills you have or what your peers say about you. While these issues still matter in the formation of our children's identities, and in many ways the voices they hear are amplified due to social media, there are now more fundamental questions being asked. Where do we turn to discover who we are?
Over the last three centuries questions of identity have been dislocated from what we receive from outside of ourselves and instead people turn inward to discover who they are. It is no longer "who does God say I am?" It is now, "who do I say I am?" What do I feel like I am?
This turn is fundamentally anti-God. It places us in the position of the creator, not of a creature who has received a nature and identity from their creator, a self-creator. From Genesis 3 onwards, whenever humanity has tried to play God it has gone badly for us.
This is why we and many others are seeking to help our children and teenagers by teaching them God's way of forming our identity. It is to listen to Him about what He says about us in creating us and saving us. This Summer term in 2023 ,we will be running a syllabus that focuses on just that: who does God say that we are? Precious, purposeful creatures, wonderfully made, saved to be His children and much more.
Syllabus
Click on the above picture to download ALL of the faith in kids identify material that we're basing our teaching on.
Leaders Training
A series of videos that are designed to help leaders teach the material well. There's a series introduction that is well worth watching. You might like to watch more of them.
History
How did we get here in our culture? It seems crazy sometimes. In this video, Christian Historian Carl Truman briefly explains what's happened. He goes on to address people who are engaging with teenagers and children as to how he thinks we might be able to help.
Podcasts for Parents
A series of podcasts created by the writers of the syllabus. They don't precisely cover each session but they relate to many of the practical realties connected to what we will be teaching the children.
Explorers Parents sesion Who am I .pdfParents Evening Recording
A recording of one of our parents evening running through our 'Who am I?' syllabus. The hand out is also available for download. (NB: we're sorry that the recording is not the clearest)
Sing along?
Here is a fantastic song that you could sing as a family, or have as a regular thing to be playing in your house or on car journeys. It says so much of what we will say but in a catchy musical way.
Books for Parents
By Ed Drew, for parents like you who's children are doing this syllabus.
A modern take on what our world says it is to be human and why what God says is better.
We need to talk to our children about sex. Don't duck it. Here is a good book to help.
Mark Meynell shows us God's definition of being human.
Books for Teens
Available on our Book Stall
Available on our Book Stall
Books for Children
A book aimed at children to explain God's plan for humanity.
Marty Machoswski writes some of the best kids books in the world. Here he helps children understand God's design for boys and girls.
A beautiful book that links together truths about God and truths about us, in creation and salvation.
Our identity never shifts because God never changes. Even in a world of change and pain. Here is one father's way of teaching his children that God is good, ALL THE TIME!
TTD Summer 2023.pdf