Developing material to teach fundamental beliefs to the junior class (8-10 years) in Chitungwiza Central District, East Zimbabwe Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists /

Abstract

According to the Shema (Deut 6:1-9), God commanded parents to impress the divine commandments to their children. This injunction was to be a clear and incisive teaching of children, which was so essential it was to be at the very core of the guardian’s labour and life—when parents sit in the house or walk, by the way, lie down, and rise up. Thus parents must make it their priority to diligently teach their children Bible truths. The intention of this study was to discover reasons for little or no intentional teaching of Bible doctrines to Junior children between the ages of 10 and 12 years at home or church in preparation for baptism and to recommend a solution to the problem. Following a careful study of the available materials for teaching Bible doctrines to Junior children in Chitungwiza Central District of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (CCD) in preparation for baptism, the researcher investigated to what extent the materials were realising their intended goal of preparing Juniors for baptism and building their faith. The materials for teaching fundamental beliefs and preparing Juniors for baptism are not fully realizing their potential in CCD. This is evidenced by a low baptismal rate of 9% of children less than fifteen years of age. The major reasons include a lack of material to teach Juniors Bible doctrines. The few materials that are available are all in English, and yet some of the children do not understand the English language. Moreover, both parent and Junior class teachers have not been trained to teach Bible beliefs to Junior children.