At what age?

Well, I'm not a Pastor, but I am a Sunday School Superintendent and have been teaching children for 40 years. I myself was saved at age seven, and I vividly remember fully understanding what Jesus saved me from and what he had to do to do it. So I must have been taught.

Personnally, I do not hesitate to tell the truth to a child of any age when asked, and do give them the opportunity to accept Jesus when it fits the lesson. However, while I teach about hell, I would admit my emphasis is more on heaven than hell. I explain how sin seperates us from God, and by asking Jesus to forgive us and to let His punishment count for us, we may have Him here and now to help us live for him, and may look forward to being with Him in heaven some day.

 

I learned it at around age 5.

 

At what age?

I don't recall when I first heard it Sunday School but I can remember being very young around 3 and hearing the preacher preach about hell from the pulpit. I would think that to teach about it in Sunday School would depend on the group of kids that you had.

 

When children asked me about heaven or hell, I asked them to hold their hand out and extend their fingers....Heaven and Hell are just beyond those finger tips, and they either include the fellowship with God or exclude His presence.

Cheers,

Jim

 

a.s.a.p.

In the old days they did not have nurserys, so the children heard about it even before they could remember. But that message should be balanced-out or taught along with the message of GOD'S GRACE, LOVE and MERCY.

:godisgood:

 

Children can handle more than what we give them credit for.

 

When I was growing up, I had always heard of Hell. It wasn't until I was older, around 12 or 13, that it really sank in how serious this was. Let the children know of Hell, and let them know of sin, but really relay to the youth group. Let them know of everything there is to know.

My thoughts.

 

I think one has to be careful not to address this topic in great detail with very small children. My 3 year old DS has a VERY vivid imagination. He is also very sensitive to "scary" things. He has told us to change the channel if something frightens him - like a cartoon character being chased by a vaccuum cleaner. He is very impressionable and retains things easily. He tells us over and over a Bible lesson he was taught in which a girl was killed. He doesn't always get all the details correct, though, and needs reassurance that someone isn't going to kill him. I want him to know about salvation as a result of knowing of God's love. I think he would be traumatized if someone told him about hell and all that entails.