How Do You Teach a Child This: “What is a Pastor?”

I once was asked to address a classroom filled with 4–6 year old children and try to explain to them what a pastor is and does. I accepted, not because I felt I could do this well (far from it), but the challenge of it intrigued me. How do you teach a group of 4–6 year old kids what a pastor is and does? This is something any pastor should be able to do. So, pastor, how would you go about this? Below represents my efforts to explain a pastor’s task in the form of props I brought with me to class for the kids to see, touch, and ask questions.

Bible

A pastor’s task is to read, study, and teach God’s Word to God’s people. It is also to be that which dictates all that a pastor believes, lives by, and does to care for others.

Cross

A cross is the simplest visual to understand the gospel of that which a pastor preaches and equips the church. It is also the most obvious way to talk about Jesus and his person and work in a way for children to understand.

Picture of Prayer

A pastor is to be dedicated to prayer and the ministry of the Word. The easiest way to portray prayer to children seemed to be a drawing I brought that showed a man on his knees with folded hands praying to God. A pastor is specifically to be dedicated to pray for his family and the people in his local church.

Family Picture

My role as a pastor is to first shepherd my wife and children before I focus on anyone in my church. Their souls have been entrusted to me in the same way as my congregation has been by God. This is so important that if I fail in this task, I am disqualified from being a pastor.

Stethoscope

Most kids would recognize a stethoscope as that which a doctor uses to care for his patients. A pastor is similar to a doctor in two ways. First, we also go to the hospital to visit people who are sick. Secondly, like a doctor, we care for sick people. However, as doctors care for the physically ill, we care for those who are spiritually ill, whose hearts need healing from sin.

Coffee Mug

I know many of you might take issue with this one, but much of what I do as a pastor revolves around shepherding the flock under the oversight of the heavenly gift of “coffee.” Whether it is a pot of coffee that gets put on when someone comes over to the house, a one-on-one discipleship meeting conducted over a cup of coffee, or important uninterrupted sermon writing or counseling that takes place at a local Starbucks, much of a pastor’s work (at least mine) often revolves around coffee, tea, hot chocolate (my 6-year-old’s contribution), or some other hospitable drink of choice (which is what the mug ultimately represents).

I hope this acts as a guide for you to come up with your own way to communicate the important role of a pastor to children and why even these little ones should be thankful if they have a faithful pastor in their life.  Whatever version of this teaching you create… try it out on your token 6-year-old at home as I did.

What props would you add to the list and why?

Brian Croft is Senior Pastor of Auburndale Baptist Church. To find out more, please visit Practical Shepherding.

Originally published June 19, 2014.