When it comes to engaging in ministry opportunities and conferences, word of mouth often carries hidden treasures, and this turned out to be one of them. Despite hearing about Youthworks HOUSE Conference in passing, PYNSW SRE Director Ros hadn’t engaged with it before. This year, however, something shifted. The advertised topic, sin and how to understand it with children, caught her attention.
As someone deeply involved in reviewing the SRE (Special Religious Education) curriculum, Ros has often grappled with how sin is addressed—or, more often, poorly addressed and how that might be improved. The opportunity to attend a conference that promised to tackle such an uncomfortable yet crucial topic felt too valuable to miss.
“What piqued my curiosity further was realising that SRE, which sometimes feels like a siloed ministry, was being integrated into broader youth and children’s ministry discussions.”
When Ros arrived at the conference, she quickly noticed its unique format. The talks, grounded in solid theological teaching, were paired with discussion groups in the same session. These groups were thoughtfully organised by ministry focus, ensuring that conversations were relevant and engaging. For Ros, this meant diving into rich discussions with others passionate about teaching children biblical truths.
“It wasn’t just passive listening; we were actively grappling with the concepts presented.”
One talk, delivered by Rev. Dr. Michael Jensen, focused on recovering the language of sin. Another, by Rev. Dr. Tom Habib, explored sin as depicted in the Gospel of John. These sessions opened Ros’ eyes to the vastness of the biblical portrayal of sin—far beyond the simplified definitions she had encountered before. It was both challenging and enlightening. Rather than walking away with a tidy, concise definition, Ros gained a deeper appreciation for the multifaceted nature of sin and its implications.
“One standout moment for me was the exploration of analogies for teaching sin to children. Often, we default to everyday examples like “taking your brother’s toy” or “hitting your sister.” But the conference challenged this approach, emphasising the richness of biblical narratives.
“By drawing on characters and stories from Scripture, we can provide more profound, relatable, and enduring examples of sin’s nature and consequences. A quote from one of the sessions summed it up beautifully: “The characters in the Bible provide us with a variety of rich and often shocking examples of sin and its effect. They provide opportunities to discuss why we see what forms sin can take and why sin is so damaging to ourselves and those around us.”
As Ros reflected on the experience, she says, “I see the HOUSE as more than a one-time event. It’s a resource I’ll return to repeatedly as I review the SRE curriculum and wrestle with how to convey sin’s uncomfortable truth to children in a way that is age appropriate and sensitive”.
Learn more about HOUSE Conference here.