How Names of God Help Kids Understand Who He Is  

  By: Crystal Mazzuca

I remember a camp song where we would sing names of God—names like “Lord of lords,” “Alpha and Omega” and “Prince of Peace.” I always thought it was fun, thinking about all those different names and what they meant.  

  

Our Bibles are filled with different names of God. Some speak to His character, some to His power, and some to the ways He is holy and unique. As ministry leaders, we might be tempted to limit the ways we refer to God. It can already be a challenge to help kids understand that relationship of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. To add even more names might feel like too much!  

  

And yet, there is something so awesome and amazing about the picture painted through these different names of God. Discovering them, learning the meaning behind them, and using them in our ministry spaces can help kids develop a deeper understanding of who God is.  

  

God Is Different Than Us  

Even if we have a middle name, a hyphenated last name, and a nickname, they all just point to one thing—us. Our names may have a purpose and a meaning behind them, but we only have one name. And we really only need one.  

  

But God is so different than us! There are many aspects to who He is and what He is like that one name isn’t sufficient. God has all these names because He’s so big, so great, so mighty—one name can’t do Him justice! God’s many names show how He is different than people.  

  

God Wants Us to Know Him  

Knowing someone’s name is one of the first steps to knowing who they are. It’s the same with God. What is amazing is that each of the names of God used in the Bible tells a different thing about God. Abba tells us that God is our Father. Almighty God shows that He rules over everything. Alpha and Omega reveal that He is the beginning and end. The list goes on and on!  

  

Each name of God helps us know Him and understand Him a little bit more. As we teach these names to kids, they too will know these incredible things about God and know God Himself more.  

  

God Has Many Names for Us  

Exploring the names of God helps kids understand why He would then have many names to describe us. It makes sense that the same God who is called so many things would also call people so many things. Beloved. Fearfully and wonderfully made. Redeemed.  

  

The same God who is so big that He has many names to describe Him is the same God who created us and calls us by many names too. Seeing and believing all those things about God are true helps kids believe that the identity God has for them is too.  

  

Our God cannot be contained or defined by one name alone. Let’s help kids discover all the incredible ways the Bible describes Him—and us! Having a better understanding of the names of God will lead to a deeper understanding of who He is. This means that awe, wonder, trust, appreciation, and worship are sure to follow.  

Crystal Mazzuca is a Content Editor for Lifeway’s Hyfi and Kids’ Short Term Studies. With an MA in Christian Education Administration, she has a passion to encourage and equip leaders to impact the next generation for Christ. She’s spent the last 20 years in Kids, Student, and Family Ministry and loves serving both the big C church and her local church in Olympia, WA. Crystal loves reading, going to the beach, and playing video games with her 3 sons.