Love of Christ compels us'

The motivation for Christians to do volunteer work was the same as that for the apostle Paul to take the faith from Jerusalem to Rome, Hans Vaatstra says.

"The love of Christ compels us."

He has been teaching Christianity in schools for 13 years - nine years in Geelong, two in Dunedin and now two in Wanganui. He's a pastor of the Reformed Church, which has a Wanganui congregation of 60, and his children are home educated.

He spends half an hour a week each teaching in St John's Hill and Wanganui East schools. He said he usually started with stories from the Bible and then activities. He did not give out lollies.

At St John's Hill School about six children were exempted from the classes by parents. At Wanganui East, he thought none were.

As a member of the Wanganui Council for Christian Education, he can choose which curriculum to use; he prefers Connect.

He wanted children to know something about the Bible, but said he was not on a mission to convert them.

"Later on in life they can make their own minds up."