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Parents have a divine call to raise their children up to know God. The world recognises parents' responsibility for the upbringing of their children in many areas including their material and emotional needs. Within churches it is widely acknowledged that parents are also called to meet their children's spiritual needs. According to a survey by Fuller Theological Seminary, around 90% of Christian parents believe that they have the primary responsibility to help their children grow spiritually. However, the same survey discovered that only 10% of the parents do anything more than taking their children to the church. But our children need more than that.
Whether parents like it or not they disciple their children. Even from the earliest of years their children are watching the example of their parents. Their children watch how parents respond in a crisis. They watch how we spend time daily with God - and how we don't. They watch how we talk about people we don't like. They pick up our attitude towards the church. The good, the bad and the ugly is all absorbed by our children.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." So, the first step in the discipleship of our children is to ensure that we are as close to the Lord and as full of Christian character as we can be.We need to work on our character flaws, grow in love and knowledge of God. As we do, our children will too.
In the Old Testament the whole concept of passing on the faith to the children is seen in Deuteronomy 4:9 and 6:7. The Israelites are called to talk about God and teach their children when they sit at home, when they walk along at bed time and when they get up. It is sad today that many children in church do not know where to find the major books of the Bible until they hear about that in church. As parents we should seek to pray and read the Bible with our young children every day. If our children experience meeting with God with us and watch us seeking God on our own then they will learn to do the same as they grow.
Every day our children have to face traumas in life, and encounter the joys of living. These events are an opportunity for discipleship. Jesus often used events around him to teach his disciples and we should do the same with our children. This does not mean that you will not allow your child to speak without mentioning the name of Jesus. Instead, it means that you should take the opportunities to bring Bible teaching into the context of their lives where appropriate.
God is real and he is really interested in the young lives of our children. As our children see faith in action they will be encouraged in their walk with God.
Paul writes in Galatians 4:19 "My little children, for whom I labour in birth again until Christ is formed in you." Paul is aware of the need to birth people, spiritually in prayer, but he also knows that young disciples need to be shaped in prayer. God has given us our children to shape in prayer. As our children grow and develop there will be times when they need our prayers to bring them through difficult times, to shape their character, or simply to fan into flame their love of God.Wise parents spend time on their knees for their children.
Many families choose to have a time each week, or even each day, when they worship God together and share a word. This can be a great forum to bring God central in the home and also give opportunity for your children to exercise their gifts of intercession, prophecy and teaching.
Children should not only attend church. Instead, our aim is to encourage them to be the church. A key part of this are our weekly gatherings on Sundays and the monthly net meetings on a Saturday. As the children come together they get to worship God with other like-minded children and their faith in God is encouraged. However, as parents we can do more than simply make sure our children attend. By knowing who they are with and what they are doing there we can capitalize on all that they are taught. In KT all of the cell material we teach is available on the internet and parents are welcome to download and make use of these materials. In addition, regular newsletters provide a forum to help extend the lessons taught into the weekdays.
Beyond the parents, and those called specifically to children's ministry, the whole church has a responsibility to see its children grow in the way of the Lord (much as the whole church is called to reach out to the lost and minister to the poor). Allow your children to be a part of church life and they will grow in God as they mix with other believers.
Proverbs 22:6 instructs us to "Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it." This is our mandate from God, let's raise up a generation that will make a difference in God's kingdom.
