A GOOD FOUNDATION
Moving from babble to a confession of faith takes time. Usually, the confession comes after a spiritual foundation has been laid by parents as they work to ensure their child understands the gospel and turns to Christ in genuine salvation. Yet, parents face the reality that some children hear the gospel and believe, while other children hear the same message and seem not to believe. Why the difference? What can parents do to help their children hear the gospel, receive God’s Word and live missional lives? Several thoughts come to mind.
Parents must help their children understand the gospel. Often, parents attempt to teach children about faith by transferring Bible facts to them. However, facts alone do not lead to a profession of faith unless the child understands what the facts mean. Fill-in-the-blank worksheets or word puzzles that test children on their factual knowledge are good and are appropriate. However, adults should not forget that unscrambling forgiveness in a puzzle is far less important than understanding what forgiveness actually means. Hearing, reading or memorizing facts about faith is not enough. Parents should help their child to understand God’s Word and how it applies to everyday life.
Children must experience the gospel. Everyone, especially children, remember experiences that are well-taught. When Jesus wanted His disciples to learn about genuine servanthood, He knelt and washed their feet. That’s one lesson the disciples never forgot!
Parents must strive to give their children the same kinds of experiences. If we want our children to experience godly love, we can involve our family in giving to a neighbor, expecting nothing in return. If we desire to teach our child to use words of kindness, we can have family members write a kind note to someone and then deliver it to them personally.
To build a spiritual foundation, use teachable moments. If a child feels sadness, frustration, happiness or doubt, parents must be prepared to help them understand how God works through those situations. If our child is frightened, we have the opportunity to teach him about God’s presence with us. Jesus regularly used teachable moments. Two examples come to mind. Jesus used the storm on the water to teach truths about God’s power over nature. Jesus also used the example of the adulterous woman (who was threatened with being stoned) to teach about God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Reinforce what you teach. Some lessons are quickly forgotten, while others are remembered for a lifetime. Parents help their child retain God’s Word long-term by reinforcing those lessons day in and day out.
Avoid bribery. Many parents attempt to develop their children’s faith through rewards. A parent says, “If you learn this Bible verse, I’ll give you a sticker.” Or, a parent says, “Read the Bible and I’ll give you a cookie.” Those “rewards” seem harmless, right? However, bribing children usually causes them to focus more on the reward than on the act itself.
22 Fall 2011 •
onmission.com
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