Raising Kids in the Church
- The Blessing of Bible Class! - October 12, 2018
- Romans 12:12 {My Favorite Verse} - May 9, 2018
- The Submissive Wife - January 17, 2018
I never thought it would be this difficult, did you? When you became a parent did you realize just how hard it was going to be? Most (if not all) would say a resounding, “No!” I know I would. Most importantly, did you know how hard it would be, not just to raise your children in God but also get them to Bible class and worship without losing your mind?
“It is just too hard.”
“My kid doesn’t even understand.”
“We will get them into Bible class when they get into the youth group.”
If we wait until they get into the youth group, we have waited too long.
God gave us these blessings to show them love, support, and how to put God as the highest priority! School is great and sports are fun too. However, when we as parents start putting those things first, we need to look inside ourselves and see if our priorities reflect the Bible’s guidance on the matter.
“Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
This scripture is powerful! Training up a child means making God the ultimate priority. If we place him in every part of our life, our kids will follow our lead! As parents, our kids want to be just like us, so we need to make sure we are showing Christ through ourselves first.
The world is already an imperfect, sinful place and it craves for us to be the light. Some in the older generation might say, “This world is going to pot,” or “These kids don’t have a chance.” These types of comments truly break my heart because my kids are growing up in this world. I refuse to believe that they have no chance but to live in a corrupt world!
If we let our kids grow up thinking there is no hope, not only will they feel discouraged but they will lose sight of what God needs them to be and that is THE LIGHT! I pray that we encourage them as much as possible to believe that they CAN make a difference! Bible class and worship reinforce hope in their lives. I witnessed my daughter sharing this hope with another child at my son’s t-ball game. It was the sweetest thing ever and I welled up in tears.
“Did you know that Jesus died on the cross for our sins?
She gets it! And it’s because she is part of the church.
Let’s encourage our entire family to be part of the church. Don’t wait to introduce them to God’s family until their formative years have passed.
A few ways to make life easier and enjoy going to Bible class and worship:
1. Take the kids to Bible class. This gives parents and children the opportunity to connect with the body of believers, and most importantly, they get to learn more about Jesus!
2. Rotate different toys and books. Each week in a small bag or backpack, bring something to worship that they haven’t had the chance to play with in a while.
3. Talk to your kids. Set expectations of how to act during worship before it begins.
- “We need to whisper.”
- “Stay seated on the pew.”
- “We need to pray, sing and listen.”
- “Worship is not about us, it is all about God. If we stay nice and quiet, more people will hear more about God”.
4. Bible class and worship are important. Make it a priority to worship and fellowship with the body of believers. It will become a routine, and worship will become second nature to our children.
This has been on my heart. I hope it is a great source of encouragement to you and plants the seed that Bible class and worship are a blessing. Most importantly, know that your church family doesn’t mind that your little one wiggles and giggles. They are glad you are there. May God bless you and your sweet families!
What are some ways you have found helpful in making Bible class & worship a priority?
