Welcome and thanks for stopping by. This post is number five in a series of blurbs aimed at helping you be the primary spiritual leader for your children. I've struggled with what to say at this point because I want to help anyone who reads this, but I want to help you see the big picture and not just help you with baby steps. However, baby steps are usually the way to start, so I've been conflicted on whether to write about a baby step or deal with a big picture item.
According to the Blogger statistics, about 7.18 people read this (or at least open it in your browser for a second) and I don't want to lose anyone for lack of practical ideas. The previous posts have attempted to lay some groundwork for this family discipleship stuff and much foundation is left to pour. Why? Because we need to let our theology drive our behavior rather than the other way around. However, some of you may be ready for practical idea, so I will include one pragmatic baby step at the end of this post, but first I want to ask you a favor.
I need to get this message out. If that sounds arrogant to you, please remember that it is not my message. I am simply echoing the voices of people like Voddie Baucham Jr., Mark Holmen, Ron Hunter Jr., Timothy Paul Jones, Rob Rienow, and others. Even Wayne Rice, who was a youth ministry guru during what might have been the most explosive season of growth for student ministry, eventually led a ministry to aid discipleship in the home and now has a ministry equipping grandparents to be involved in discipleship. This is not my message, but the more I read, the more I observe, the more strongly I believe the idea of parents teaching their children to follow Christ must be proclaimed and practiced. The favor I'm asking is, will you help me spread this concept? How? Simply share the link to one of these family discipleship minutes on your social media or in your own blog. If you are really bold, you could email the link to one of these posts to friends who might find it useful.
The next post will return to laying some foundational ideas from Scripture. For now, I'll give you a baby step that you can take. Go to church as a family. You may think you already do that, but if you all go different directions when you walk in the door, are you really going as a family? At this point, I am not suggesting the whole family go to the same Sunday school class. However, when you go to the worship service, go together. Your kids need to see you worship. Yes, it is difficult to wrangle young children. Yes, teenagers want to sit with their friends or the youth group. Don't worry about all that. Be in worship together.
If you have really little ones and you just cannot handle them in worship, utilize the nursery. But as soon as possible, get your children in the service with you. Children are likely to stand and sing with you, especially if you encourage them and model it for them. Also, you can do several things to help them stay still during the message. Bring them a snack, have something for them to color or read, let them take turns sitting on mom's lap and then dad's, etc. When they are old enough, which is probably younger than you think, have them take notes on the sermon (and help them.) Talk to them during the week about the importance of worship and the importance of behaving appropriately during the meeting. Reward them for good behavior in church and punish them for inappropriate behavior. Finally, realize that kids absorb more than you think they do even if they are fidgetting or seem to be doing something else.
If your teenagers don't think it is cool to sit with mom and dad, tough stuff cream puff. You are the parent. I'm not saying you have to be a dictator. Talk to them during the week about the importance of worshipping God as a family. Negotiate with them if you need to, but they need to be in church with you.
Okay, there's your baby step. If you are already doing that, kudos to you! Future posts will have other practical steps you can take. Please help me spread this message by posting a link to one of these little articles on your social media, or by emailing the link to friends who might find it beneficial. Thanks again for your time.
Questions for thought and discussion (feel free to leave comments):
1. Does your church's youth group get bigger right before and after summer camp and then dwindle again by August? Do people blame the youth pastor for that? How might that pattern change if parents were leading their children in the home?
2. Does your pastor ever specifically address children and teens during the sermon? Should he?
3. Do you think we will be separated by age groups in heaven? Why or why not?
No comments:
Post a Comment