There is a growing epidemic of students who grow up in church who are leaving their faith behind when they graduate high school. What can we do about this?
This trend begins long before a young man/woman gets into the teen years. I believe we can do much to prevent this trend, starting even while kids are in the preschool ages. Helping our sons and daughters form spiritual disciplines of reading the Bible, praying, giving, and corporate worship, while they are young will help them fall more in love with the Savior who gave His life for them. How do we do this?
It's not easy. But most things that are worth doing take tremendous effort and persistence. As parents, and as a church, we can help reverse this trend.
As parents, the greatest tool we have in guiding our kids is our own actions. I am sure you notice that your sons/daughters pick up on your habits and mannerisms. They will also pick up on your habit to read the Bible, pray, give, and connect with the Church body. Make sure they see you doing these things.
It's easy to make excuses, or to put other activities or the busyness of life before your relationship with Christ. But if we do this, we train our kids to do the same. And when they are teens, and choose not to come to church or follow in the faith that we tried to instill in them, we wonder why. The training, as hard as it seems, starts when they are young.
So let's do all we can to set the example...to teach them to be obedient to the commands of Christ (as Christ put it). Let's raise up a generation who loves GOD and shows HIM to the world around them.
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