Love them, spoil them, and send them home.
-
2 Timothy 1:5
Close
-
Psalms 37:25
Close
Are you a screamer? I am too.
Words. They can hurt. With our kids, they can be devastating. I remember losing my cool with my daughter. Not only did I get loud, but I said some hurtful things. To this day, she STILL remembers it. To this day, I'm still ashamed. Have you been there? I think we all have. Here's the great news. God can use even THAT. First, go to your child and tell them what you did was wrong and confess it. Tell them it was sin and that even YOU can sin. Secondly, remind them that that's why Jesus came—to provide the way to salvation to all who believe. Then, give them a huge hug. You'll find kids are pretty forgiving. What's the lesson? God uses ALL things for His good.
Kids need to be critical thinkers.
Do you ever wonder why kids ask why? Seriously! I know the answer to that, but it’s amazing how many times a three-year-old can ask why about the same subject. You know why? It’s because God created them to be a critical thinker. Unfortunately, our schools today aren’t teaching critical thinking skills. Today, we’re talking about training our kids to be apologists, defenders of their faith. It’s critical to teach our kids to identify and evaluate arguments that people make against God’s existence or the truth of Christianity. In order to do that, we’ve got to encourage kids to ask, “Why?” Those “why” questions will require us to be ready to answer them. Are you ready?
Training kids to be apologists
Today is part two of training our kids to be defenders of their faith in an increasingly antagonistic world. Here are a few more ways to train your kids in apologetics (from Natasha Crain).* Talk about the planets and compare them to earth. Talk about how God created the earth for us. Tell your kids “that some people think it happened by ‘chance,’ and how Christians instead believe it’s God’s design.” Then, encourage them to look at God’s fingerprints in creation. What could they look like? Ask, “How could this happen by chance? Can we put a bunch of watch parts together in a bag and hope they will go together perfectly by shaking it?” This supports the argument that God finely tuned His creation. More helps tomorrow. *Based on “14 Ways I Teach Apologetics to My 5-Year-Olds” by Natasha Crain, ChristianMomThoughts.com
Kids need to be defenders.
Today’s culture isn’t a positive place to be if you’re a Christian. Our culture is so messed up we don’t even know the difference between male and female anymore with the transgender issue. The world tells us there are no moral absolutes, God doesn’t exist, and the Bible isn’t truth. Parents, we need to teach our kids to defend their faith: Christian apologetics. Here are a few ways to start with our kids (from Natasha Crain).* Make sure you have daily Bible time. Start by reminding them that “God has revealed Himself to people in TWO ways: through the Bible and through the world around us.” Then, remind them that “without God, there would be nothing.” Then, use the Bible to begin studying books about space. These are three beginning steps. More tomorrow. *From “14 Ways I Teach Apologetics to My 5-Year-Olds” by Natasha Crain, ChristianMomThoughts.com
I ran 15 miles and didn’t stop.
For my 50th birthday, I decided I was going to train for a 25k road race. That’s running 15 ½ miles without stopping. I started off running three miles, gradually increasing it all the way to fifteen. The training was hard, but I was as ready as I could ever be as a 50-year-old runner. About 6 weeks before the race, I hurt my calf muscle. And I almost quit. Then, I remembered: “Run the race to win the prize.” I finished the training, and I ran the race. Do your kids ever start something but never finish? Let me encourage you to help them overcome this before it becomes a habit. What Christian only halfway shares his or her faith?
I did something really stupid
I pulled a BIG one. My sixteen-year-old daughter wanted to tell me something about her terrible day at school. As I sat on the couch half sleeping and half watching TV, she began telling me about it. About sentence number four, I FELL ASLEEP. Not once, but TWICE. What father does that? I felt TERRIBLE. I begged for forgiveness. She really didn’t want to forgive me. I damaged her trust. I’ve always told her, “Honey, I’ll always be there for you.” This time, I wasn’t. The lesson here is try to remember how you felt when your child’s forgiveness was only words. Your teen needs your true forgiveness as much as you need theirs.
Do your kids doubt?
We continue looking at why young people fifteen and older leave the church, according to Barna research.* The latest reason is young people don’t feel safe questioning their faith. Young people have said that the church "feels unfriendly to doubters." They “do not feel safe admitting that sometimes Christianity does not make sense.” Young people also “feel marginalized” because the church doesn’t understand “depression or other emotional problems.” My guess is some churches don’t have the answers. Parents, we need to encourage conversations about faith, even with those kids who question their faith. It’s at these moments we can point them to Scripture and talk it through. Don’t leave it up to their peers to give them the wrong information. *Based on “Six Reasons Young Christians Leave Church,” Barna.org
Jesus is really the only way.
Today, we’re looking at the last reason why three in five young people fifteen and older are leaving the church.* Do you know many young people “wrestle with the exclusive nature of Christianity”? In fact, “younger Americans have been shaped by a culture that esteems open-mindedness, tolerance and acceptance.” (But not of us Christians.) So, “most young adults want to find areas of common ground.” Many believe “churches are afraid of the beliefs of other faiths.” They feel “forced to choose between [their] faith and [their] friends.” Many say the “church is like a country club” and “only for insiders.” What are we teaching our kids? Are we telling them why Jesus is the only way? Why is it that there is only one God? My guess is we need to do it more. *Based on “Six Reasons Young Christians Leave Church,” Barna.org
Sexuality. It’s hard to talk about.
Today, we’re looking at the fourth reason why three in five young people fifteen and older are leaving the church (according to Barna research).* Number four is “young Christians’ church experiences related to sexuality are often simplistic, judgmental.” With sexuality lived out on TV, movies, and the internet, “teen and twentysomething Christians are struggling with how to live meaningful lives in terms of sex and sexuality. One of the significant tensions for many young believers is how to live up to the church’s expectations of chastity and sexual purity. . . .Research indicates that most young Christians are as sexually active as their non-Christian peers.” As parents, clear teaching of sexuality and what the Bible says is important. But, doing it out of love and lovingly explaining it is the best way. *Based on “Six Reasons Young Christians Leave Church,” Barna.org
Is the church agnostic?
This week we’re taking a peek at why young people are leaving the church.* Three in five young people older than fifteen do that. Today, we’re looking at reason number three, outlined by Barna research. The most common of the reasons? They believe “Christians are too confident they know all the answers.” In fact, “three out of ten young adults with a Christian background feel that ‘churches are out of step with the scientific world we live in.’ Another one-quarter embrace the perception that ‘Christianity is anti-science.’ ” Well, our kids need guidance on how to engage the culture with a Christian worldview. They want to find a way to bring their faith in Jesus to the problems they face. How do we do that? Teach our kids to be apologists, defenders of their faith. *Based on “Six Reasons Young Christians Leave Church,” Barna.org