Giving children the gift of faith

Making Christians is God’s work, and the Lord has his own timing. That said, the Lord uses us in his work, and it would be irresponsible to neglect the means given us for passing on the faith. Again and again, we have seen his blessing on these activities. So what advice can we give to parents about transmitting the faith in families?

First, pray for your children and pray with your children, without ceasing. Your prayers should begin the moment you know that the baby is expected. When the baby is born, make a habit of praying aloud with the child. Grandparents have a special prayer role as well, particularly when the parents have abandoned the faith they were brought up in. Remember that a person may well respond to the gospel long after our prayers have begun, indeed after we ourselves have died.

The baptism of an infant gives us a special opportunity to hear the word of the Lord and to respond with prayer. The occasion ‘preaches’ the gospel of the washing away of sin through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Provision is made through godparents for the response of the child. Then all commit the child to the Lord and parents and godparents formally undertake the responsibility of ongoing prayer for that individual. I am a great believer in the importance of infant baptism.  Even before I was conscious of the gospel, it was preached over me, prayer was offered for me and key people promised that they would be responsible for my spiritual life. What a privilege!

Secondly, teach the child the message of God in the Bible. Thankfully, we live in a time when there are many excellent aids to understanding the Bible. It is natural that Bible stories become the staple diet of such instruction. But it is almost never too early to start teaching doctrinal truth as well, such as the fact that there is only one God and that the Lord Jesus is his special Son and the Bible is his word. These truths are essential if we wish to grasp the meaning of the stories and sayings of the Bible. We found it helpful to have a very simple set of questions and answers (a ‘catechism’).

Teaching the Bible needs to be a daily occurrence and as natural a part of family life as eating. Where families have abandoned the practice of eating a meal together each day, I would suggest that the practice be resumed, with no TV on, and a simple and brief element of prayer and the Bible incorporated. This should not be a burden to the children. It is also good for children to be aware of the wider world as we pray for needs beyond those of the immediate family circle. These are some of the rich benefits of growing up in a Christian family.

Third, we need to live the Christian life before children. It should be clear from the way that we behave and speak to each other, that we honour God ourselves and obey his word. Children should be aware that our authority in their lives comes from God’s authority over us and that we answer to him. They need to see us forgive each other, build each other up, be hospitable, be generous – in fact, live the Christian life without hypocrisy.

Fourth, we should be completely committed to our church. It is best if both parents attend regularly. But if one parent is unwilling to come, the other needs to take up responsibility for both. We want our teenagers to have friends who will support them and be godly and provide them opportunities for service with a fun social experience. It is good, therefore, attend church weekly from the beginning. One of the greatest blessings we can enjoy is the modelling of the Christian life in our church.

We have also found that attending camps and conventions with our children has been an immense help. Among other things, it shows children and teenagers that there are thousands of Christian families, and it reinforces the lessons they are learning at home. We are blessed to have such great ministries as Youthworks, Crusaders, Scripture Union, Kids Plus/GFS, CEBS, Katoomba and CMS. Let’s use them to support what goes on in the home. Nor should we forget the work of Scripture in State schools or the teaching in Christian schools.

I suspect that most of the readers of Southern Cross, if they are parents, do the very things that I have suggested. The statistical evidence, if I understand it correctly, shows that we are succeeding fairly well in passing on the faith. But let’s remember these two things. First, we should be using the methods God has given us. Second, the work of God in the life of each individual is for him to determine. Be faithful, pray and entrust your children to God. 

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