The Parents Corner: Leading Your Children Into A Relationship With God

What is your child’s concept of God like? Many kids think of God as someone who is very big and really busy. Too big and busy to have anything to do with their little lives. Helping kids understand God wants to have a relationship with them is a tricky thing. It helps to use a concept they understand. FRIENDS! Use these ideas to help your child develop a friendship with God.
Read stories about Jesus helping everyday people. Talk about how God makes every child special and unique. Pray with your children and teach them to talk to God. Tell your children about a time when God spoke to your heart. Tell your children about a time when God answered a prayer for you. Teach your children to keep a journal and write to God.

 

One of the greatest gifts that God has given us is the freedom to choose.

You exercise this freedom of choice daily. You choose to get up in the morning or stay home, to stay on your diet or have that donut, and you have the choice to read this article or put it down. Likewise, we exercise our spiritual freedom of choice. God created man for a purpose, with a master plan scripted from conception. However, He grants us each the choice to believe and follow that plan or turn away and choose our own route.
The choices you make in life not only affect you but the world around you. For some, the choices made influence a broad sphere of individuals. Others may not possess as wide a range; but with certainty our area of influence extends to our families. Did you know that the spiritual decisions that your child(ren) will make when they are adults will be formed at an early age? Consider the following information gathered by the Barna* group. Barna has found that:

1) A child’s moral behavior is generally defined before the age of nine.
2) A child will have a personal belief and an opinion of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by the age of eighteen.
3) The spiritual beliefs of people in general are conceived by the age of 13.
“In essence,” the researcher noted, “what you believe by the time you are 13, is what you will die believing.”

As parents, we have a great responsibility for the spiritual development of our children. Parental choices have a profound affect on the spiritual development of a child.
What an exciting role I play as children’s Pastor. It is my hearts desire to provide a place that will help serve you in the spiritual development of your children by providing a safe and conducive environment in which your child can learn and grow in his/her walk with Jesus Christ.
As we partner together, we can ensure that the foundation is laid for a solid relationship with Jesus Christ. Our mission is to “raise a generation who are filled with the Spirit, led by the Spirit, and serve with the Spirit in God’s Kingdom”.

* The Barna Group is a full-service marketing research company that has been providing information and analysis regarding cultural trends and the Christian Church since 1984