Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Should you force your kids to go to church?

Brent Thomas, (the district youth director, for our, Central EFCA District) sent this blog post out early this week. It is a great read, and worthy of your time. A couple quotes that stuck out to me are:

"How much more so are you responsible for doing all you can to secure their eternal well being?"

"Yes, kids can be brought up in a loving Christian home and still turn away later.  That’s on them.  But you, parents, have a task of the utmost importance." --> As a parent of a 20 month old little girl, and another on the way, this line stuck with me.

"They are never too young to learn this.  My one-and-a-half year old sees a cross and excitedly shouts, “Jesus!”  Don’t use the excuse that “they wouldn’t understand this.”  Try them.  I don’t understand it all myself, but I still believe.  And you’d better believe that the Holy Spirit works in their hearts effectively."

You can check the post out over here.

PS. Make sure you read the opening paragraphs with a fair bit of irony.

Questions to think about:

1. When should we let our kids "choose their own path"?
2. How do we motivate our kids to be excited not just about church, but about Jesus?
3. What role do my actions and attitudes as a parent affect my child's actions and attitudes?
4. What excuses am I prone to make? --> I was convicted with this one!
5. How can I, as a youth pastor support, equip, and encourage you as a parent, in discipling your children to love Jesus? --> Yep, I'm in the boat with you! :)

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