Parents, we all want our kids to grow up to love the Lord and have a strong faith, right? But whose job is it to help them grow spiritually? The last year of closed churches shows us that it was never their job to ensure that happened. It’s always been the responsibility of the parents.
Does that thought seem a little overwhelming to you, too?
Don’t worry, friend. There are some great ways to help your kids learn to walk with the Lord when they are young, so that when they are old, they won’t depart from Him. (Proverbs 22:6) We’ll take a look at some ways to work Jesus and His Word into everyday life, the importance of music choices, plus using church activities to help your kid grow to help them grow spiritually in the future.
RECENT RESEARCH
Christian publishing company LifeWay and their research division shared results of a survey showing the best predictors of spiritual health among young adults. The results reveal some important things you can begin doing with your littles now.
Let’s take a closer look at a few of those “positive predictors.”
READING THE BIBLE
“These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)
All the way back in the Old Testament, God showed his people the importance of teaching your kids about Him and His word at home to help them grow spiritually. The value of such a practice remains the same today in a culture that grows increasingly against the things of God. Thankfully, there are some incredible resources available to use with your kids. Bible story books abound, making it easy to read through one of these stories before your children go to bed at night. LifeWay has several of such resources here.
But as the passage from Deuteronomy says, “when you lie down” isn’t the only time to teach. Try tying Jesus and his truth into the things you do with your kid all day long.
- Playing outside? “Who do you think made the trees and clouds? That’s right, Jesus did!”
- Cooking dinner? “Let’s thank Jesus for providing our dinner tonight. He takes such good care of us!”
- Correcting poor behavior? “Do you think that choice you made would make Jesus happy? What would He want you to do instead?”
Sign up your child for the Lifeguard Kids Club!
Kids in kindergarten through 3rd grade are invited to sign up to receive a quarterly publication from Life 90.5 full of fun activities, an encouraging word, and even birthday surprises!
Sign your child up now by completing the form here.
PICKING THE RIGHT MUSIC
Have you taken a close listen lately to some of the popular music out today? Maybe your kids want to dance and sing along to a certain style of music. And surely they’re adorable when they do! But have you investigated the lyrics? Undoubtedly you’ll find some things that you don’t want your kids to repeat. The truth is, not only will those messages come out of their mouths again and again, those messages also help reinforce thoughts that then take root in their hearts.
Fortunately, there are some easy ways to protect the ears, minds, and hearts of your littles. Our friends over at Plugged In frequently review new tracks from popular artists to help you decide what might be most appropriate for your child. However, there’s an even easier option. Listen to just Christian artists, and yes, to your Life 90.5. Our goal is to deliver the music that both encourages believers and shares the gospel. So you know the messages in the music on Life 90.5 will be good for your little ones both now and in the future.
Mid-days host Mandy Bowman says they listened exclusively to Christian music as she and her sisters grew up. Artists like Steven Curtis Chapman and the Newsboys created the background to her childhood. Looking back on it, she couldn’t be more thankful.
“I’m so glad my parents ensured we listened to Christian music. It’s true, sometimes I felt a little left out from some other kids because I didn’t know the songs they were talking about. But having the truth of God’s word put to song as constant reminders as we were driving around town left little room for lies of the world to creep in.”
TAKING PART IN CHURCH ACTIVITIES
Let’s look at just a couple more items mentioned in the survey: serving in church and participating in church projects. Yes, it’s true that serving in the church has been difficult to do since the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic. But now that churches are beginning to open back up with more opportunities, it won’t be long before your child can once again benefit from children’s programs, including regular weekly meetings and special summer activities. This is a great time to get plugged into what a church near you is doing.
In conclusion, parents, now is the time to give your kids the best advantage. Set them up for spiritual success with good habits and activities. The practices you help them build today to help them grow spiritually can make a difference not just into their adulthood, but in their eternity.
