Our focus in this issue is on the single most important responsibility of the parents in relation to their children-that is to lead them to the Lord. Parents can start by earnestly praying for their children's salvation. They should not assume that by attending Sunday school, church or other spiritual activities children will eventually get saved. It is possible that a child may have his/her mind filled with Bible verses and choruses learned from childhood. This information or knowledge has to be transformed into experience. Much prayer and wisdom are required to lead the child to a real and personal relationship with God.
Our duty as parents is to share the gospel and help them understand the truth. God wants us to do our part in prayerfully guiding them to a point where they must personally choose to follow Christ. Never compel the children to 'make a decision' of accepting the Lord. Saving a person is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Do not give them a false sense of assurance of salvation if they have not come into a genuine relationship with Christ. Remember that no parent can be successful without God's help. If children make a true and genuine confession of faith, encourage them to grow spiritually. It must be taught to the children that salvation results in change of character, progressive sanctification, and obedience to God's commands. Do not question their salvation experience whenever they make a mistake. (Haven't we parents made mistakes after we were saved?)
Christian history bears testimony to the fact that many of the great stalwarts were saved at a very young age. Mathew Henry, the great Bible Commentator, Isaac Watts, the hymn writer, preacher Jonathan Edward, Count Zinzendorf, Richard Baxter and Corrie Ten Boom belong to this category.
Introduce children to devotional books geared to their age level and encourage them to read them. Give them the freedom to ask questions, express their doubts and concerns. Personal knowledge of the Lord and intimate fellowship with Him is the solid foundation on which children can build their lives. Family worship or devotion would serve as a means to the formation of this foundation. It is a time when all the members of the family come together around the Lord and His Word. Make it a time of singing, praising, praying and studying God's Word; a time when God is worshipped, and His lordship acknowledged in the home. Those who regularly practice this can relate to each other in love and share their joys and burdens together. “A Family that prays together stays together.”
“According to a survey of Christian marriages taken by Dr. Pitram Sorokin of Harvard University, when the family practice of Bible study and prayer is daily observed, there is only one divorce in 1015 marriages. It appears that not only is divorce practically eliminated from the families that have a family altar but much of the heartache and unhappiness associated with present day marriages find no place in their homes” ( Tim La Haye, 'How To Be Happy Though Married')
We should teach our children that God is to be worshipped every day whenever we come in to His presence and not just on Sunday morning. Children should realize that God is an integral part of our life, and we should live in intimate fellowship with Him every moment of our life. It is important to regularly discuss God with our children, teaching the knowledge of the Lord through formal and informal teaching of the Word of God. Talk about what God has been doing in our life - how God provides for our needs, gives us deliverance from troubles, answers our prayers, and leads us on miraculously. Show them the character of God from the Scriptures. Let them know that God is real, faithful, and trustworthy. Teach them the importance of honoring Him and obeying Him in life. Help them to know that He is really involved in our life.
W. E. Rickerson makes this crucial observation in His book 'How to Help The Christian home' , “90% of active Mormon families have regular family nights. It is because home-centered religious education is a building block philosophy of the Mormon Church. Monday nights are reserved by the Mormon people as a time for parents to teach principles of their faith at home. An outstanding Family Home Evening Manual is given to parents every year. In front of each Manual is a message from the President of the Mormon Church reminding parents how essential it is for them to teach at home”.
All parents must make sure that they are a part of a scripturally sound church, regularly attending the gatherings of the saints (Hebrews 10:24, 25). Church is absolutely necessary for our spiritual growth. Children should be taught that church is a high priority in life. It is only in the context of the church that we can be trained to be disciples who would observe all that the Lord Jesus has commanded us (Mat.28:19, 20). It is a place where they can get to know and mingle with other children from good Christian homes. There they can find good friends who are being brought up in Christian homes practicing biblical values. Being in the company of godly people will have a great impact in the lives of children as they grow up. Get children involved in the activities of the church even while they are young. As parents it is our duty to instill in them the importance of church and Christian fellowship.
Families who attend church regularly and maintain the habit of family worship are more likely to have obedient, godly and better-behaved children than those who do not.
The family of godly Andrew Murray of South Africa can be quoted as a good example to this. It is said that out of his eleven children who grew up to adult life five of the sons became ministers and four of the daughters became ministers' wives. Greater things happened in the next generation when ten grandsons became ministers and thirteen became missionaries. The training received at home and church is no doubt the reason behind this blessing.
Our duty as parents is to share the gospel and help them understand the truth. God wants us to do our part in prayerfully guiding them to a point where they must personally choose to follow Christ. Never compel the children to 'make a decision' of accepting the Lord. Saving a person is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Do not give them a false sense of assurance of salvation if they have not come into a genuine relationship with Christ. Remember that no parent can be successful without God's help. If children make a true and genuine confession of faith, encourage them to grow spiritually. It must be taught to the children that salvation results in change of character, progressive sanctification, and obedience to God's commands. Do not question their salvation experience whenever they make a mistake. (Haven't we parents made mistakes after we were saved?)
Christian history bears testimony to the fact that many of the great stalwarts were saved at a very young age. Mathew Henry, the great Bible Commentator, Isaac Watts, the hymn writer, preacher Jonathan Edward, Count Zinzendorf, Richard Baxter and Corrie Ten Boom belong to this category.
Introduce children to devotional books geared to their age level and encourage them to read them. Give them the freedom to ask questions, express their doubts and concerns. Personal knowledge of the Lord and intimate fellowship with Him is the solid foundation on which children can build their lives. Family worship or devotion would serve as a means to the formation of this foundation. It is a time when all the members of the family come together around the Lord and His Word. Make it a time of singing, praising, praying and studying God's Word; a time when God is worshipped, and His lordship acknowledged in the home. Those who regularly practice this can relate to each other in love and share their joys and burdens together. “A Family that prays together stays together.”
“According to a survey of Christian marriages taken by Dr. Pitram Sorokin of Harvard University, when the family practice of Bible study and prayer is daily observed, there is only one divorce in 1015 marriages. It appears that not only is divorce practically eliminated from the families that have a family altar but much of the heartache and unhappiness associated with present day marriages find no place in their homes” ( Tim La Haye, 'How To Be Happy Though Married')
We should teach our children that God is to be worshipped every day whenever we come in to His presence and not just on Sunday morning. Children should realize that God is an integral part of our life, and we should live in intimate fellowship with Him every moment of our life. It is important to regularly discuss God with our children, teaching the knowledge of the Lord through formal and informal teaching of the Word of God. Talk about what God has been doing in our life - how God provides for our needs, gives us deliverance from troubles, answers our prayers, and leads us on miraculously. Show them the character of God from the Scriptures. Let them know that God is real, faithful, and trustworthy. Teach them the importance of honoring Him and obeying Him in life. Help them to know that He is really involved in our life.
W. E. Rickerson makes this crucial observation in His book 'How to Help The Christian home' , “90% of active Mormon families have regular family nights. It is because home-centered religious education is a building block philosophy of the Mormon Church. Monday nights are reserved by the Mormon people as a time for parents to teach principles of their faith at home. An outstanding Family Home Evening Manual is given to parents every year. In front of each Manual is a message from the President of the Mormon Church reminding parents how essential it is for them to teach at home”.
All parents must make sure that they are a part of a scripturally sound church, regularly attending the gatherings of the saints (Hebrews 10:24, 25). Church is absolutely necessary for our spiritual growth. Children should be taught that church is a high priority in life. It is only in the context of the church that we can be trained to be disciples who would observe all that the Lord Jesus has commanded us (Mat.28:19, 20). It is a place where they can get to know and mingle with other children from good Christian homes. There they can find good friends who are being brought up in Christian homes practicing biblical values. Being in the company of godly people will have a great impact in the lives of children as they grow up. Get children involved in the activities of the church even while they are young. As parents it is our duty to instill in them the importance of church and Christian fellowship.
Families who attend church regularly and maintain the habit of family worship are more likely to have obedient, godly and better-behaved children than those who do not.
The family of godly Andrew Murray of South Africa can be quoted as a good example to this. It is said that out of his eleven children who grew up to adult life five of the sons became ministers and four of the daughters became ministers' wives. Greater things happened in the next generation when ten grandsons became ministers and thirteen became missionaries. The training received at home and church is no doubt the reason behind this blessing.
– John Kurian
