Beyond the ministry to junior high students, we want to be available to parents as well. At the House we want to affirm and build on what you are teaching your children in your home. We want to instill in them the value of honoring, respecting, and obeying their parents.
Barna Research Group says 47% of teenagers say their parents have the greatest influence on their spiritual development; 16% listed their church; 8% named peers; 4% said relatives (1998).
Because of the overwhelming influence parents have, take the opportunity to model your relationship with God before your children. They need to know and see that you spend time with God daily in prayer and reading the Bible. They need to see you worship and fellowship with other believers. They need to see you serve and share your faith in Jesus with others.
Family devotions are another opportunity to mold your children’s faith and they will remember that time spent together. It's important to spend time together. The family dinner has been diminishing in our fast paced society, and yet that time together provides the family time to talk to one another and find out how everyone is doing. It can be a hassle to coordinate, but the family dinnertime will be worth the effort.
For resources on how to do family nights, “Focus on the Family” has a series called “Family Night Tool Chest” by Heritage Builders. For more information call 1-800-A-FAMILY or contact www.heritagebuilders.com Another option is using the book Family Walk by Bruce Wilkinson put out by Walk Through the Bible through Zondervan.
|
