When faithful young adults were asked what solidified their faith the most in their teen years, the prominent answer was faith conversations in the home! What does this tell us? It says that we must talk about God with our family; when it is inconvenient, when it is uncomfortable, or if you don’t feel like you have an intelligent answer. This shouldn’t be a surprise to us, because this is what God said to do in Deuteronomy 6:7
“Impress them [the commandments] on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
What about those tough spiritual questions our children/teenagers ask that we just don’t know the answer to?
We can’t be afraid of tough questions! We must answer tough questions. (Notice I didn’t say WE need to have all the answers.) Help them grow in their knowledge and understanding of scripture and God through helping them discover the richness and depth of the Word. And when you don’t know an answer, it’s a wonderful thing to find the answer with them! You may look up passages through your concordance, the internet (www.biblegateway.com), answersingenesis.com, books, or even your pastor or friend that has been on this journey with Christ longer than you.
What does this teach your child/teenager?
When you help them answer tough questions, you are discipling them! A disciple is a follower, a learner. By the way, you are discipling them in lots of areas (how to dress, how to get along with others, how to study, etc.), so make sure you are also discipling them in their faith. You will gain respect and build your relationship by being humble and learning with your children. When you explore questions with your child, you help them learn how to learn, how to find answers. You also teach them that you are open to learning new things and you never stop learning.
They will need as many questions answered before going off to college, so they can stand firm. We must teach them to depend upon the Word, to seek it, to know it. When the storms come, we want them to have a solid foundation, a lasting faith and trust in our Savior. Luke 6:48-50
Small group questions:
How are you answering your children’s questions? How are you building in them a solid foundation that will stay firm when the storms come? How are you preparing them for a faith that will last? If you have any suggestion on what worked for your kids, share them with others below.
What questions have your kids asked? Post them in the comments section below and we will help you answer them.
Helping you have Homes Devoted,
Jonathan & Carrie
Written by Jonathan
Rev. Jonathan Cronkhite has been serving youth and families in full time
ministry for the last 23 years. With the heart of a pastor, he encourages and equips families to have Homes Devoted, through conferences, workshops, coaching and writing. Married to Carrie for 22 years, they have 5 children, run a home school co-op, drama club and invite 50 people over once a month for airsoft battles.
Comments 1
Hey Carrie, Byron did get this e-mail, you may not have had my address but now you do. We would love to look over your brochure, do forward it to us.
Our meeting went well. I shared the things we talked about. Other members had contacted churches that have a family centered worship established and they also shared with the group. We have a lot of information to digest. We are slowing making plans to introduce family centered worship… we are certainly at baby step one. The first thing we will do is try to get families to start a family night, and we are working on ads and looking for a “core group” of families so we can hopefully start that in January.
Looking forward to hear more from you and to see the brochure. Blessings, Sue