Do you ever feel like you are failing as a parent?
Maybe if I had asked, “Have you breathed in air today?” you would have had the same answer as above!
As parents, we all feel ill equipped, under-encouraged, and dog-tired most of the time! There is nothing harder and nothing more rewarding than raising kids.
Raising kids is hard, but raising them to follow Jesus is harder.
[bctt tweet=”Raising kids is hard, but raising them to follow Jesus is harder.” username=”chasesnyder12″]
That is one of the reasons why I wrote the book, Doer.
James reminds the early Christians in James 1:22 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (ESV)
Parents must ensure that their kids are engaging God’s Word and doing what it says. You know that this isn’t an easy task. It takes years of prayer, intentionality, and opportunities for kids to figure out how God has wired them to engage culture and their communities.
Here are 5 simple steps you can take to start becoming a family that is a does what God’s Word says.
Becoming A Family That Acts In A Passive Culture
- Embrace Your Role As A Spiritual Leader
It is your God-given responsibility to lead your family. No one else can raise your children for you. The church can assist you and encourage you to spiritually lead your kids, but it cannot be the sole provider of spiritual teaching. This is why biblical community is so valuable. When you are losing hope or feel stuck, other Jesus followers can speak into your life to encourage you as your raise your kids.
- Live As A Positive Example As A Jesus Follower
As parents, we should prayerfully raise our children in such a way that they love Jesus. If parents coast through their own personal relationship with Jesus, the kids are the first to notice and the ones most affected. This is why many students leave the church once they get into college – they have never seen how following Jesus affects their day-to-day lives because it wasn’t modeled in their homes.
- Study God’s Word Together
You must make time to study the Bible together with your family. You don’t have to walk through a commentary to discuss deep theological truths. You need to come up with simple ways to help your kids read Scripture, pray, and apply their faith in a day-to-day context.
- Serve Together
One of the best ways to solidify lessons is to let your children live them out! Some of the biggest blessings you can experience happen when your kids serve others with you. Don’t think about this in terms of large service projects – the simpler the service opportunity the better. Allow your son to help you bake a dish for a friend who is about to have a baby. Encourage your kids to write thank you cards to their teachers. Try to serve in smaller ways more frequently so your kids understand how to serve God in their day-to-day activities instead of through once-a-year events.
[bctt tweet=”One of the best ways to solidify lessons is to let your children live them out!” username=”chasesnyder12″]
- Allow Your Kids To Fail
Do you remember teaching your kids how to eat with a spoon? For months you had to clean up small messes after each meal because your child was still shaky with the new utensil. It would be absurd to pull the spoon away from them and decide that you would spoon-feed them for the rest of their lives! The same is true with developing character, confidence, and faith. You cannot live their lives for them. You must allow your kids to take risks, seize opportunities, and walk by faith. It is the only way you will raise doers.
Becoming a doer of God’s Word is no easy task.
In no way do I pretend that I have perfected the art of obedience to God – I just realize the importance of us starting the conversation, living life on mission, and extending the grace of Jesus to our communities and culture.
