Part 2: How Summer and I were intentionally involved in evangelizing our daughter.

It has been our conviction from the beginning that we should be the primary disciple-makers of our children. God has entrusted them to our care, and the greatest way we can possibly care for them is to do so spiritually. We are BY NO STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION perfect in this area! We often fail miserably as parents, and even sometimes, as godly parents! We recognize our need to learn more, grow more, and apply more in presenting and living the Gospel at home! We want to read the best books on nurturing a godly home. We want to follow the best examples of nurturing a godly home. We want to put biblical instruction at the heart of our home. We have a long way to go, but we are striving. Below are some of the fundamental ways we as parents are directly, intentionally, purposefully involved in leading our own children to Christ!

1. Family Worship. At least twice a week, our family takes time to worship the Lord together after dinner. (Yes, we eat together around the table, not around the TV, or worse, separated in different rooms!) Our worship is very simple. I lead out in catechizing our children (more on this later). Second, we sing a Gospel song together, a mixture of excellent hymns and songs. Third, we read through children’s Bibles, a chapter at a time. This has been a great way to keep their attention because they can look at the pictures, and Talitha reads with us. Fourth, we pray together. During our prayer time, we incorporate thanksgiving, prayer for daily needs, friends, and family, and missions. This takes about 30 minutes. The best 30 minutes of the day!

*We have just finished reading through The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm, and I highly recommend it.

2. Catechism. The primary teaching tool for us has been using a children’s catechism. You can print out a copy here. Using the Q & A method, the child eventually memorizes all the key doctrines of the Bible. It is an excellent means not only for children, but for adults as well. Talitha and Haddon are both doing well, and as a seven and four year old, they know way more theology and biblical terminology than most adults who have been in church all their lives! We keep hammering away at the questions we have studied previously, and when they can say them all by memory we move on to the next question. When we first study a new question, I take the time to fully explain it to them on their level. Talitha has memorized 81 questions so far, and Haddon has memorized 26. I am extremely proud of them!

*The real value of using a catechism is not in the memorization but in the application. As we live day to day, opportunities arise where I can remind Talitha and Haddon of what we learned in the catechism and how it applies to life. For example, learning about sin, faith, and repentance have been excellent teaching tools during times of correction.

3. Bed time Prayer and Family Worship Prayer. I put my kids to bed as often as I can, and I pray over them every time! I pray the same prayer over each one every time. I pray the blessing of Numbers 6:24-26, “The Lord bless you and keep you...,” which is essentially a prayer for salvation. Also, when Summer and I pray during our Family Worship, we pray specifically for the Lord to save our children! We call their name out to the Lord, and they hear us pray for their salvation and that they would live radical lives for the glory of God.

4. Daily, fervent prayer. Family Worship and bed time are not the only times I pray for the salvation of my children. I pray, eagerly pray, for their salvation every time I pray for them!

5. Daily, living Example. By far, the hardest one on the list! To hold family worship, to train your children, to pray, all these require discipline, effort, and work. They are not easy, but they are far more easy than living out the Gospel in real time, in real life! I pray about my example. I strive to be an example. I fail often at being at example. However, when I fail, I confess, I apologize, and I do whatever is necessary to make things right! By the way, I am probably living the Gospel more when I fail and admit it, confess it, and repent than when I think I have got it all together!

*Our Gospel message as parents cannot simply be what comes out of our mouths! Children will see straight through us! The words of Truth, the words of Life come alive for them when they observe living, breathing, struggling illustrations right in front of them every single day! No one, I repeat, no one has more opportunity to display the Gospel before our children than we do! Living a life that says, “I love Jesus above all things!” is the most powerful, fruitful Gospel witness!