Raising children to know, love, and follow Christ in today's challenging culture is a daily endeavor. How can families stay committed to Christ and guide their children to become godly adults?
Join Jonathan in this episode of Candid Conversations, where he shares valuable insights into biblical parenting and discusses five essential Biblical principles for following Christ as a family.
Don't miss out on this meaningful episode. Listen, share, and help families deepen their relationship with our Lord and Savior.
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[00:00:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Hello and welcome to Candid, where we never settle for less than the truth.
[00:00:10] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm your host Jonathan Youssef.
[00:00:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Each week we'll tackle tough issues, answer your hard questions, and take a candid look
[00:00:18] [SPEAKER_00]: at the Christian faith.
[00:00:20] [SPEAKER_00]: If you've been enjoying the podcast, would you take a minute and log on to your favorite
[00:00:24] [SPEAKER_00]: podcast platform?
[00:00:26] [SPEAKER_00]: Rate us and leave us a review.
[00:00:28] [SPEAKER_00]: It would be a tremendous help and it allows others to find us easily.
[00:00:34] [SPEAKER_00]: Most parents dream about their children's future.
[00:00:38] [SPEAKER_00]: They envision a happy marriage, a successful career, and a comfortable life.
[00:00:45] [SPEAKER_00]: As followers of Christ, our dreams are bigger, higher, and fuller than even these good things.
[00:00:53] [SPEAKER_00]: We long to see our children walking in a sincere faith, strong in the grace that
[00:01:00] [SPEAKER_00]: is in Christ Jesus, and thoroughly equipped for every good work as 2 Timothy tells us.
[00:01:08] [SPEAKER_00]: But often we aren't sure how to help them get there.
[00:01:13] [SPEAKER_00]: How can we help our children not only understand the gospel but become lifelong followers
[00:01:21] [SPEAKER_00]: of Christ?
[00:01:23] [SPEAKER_00]: The answer is not in any program or activity but in a lifestyle of following Christ as a family.
[00:01:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Here are five characteristics of that kind of family.
[00:01:38] [SPEAKER_00]: First, connection.
[00:01:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Ephesians 6 verse 4, Paul writes,
[00:01:45] [SPEAKER_00]: His fathers do not provoke your children to anger but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
[00:01:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Discipleship is relational.
[00:01:58] [SPEAKER_00]: If we're going to disciple our children, we must connect with them at a deep level.
[00:02:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Make heart-level conversations and everyday occurrence in your family.
[00:02:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Even disobedience is an opportunity to connect if we inquire about the heart behind the action.
[00:02:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Second, catechism.
[00:02:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Psalm 78 verses 4 through 6, the Psalmist writes,
[00:02:28] [SPEAKER_00]: We will not hide them from their children but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord and His might and the wonders that He has done.
[00:02:39] [SPEAKER_00]: He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children,
[00:02:49] [SPEAKER_00]: that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children.
[00:02:57] [SPEAKER_00]: To catechize is to teach by word of mouth.
[00:03:00] [SPEAKER_00]: This is what the Lord commanded His people to do, whether they were getting up, laying down or walking along the way.
[00:03:10] [SPEAKER_00]: As you spend time together, whether at home or on the go, teach your children the narrative of the Bible.
[00:03:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Practice memorizing Scripture that will work in their hearts and draw them to Christ.
[00:03:25] [SPEAKER_00]: You may also find the children's catechism, a collection of simple theological questions and answers,
[00:03:32] [SPEAKER_00]: a helpful tool to build a foundation of basic Christian doctrines and beliefs.
[00:03:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Third is conversation.
[00:03:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Deuteronomy chapter 6 verses 4 through 9,
[00:03:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Moses writes,
[00:03:47] [SPEAKER_00]: The Knights, Hero Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
[00:03:52] [SPEAKER_00]: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
[00:03:58] [SPEAKER_00]: And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
[00:04:03] [SPEAKER_00]: You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house
[00:04:09] [SPEAKER_00]: and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise,
[00:04:13] [SPEAKER_00]: you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
[00:04:19] [SPEAKER_00]: You shall write them on the doorpost of your house and on your gates.
[00:04:25] [SPEAKER_00]: As you teach your children biblical truth, it will raise questions.
[00:04:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Instead of seeing these questions as signs of unbelief, recognize them as faith-growing exercises.
[00:04:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Turn to Scripture and dig into those questions together.
[00:04:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Reading well-written literature together is also a great way to provoke questions
[00:04:48] [SPEAKER_00]: about how the truth of the Bible applies in the real world.
[00:04:53] [SPEAKER_00]: And take time to pray together, modeling for your children,
[00:04:57] [SPEAKER_00]: how to humbly go to God with things that they do not understand.
[00:05:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Fourth is culture.
[00:05:06] [SPEAKER_00]: In Romans chapter 12, verses 1 and 2, Paul writes,
[00:05:32] [SPEAKER_00]: What is good and acceptable and perfect.
[00:05:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Peter called his spiritual children a chosen people,
[00:05:41] [SPEAKER_00]: a royal priesthood, a holy nation.
[00:05:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Families that follow Christ together will be different than the surrounding culture.
[00:05:50] [SPEAKER_00]: We will have different priorities, practices, and principles.
[00:05:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Embrace those differences and make them part of the family culture.
[00:06:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Sunday is a great place to start.
[00:06:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Make Sunday more than just attending a service.
[00:06:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Make it an all-day event.
[00:06:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Enjoy a Sabbath rest together and see how it shapes the rest of your week.
[00:06:17] [SPEAKER_00]: Fifthly, calling.
[00:06:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Mark chapter 3 verse 24,
[00:06:22] [SPEAKER_00]: If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
[00:06:26] [SPEAKER_00]: What impact is your family called to make for Christ?
[00:06:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Find a need that motivates you and seek to meet it together.
[00:06:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Serve a local ministry, go on a mission trip, adopt a project,
[00:06:43] [SPEAKER_00]: invite a neighbor over for dinner.
[00:06:45] [SPEAKER_00]: This is how Jesus taught his disciples.
[00:06:48] [SPEAKER_00]: He was not in a classroom.
[00:06:50] [SPEAKER_00]: He was not during scheduled devotionals.
[00:06:53] [SPEAKER_00]: It was along the way as they ministered together.
[00:06:58] [SPEAKER_00]: The same is true for our children.
[00:07:01] [SPEAKER_00]: As we build these characteristics into our family, a beautiful thing happens.
[00:07:08] [SPEAKER_00]: The melody of faith begins to ring out from our children's lives
[00:07:12] [SPEAKER_00]: so that as one generation commands the Lord's work to another,
[00:07:16] [SPEAKER_00]: they, the generations of God's people, celebrate His abundant goodness
[00:07:22] [SPEAKER_00]: and joyfully sing of His righteousness.
[00:07:27] [SPEAKER_00]: This is our job as parents.
[00:07:30] [SPEAKER_00]: This is a future worth dreaming for our kids.
[00:07:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for listening to and sharing this episode.