Modeling Faith

April, 2007

by: Brock Bolde

If you wanted to teach your child how to play a musical instrument, and let’s just say that you were musically challenged, what would you do? Most of us would take our child to someone who had achieved a certain level of proficiency on that instrument and pay them to teach our child! Or let’s just say that you wanted your child to learn how to paint and draw, and again let’s assume that you were artistically challenged, what would you do? Again, most of us would take our child to someone who had achieved a certain level of proficiency in art and pay them to teach our child! The same process could be followed regarding matters such as sports, academics, etc., but what about when it comes to the Christian faith? Is this something that we can simply pay somebody to take care of for us? Is dropping our children off at church or a Christian school enough? Can we assume that they will learn all they need to learn about God in these places or is there something different about faith?

Having been involved in Children’s Ministry for the past 9+ years, let me assure you that there is indeed something different when it comes to faith! Faith is not a skill that can be learned as your child sits at the feet of some religious “professional.” God has not called the church or the Christian school to train up a child in the way he should go. Instead, He has given you the privilege of fulfilling this high calling. And while the church should be a resource to assist you in this endeavor, make no mistake about it, you are the one who will someday stand before the Lord and give an account of how you did in this area. Martin Luther had this to say about the role parents are to play in the training up of their children. “Most certainly father and mother are apostles, bishops, and priests to their children, for it is they who make them acquainted with the Gospel.” Does this describe your home? Do you see your role as that of being an apostle, bishop and priest or is that something that you have sought to relegate to the church or Christian school?

We live in a day and age where it has become commonplace for parents to take their children to the experts for training but this can not be the case when it comes to our faith. It has been said that faith is something that is caught, not taught! Your children need to see you living out the Christian faith before them on a daily basis. They need to watch you practically live out what it means to be a bright light in a dark world! As a parent, you have the greatest influence over your children. Whether you acknowledge it or not, you are passing something on to them; what that is, totally depends upon your commitment to following the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you teaching your children how to be hot or lukewarm (Revelation 3:16)? Are you teaching your children how to love the Lord with all of their heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37) or are you teaching them how to love the world and the things of the world? Are you teaching your children to fulfill the royal law (James 2:8) or are you teaching them to think only of themselves and how they might be served?

As parents we must not allow ourselves to fall into the trap of farming out our children to the “professionals” when it comes to matters of faith and godliness. We must actively engage our children and teach them the great truths of God’s Word both in word and deed! We must make sure that our homes are a testimony to His grace and love so that those who look on might be drawn to our great God and Savior – Jesus Christ. The souls of your children are at stake – may each of you be faithful to lead them to the foot of the cross!