The average child will spend over 1000 hours every year in school and they will spend less than 60 hours a year in church. The average parent has more than 10 times the opportunities to discuss spiritual issues in one year than a church leader does in 10 years. The church has limited potential to impact the heart of your child. WHAT HAPPENS AT HOME in many ways is more important than what happens at church! Here are some ideas for you to do with your kids:
Commit to a daily family devotion. Make sure everyone is included – from your toddler to teenager.
Pray with your kids. Ask your child if there is anything on their mind they are worried
about or want to pray about. This is not only a great time to teach your child how to pray, but you’ll learn a lot about what’s going on in their life.
Encourage your kids to read through the Bible in one year. And you do it too!
If you have a small group at your house, take turns having an adult do a lesson for the kids too. You can even do a craft or activity that goes along with their lesson.
Check out FMCC’s “For Kids” page and help your kids with some “Try This” ideas.
Have things around your home that show your kids GOD is the Head of your Household.
Teach your kids to SERVE through your demonstration and sacrifice and let them see your commitment to ministry.
Have Christian videos or DVD’s on hand for your kids to watch.
Write a passage on scripture of a napkin and put it in your child’s lunch box.
Buy some Christian games and have a “family night”.
Listen to Christian music in the car. Many times, this promotes further discussion.
When possible, look for service projects to do as a family.
Take your kids to visit some of FMCC’s shut-ins. (A list of shut-ins are available in the foyer) Volunteer to help around the church (pull weeds, collect communion cups, clean up a classroom after church, etc.)
At Christmas time, save your Christmas cards and every day after Christmas, pull one out
and pray for that family.
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Proverbs 22:6