The conversation went something like this:
Son: "Mom, are there some people in the world who don't know God?"
Me: "Yes, that's true."
Daughter: "Do some people on earth not go to church?"
Me: "Yup, there are people who don't go to church."
Son: "Yeah. Probably about fifty."
While it's obvious that my young children innocently believe that everyone shares the same lifestyle as we do, we as grown-ups know that is not the case. Aside from that, there are a variety of different opinions and beliefs that exist, some of which we don't want our children to embrace. Instead, we desire our children to hold things up to the lens of Scripture, in other words, have a biblical worldview.
As believers, our purpose is not to raise our children just to "be good people" or "do nice things". Of course, we want right behavior and good conduct but there's so much more! It's important to remember this:
Christianity isn't just about morality, it's about seeing the world in the context of biblical truth.
It's a rather daunting task to teach our young ones with this eternal purpose in mind! But it is possible to nurture a biblical worldview in your children. Here are some things we have done as a family so far.
Pray
When we're feeling inadequate (at least I feel that way!), the most powerful thing we can do is to call on the name of the Lord. Proverbs 18:10 tells us that "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." When we ask for wisdom, we will receive it (James 1:5) and we definitely need that wisdom as we go about our days.
Learn What it Means to Have a Biblical Worldview
One of the best tools we have in teaching our children a biblical worldview is to have one ourselves! My husband and I enjoyed The Truth Project (a DVD course from Focus on the Family). It's also amazing how our perspective and discernment on many issues begin to change as we simply study Scripture. The book of Proverbs is an especially good book of the Bible when it comes to understanding wisdom as compared to foolishness. It's plain language and practical applications makes it a great portion of the Word to read with your family.
Apply Scripture to Everyday Life
As you get to know the Bible and do devotions with your kids, applying Scripture to teachable moments comes easier. One resource I've found very helpful is Wise Words for Moms by Ginger Plowman, a chart with Scripture verses that help to build your child's character as you handle their behaviors in a biblical way.
We've also found it helpful to pay attention to the behaviors of the characters in our children's books and occasional movies. We can ask critical thinking questions like, "Why do you think Laura shouldn't have spoken that way to Pa?" or "How could Joe have treated his friend in a nicer way?" This gets our children to think about what they've been taught and our prayer is that as they get older they will know why they believe what they believe and not just repeat what mom and dad say!
Hold Everything Up to the Light of Scripture
When we read something "spiritual" or hear an emphatic preacher on the radio, one way to be sure we are hearing the truth is to go back to the Bible to read the quoted verse in context or see if what the preacher says lines up with Scripture. Paul exhorts believers in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 to "prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil." The NASB says it this way: "examine everything"!
The same applies to our children's VBS and Sunday School material as well as children's Bible stories. When my husband was in seminary, a professor told him that if someone claims to know something about God that sounds unfamiliar, we should respond, "Chapter and verse, please!"
To say that raising our children with a biblical worldview (in a world that doesn't tolerate the Bible very well) is a challenging task is an understatement! How do you teach your children the ways of God?
Jenn is a daughter of Jesus, wife to a wonderful pastor and mom of three amazing children {so far!}. On any given day you'll find her going on family walks, having tickle fights with her kids, trying to maintain a clean house {ha!} and curled up with her nose in a good book. She shares her thoughts on loving your husband, raising kids right, living debt free and organizing a home, all with an eternal purpose at The Purposeful Mom. You can also join her on Facebook!
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