Faith Factor
Faith Factor
Teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Prov. 22:6)
Floundering Faith
Shane and Nancy never thought they’d be having this conversation with their son. But after his first year of college, he returned home for summer break and said, “Mom and Dad, I don’t believe in God anymore.” Sadly many Christian parents deal with the heartbreak of children who walk away from their faith. The good news is that research shows a majority of those kids come back to the church once they marry and have kids of their own. But that doesn’t help as you deal with the shock of a child who’s turned his back on Jesus.
So what’s a father to do? The Bible doesn’t promise that if we teach our kids about God, everything will be rosy and they’ll never doubt their faith. But it does say the truth of God’s Word is hard to escape.
Faith Builder
If you have young kids in your home, model what it means to live a Christian life. Let them see you reading the Bible, praying, and having a vibrant relationship with God. Your example goes a long way in letting your kids know God is real. Then encourage your kids to get into God’s Word on their own. While you may not be able to control the decisions your kids make in the future, you can certainly be faithful to what God has called you to do as a father.
Bottom Line
Your children’s faith will be tested in college, so do all you can to help them build a firm foundation while they’re at home.