Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.
Our elders offer a thought and lead a prayer at the end of services. Recently, one commended one of the young men (16?) who had led a prayer at the Lord’s Table earlier. He had not mumbled or rushed it, nor did he just repeat phrases he’d heard from others.
I was not surprised at his ability. I had watched his mother with him during services from when he was a toddler. He never had cars and cartoon books that I noticed. She pulled him in her lap and ran her finger under the words of the songs from before he could read; she insisted that he treat worship as worship and not playtime and he grew up listening and singing.
Parents, fear if your child will not sing.
We had Bible story books that the boys got to look at only at services, or, they could draw, but only Bible stories and after services we would say, “Tell me about this one,” Later, they took notes. When they got to freshman Bible at Florida College, they were amazed at the things that were being taught “at college” as they’d known them for years. Maybe those students who were struggling to get “B’s” had Disney books and toys in church.
Is it a wonder that they know a lot of Bible—one is a Bible professor at FC and the other is a Bible class teacher who does not have to take a backseat in discussions with his brother.
So far as I am aware, the mother above never heard us tell how to do it. It should be obvious to anyone that God and church are special and you cannot teach that to your children with toys and comic books. I have known some children who turned out just fine, but please think about what you do and what it is teaching them. Don’t just try to keep them quiet.
Prov 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Keith Ward
Our elders offer a thought and lead a prayer at the end of services. Recently, one commended one of the young men (16?) who had led a prayer at the Lord’s Table earlier. He had not mumbled or rushed it, nor did he just repeat phrases he’d heard from others.
I was not surprised at his ability. I had watched his mother with him during services from when he was a toddler. He never had cars and cartoon books that I noticed. She pulled him in her lap and ran her finger under the words of the songs from before he could read; she insisted that he treat worship as worship and not playtime and he grew up listening and singing.
Parents, fear if your child will not sing.
We had Bible story books that the boys got to look at only at services, or, they could draw, but only Bible stories and after services we would say, “Tell me about this one,” Later, they took notes. When they got to freshman Bible at Florida College, they were amazed at the things that were being taught “at college” as they’d known them for years. Maybe those students who were struggling to get “B’s” had Disney books and toys in church.
Is it a wonder that they know a lot of Bible—one is a Bible professor at FC and the other is a Bible class teacher who does not have to take a backseat in discussions with his brother.
So far as I am aware, the mother above never heard us tell how to do it. It should be obvious to anyone that God and church are special and you cannot teach that to your children with toys and comic books. I have known some children who turned out just fine, but please think about what you do and what it is teaching them. Don’t just try to keep them quiet.
Prov 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Keith Ward
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