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| Photo: freedigitalphotos.net/geww |
One thing I’ve learned by talking with other Christian moms is that many of us feel an overwhelming burden to teach our kids about Jesus.
When this burden inspires us to action, it’s a great thing. It’s motivation to do what we need to do.
But sometimes, instead of motivating us to action, it paralyzes us. We’re afraid we’ll never know enough or do enough…so we don’t do anything.
As I’ve thought about this more and more over the past few weeks, I’ve decided there are basically 5 reasons Christian people don’t teach their kids about Jesus. I want to list out each of these reasons and then share a way to overcome the barriers.
Why Christians Don’t Teach Their Kids About Jesus:
1. They don’t think they know enough about the Bible to teach it to anyone (their children included).
This one is huge for many of us. We don’t understand a lot of the Bible ourselves, so how can we possibly teach someone else?
My recommendation is to buy an easy-to-understand kid’s Bible (for both you and your kids to read). When I first started going to church as a teenager, I was overwhelmed by all the things I didn’t know in the Bible. Thankfully, someone encouraged me to read through a kid’s Bible first-before I even began to tackle an adult one.
I’m so glad I did, because it helped me learn the basic stories of the Bible without overwhelming me by things I didn’t understand.
2. They don’t have time.
I hear you on this one. We are so busy. And I’m afraid that the older my kids get, the busier I become.
What we have done is incorporate Bible reading into our nightly routine. We bought a very short children’s Bible story book, and we read one story a night (after bath time, before bed) Each story only takes us about two minutes to read, so it’s very do-able, even for the busiest of people.
3. They don’t know how.
Many new believers (and maybe some of us veterans too) just don’t know how to teach our kids about Jesus. We think we need to do it a certain way for it to be “right.”
Jesus doesn’t care how you teach your kids about him. All he wants is for you to do it. (Click to tweet this.) So choose a Bible you like and dig in, however you want to. There is no right or wrong way to do it.
4. They depend on the church to teach their kids.
The Church, by and large, does an awesome job teaching our kids about Jesus. Nonetheless, there is no way that two-four hours a week is enough to combat all of the other messages our kids hear at school and on TV.
We, as the parents, need to give them more. We can’t count on the few hours a week they spend at church to mold our children into disciples of Jesus.
A friend of mine named Bekki Lindner wrote an e-book called No More Sunday School because she wanted to arm parents with a tool to help them teach some of the basic Bible stories to their kids. You can check that resource out here.
5. They make it harder than it needs to be.
I struggled with this one a lot when I first became a parent. I assumed I needed a lesson plan or at least a guide to help me as I taught my kids (and, truth be told, there are some great lesson plans and guides available!)
But for me… a daily Bible reading time worked much better than a thorough lesson plan.
It was quick (which made me much more likely to do it every day), and it was easy (no preparation needed). Plus, my kids enjoy the one-on-one time they get every single day.
Here’s the thing about Jesus. He didn’t die on a cross for us to feel burdened. He died on a cross for us to be free. (Click to tweet this.)
So when it comes to teaching your kids about the Bible, don’t burden yourself by unnecessary difficulty. Just do what works for your family, and make the name of Jesus known.
*If you have a child with special needs, a friend of mine wrote some great posts about how to include children with special needs in your daily Bible studies. You can read her posts here and here.
Let’s talk: How do you teach your kids about Jesus?
I’m linking up with some great blogs this week. Check them out!
www.themominitiative.com
www.thebettermom.com
www.themodestmomblog.com
www.thekoalabearwriter.com
Thanks for joining the melody! I do hope you will continue to bless us with your words and joy as we just started the momma notes.I jot some notes each Monday, but it's not a have to link up on Monday sort of thing. I know the filled to the brim momma schedules. LInk up any day of the week when you have a moment. no rules. just moms. sharing our notes. creating a melody.Happy day,Sarahhttp://justsarahdawn.blogspot.com/2013/05/momma-notes.html
I'd love to join your link-up! Thanks for the invite:) Now I just have to remember to stop by your blog again tomorrow, lol.
That is a great quote by Jon Acuff. "Fear hates work." So so true! It was an honor to share your great posts about special needs. Thanks so much for your willingness to share!
Loved your post you shared. Thanks!!
Thanks so much for your sweet comment, Sarah. I just visited your blog and linked up. Thanks so much for the invite!
Great post – I'd love for you share with my Cozy Reading Spot (link up) on Thursday. If you are interested stop by!Marissahttp://forfunreadinglist.blogspot.com
You stated this well, Lindsey: "But sometimes, instead of motivating us to action, it paralyzes us. We're afraid we'll never know enough or do enough…so we don't do anything." That also reminds me of something Jon Acuff recently said on his blog that was something like, "Fear/doubt hates work." All five of these are great points. #4 is an important one to bring up… it's similar to remembering that faith isn't "just on Sundays" but rather the foundation of every bit of our lives.Great post, Lindsey! (And thanks so much for sharing my special needs posts!)
A great post! I try to talk about God and Jesus everyday with the little girl I baby-sit. I may not be a Bible scholar, but I know more than a 3 year old 🙂 Thanks for tackling such an important topic!Here is a post I wrote that is sort of on the same subject.http://wifethenmama.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-books-we-are-reading.html
Delighted to meet you today. I hope you don't mind if I splash around a bit to get to know you. This looks like a refreshing place to dip into some serious goodness.Also wanted to extend an invite … to share this post (or another fave) to encourage even more moms. We could use it.Join the Melody … http://justsarahdawn.blogspot.com/2013/06/time-out-time-in.html