In a world as complicated as the one we live in today, every parent is asking the same questions.
How do I impart timeless truths to my kids?
What can I do to teach them to be virtuous and kind?
How do I teach my children to live for Christ?
These are good questions, but we often fall short of offering practical answers. Where do we start on this journey of “bringing them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4)?
To accomplish this goal and set our children on the course for a lifetime of faith, we need to do more than just teach them Bible stories; we must model, live, and speak the gospel in ways that resonate with young hearts and minds.
And as if that task weren’t difficult enough, we must also be doing these things at all times and in all seasons, as we sit in our houses, as we go about our day, when we lie down, and when we rise (Deuteronomy 6:7).
With this monumentally important task before us, let’s break down this topic into a few manageable and practical steps:
1. Start Early: Lay the Foundation
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
Cement can be easily poured while it is wet, but when it dries it takes a jackhammer to reshape—and our children are no different.
The earlier you begin teaching children about Jesus, the more their hearts will be molded by His truth. Teach them who God is, why we need Jesus, and how much He loves us.
Don’t ever underestimate how much little ones can understand. Simple, consistent lessons about God’s love can leave a lasting legacy. Use Bible storybooks, songs, and bedtime prayers to introduce the gospel in ways they can grasp.
Two good places to start:
- Teach them the 10 Commandments using finger symbols. Talk about each one as you learn them and talk about what to do if we do break a commandment.
- Read The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. This book helps to break down the Bible we read into more understandable terms for our little ones.
2. Model Christ’s Love: Be the Example
“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)
Children learn more from what you do than what you say. If you want your kids to know Jesus’ love, show it through your actions. Be patient, kind, and forgiving. Admit your mistakes and seek their forgiveness when you fall short.
Your example teaches them that faith isn’t just something we talk about—it’s something we live out daily. When they see you loving others, serving your family, and prioritizing your relationship with God, they’ll learn what it means to follow Jesus.
This is one reason we strongly encourage all our adult volunteers to do the motions when we worship on Sunday mornings. Kids follow their example. It is also why we think it is so important for parents/guardians to do their motions during our Family Worship Nights. Your kids will follow how you worship.
There are common themes in the testimony of believers who grew up in Christian households. Things like:
- “My parents prioritized going to church.”
- “My parents were patient with me and taught me to love God.”
- “My father was up early reading his Bible every day, and I wanted to be like him.”
- “Even when I messed up, I knew my parents loved me.”
Ask yourself—what will your children say about you?
3. Discipline with Grace: Reflect God’s Heart
“The Lord disciplines those He loves, as a father the son he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:12)
Discipline is an opportunity to teach your children about God’s justice and mercy. Correct their behavior with firmness but also with love. Show them that, like God’s discipline, your guidance is for their good and comes from a place of care.
When appropriate, use moments of correction to point them back to the gospel and their need of it:
- If they’ve hurt someone, remind them of Jesus’ command to love others and the forgiveness we receive through Him.
- If they’ve lied, remind them that no lie ever remains hidden from the sight of God.
- If they are being disobedient, correct them swiftly and consistently so that they understand clearly the difference between right and wrong.
Our love for our children must include giving them a rightly ordered understanding of what is right and wrong.
Correcting wrong behavior is not the opposite of the gospel, it is the foundation of it. We must show them what sin is and the consequences of it if we are ever to expect them to understand their need for a Savior.
4. Pray with and for Them
“Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Prayer is one of the most powerful ways to teach your children about the love of Jesus. Pray with them daily—before meals, at bedtime, and whenever challenges arise. Let them see your dependence on God in both small and big moments.
Also, pray for them fervently. Ask God to open their hearts to His truth, to guard them from sin, and to help them grow in their love for Him. Your prayers are a constant reminder that their relationship with God is central to their lives.
In Habits of the Household, author Justin Whitmel Earley encourages parents and guardians to pray at their kids’ doors every time they leave after tucking them into bed. If we desire to pray for our kids, we might as well incorporate it into our daily habits and routines.
A father recently recounted that when his 7-year-old daughter had the flu, he came to her room and knelt to pray at her bedside. A few days later while he was in bed groaning under the pain of the same illness, he opened his eyes to find his little girl doing the same for him—hands folded, head bowed, praying with all her might that God would heal her daddy.
Our children are always ready to ask for things from their parents—food, toys, etc. Let us be diligent to teach them to make their requests known to their heavenly Father who will give them more than any earthly parent ever could.
5. Make Scripture Central: God’s Word Transforms Hearts
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
Teach your children to treasure God’s Word. Read the Bible with them and help them memorize* it as a normal rhythm of life in your home.
When life brings questions or challenges, show them how to turn to Scripture for answers. The habit of relying on God’s Word will equip them to navigate life with a Christ-centered perspective. Here is a good, biblical resource to help with some tough questions kids tend to ask: Answering Kids’ Hardest Questions.
Children are naturally curious, and their questions are opportunities to deepen their faith. Be patient and open when they ask tough questions about God, suffering, or sin. Even if you don’t have all the answers, study the Word together to find the answer.
*Most children have an enormous capacity for memorizing scripture, but since they aren’t just going to pick up the Bible and do it on their own, you must be the one to make it happen. For example, make it your goal to memorize Psalm 23 as a family. Do it joyfully, with hand motions and happy faces. Have a hot chocolate with whipped cream party when you finish it. It will be easier and more fulfilling than you can imagine.
6. Model Marriage for Them
“Let marriage be held in honor among all.” (Hebrews 13:4)
This final counsel is difficult for many in our day in age, even in the church. The complexities of modern thought on male/female relationships are seeping into the minds of our children whether we know it or not, but that is no excuse to not do something about it.
The place where our children will learn the most about what it means to love one another as Christ commands is in the relationship that is the closest one-another relationship of them all—marriage.
So, if you are married, be the model of love and respect that Ephesians 5 commands. Show deference to one another, serve one another, be united as one even when you differ.
Never forget, your marriage is a picture of the gospel to your children. The Bible repeatedly compares Christ’s Church to a bride with Christ as the groom. This is a weighty picture that both husbands and wives would do well to meditate on and consider as they raise their children. Ask the difficult questions:
- Husband, are you living as a picture of Christ to your children?
- Wife, are you living as a picture of the Christ’s Church to your children?
Finally, if your marriage is difficult due to unbelief or unrepentant sin, or if you’re living through a divorce or the death of your spouse, know this: God redeems every broken story. Pray fervently that your children will be saved regardless of the circumstance you find yourself in. As far as it depends on you, hold marriage in honor before your children.
Additionally, if you are a single parent, or guardian, know that the Lord uses your efforts and is walking alongside you. We are all able to teach children by our example and word to show what it looks like to live obediently to Christ even when that seems impossible—it just might be the greatest gift you ever give them.
A Long-Term Investment in Their Souls
Teaching your kids about the love of Jesus isn’t a one-time event. We are all saved in a moment, but that moment is just one glorious moment in a whole string of moments that lead up to it.
Start early, model Christ’s love, and use your means and your moments as an opportunity to point them to the Savior.
Although it is true that the results are in God’s hands, don’t let that be an excuse not to faithfully plant and water the seeds of faith in every season God gives you with your children.
Set this hope before you—that one day you will be able to say of your children what the Apostle John said of those to whom he was a father in the faith:
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 1:4)
