Parenting and Disciple-Making

On my desk I have one of those little flip-easel books called Great Expectations: 101 Thoughts for the New Mom.  I don't know how it made it to my desk rather than my wife's, but in that, I digress.  

In procrastinating other work tonight I read Thought #36 by Dean Inge: "The proper time to influence the character of a child is about a hundred years before he is born."  And my first thought is..."OH MAN, I shouldn't have procrastinated on this one!"  Well, in all honesty, that was my second thought, coming after, "This says something about parenting and discipleship."

Earlier tonight I had the joy of watching the church's Vacation Bible School program, after which I attempted to invite the children's parents into further relationship with me, with the church, and with God.  I think I utterly failed at making that invitation.  Who knew it could be so hard to talk to a crowd of parents and grandparents with a large group of kids on the chancel anxious for cookies and ice cream?  Anyway, what I wanted to say to the adults is that the best hope for raising children who are well-adjusted, faithful children is to be models of who we know God desires them to become.  

I am firmly convinced of this truth and Dean Inge seems to be getting at the same thing.  While we often focus our energy on providing the best programs, teachers, activities, and schools for our children, the most important thing for raising children well seems to be surrounding them with people who model well who we want them to become.  I'm sure there are many children who grow up to be fine adults even while lacking such adult figures in their lives.  Yet, here, I don't think the exception is the rule.  

This makes me wonder about the North American church's method of disciple-making and child rearing.  Is Sunday School what makes faithful disciples?  I'm not sure.  Certainly, it can play a role.  But maybe, it's Sunday School teachers who make the bigger difference.  A few recent testimonies during a celebration of the church's heritage seem to confirm this.  No one stood and said they remembered the lessons of childhood Sunday School sixty years ago; however, many stood and named Sunday School teachers as powerful influences in their lives as Christians, influences that have continued to impact the way they live and worship.  

Instead of whatever vague invitation to let the church help them raise their children I mustered amidst the cookie-lust, what I should have said is this: 

Come, and follow Christ with me in the church.

Come, and show your children that true life is about growing in Christ-likeness through intentional prayer, fellowship, service, worship, and study.

Come, and together God will form us into the mentors, models, and parents our children need to become faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.  

May God forgive me for being unable to say what ought to have been said.  And may God lead the adults I spoke to tonight to hear the truth that God was trying to speak through this broken vessel.