I think you will find this excerpt thought-provoking and challenging. Kurt Bruner in It Starts at Home makes these observations:
[Commenting on Deuteronomy 6:6-9] Once upon a time, godly parents considered this mandate a critical priority. When did that pattern change? When did moms and dads stop taking seriously their responsibility to equip the next generation with biblical beliefs and values?
In the observant Jewish family, faith was expressed first and foremost in the home, secondarily in the synagogue. When Christianity emerged, the church and parents worked together in an intentional manner toward the same end. But as time has passed, parents have allowed the church to take the lead when it came to the spiritual training of their children. Gradually, parents have become passive observers of this all-important process, abdicating their role to such a degree that many Christians actually believe it is the job of Sunday School to instill faith in their children. Certainly the church is an important partner. But the primary responsibility remains with Mom and Dad.
What is the greatest threat to successfully passing the compass of faith to our children? In a word: negligence. Our days are filled with activity and responsibility. We live at such a fast pace that it is difficult to even think about the spiritual development of our children, let alone to direct it. Most of us take our kids to church and hope the forty-minute lesson will get the job done. Deep within, however, we know it isn’t enough. We feel the guilt. We regret the pace. We worry about the outcome. But we can’t seem to break the cycle.
Every parent seeks to maximize their children’s chances to achieve success and happiness in life. But how do we do it? Where do we go for advice and guidance?
We must start with advice from the only perfect parent, God Himself. The Bible contains both specific directives and broad guidelines about parenting. . . . .
The old adage is true: Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Sadly, we rarely apply this truism to the parenting process. Let’s break that cycle, shall we? None of us can guarantee that our children will find success and happiness in life. But we can increase their odds.
It couldn’t be more true—It Starts at Home . . . commit today to take responsibility for raising your children in the admonition of the Lord . . . simply making that commitment (and not relying on the church or anyone else!) is winning 90% of the battle!
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