The Preacher's Pen

We have such a fine group of young people here at Westside. I watch our Bible classes full of eager learners, our devotionals that are purely extra but are wonderfully well attended, and the action and attention our young people pay during the worship services and I know that our young people have character and are cultivating a deep fidelity to the Lord. How did that happen? Where did we get all of these great young folks?

That is the question I am routinely asked when in Gospel meetings, or especially when I'm speaking to young people. If I use our great kids as an illustration in a lesson it doesn't take long afterward for someone to ask "How do you do it?" That is a good question, and it deserves more space than a back page article can give, but I will tell you what I tell folks. First, I tell them that we start very early with our kids. We have a variety of Bible learning and Bible related activities that are designed for the littlest kids right up through sixth grade. We don't wait until they are in junior high and high school to finally start "doing something with those kids," although we do a lot with those kids too. It is my opinion that you will never find anyone more interested in and receptive to the word of God than a kid in grades 2-5. Those kids are easy to teach and fun to work with because they want to learn. They don't have the emotional baggage of puberty, they haven't decided they are "too cool for Jesus," and they haven't yet learned how to make that "I'm bored to tears" face that teens quickly master. If you want quality teens you have to start when they are third graders, because quality kids will become quality teens.

The other part of that answer is to tell people that our kids are a reflection of our adults. Children may someday rise higher than their source, but that isn't going to happen until they've left home, if even then. While they are at home they will never be more spiritually minded, dedicated or committed than mom and dad. Churches full of mediocre Christians have mediocre youth as a direct result. It really is that simple. Parents have an incredible impact on how children view spiritual matters and appropriate spirituality into their lives. That's why we are bringing you this issue of Abundant Life. You need to be the Christian God wants you to be before you can ever teach your children what the Lord desires from them. May the Lord bless us to live up to that lofty standard.