5 ways to Pass a Love of God’s Word to the Next Generation
“After them another generation rose up who did not know the Lord or the works he had done for Israel.” Judges 2:10
In the Priscilla Shirer Bible Study on Gideon, she shared that “The Israelites didn’t know the Lord. Maybe their parents were not intentional in teaching them about the Lord. It took just one generation for it to collapse of those who knew God.” What are we doing as parents, grandparents, Kids/Student Ministry leaders, and as a church to be deliberate in teaching the next generation about God and His Word? In a day of digital immersion through social media and AI, this next generation is seeking answers from the world. Do our kids know Biblical truth or is the world defining truth for them? Various sources including a CDC article estimate that kids 8-18 spend 7.5 hours a week in screen time not counting school work.
Common Sense Media shared key findings that 40% of children have a tablet by age 2. Screen time is now filled with YouTube and TikTok videos. Our preschoolers and kids use Siri or Alexa and ChatGPT among other AI. According to pewrearch.org, parents whose children are under 5 are using smartphones to calm their child. See Pew Research article.
According to George Barna article Key Insights for Raising the Next Generation of ‘Spiritual Champions’, “A person’s worldview starts developing in the second year of life (from 15 to 18 months) and is largely in place by the age of 13. That’s the prime window of opportunity for discipleship.” He further states that “the research shows that fewer than 10% of parents today have any kind of spiritual development plan for their children. Only 2% of parents with children under 13 possess a biblical worldview.”
The world is shaping the thoughts, worldview and defining truth for many kids and students. What are some things that we as parents, grandparents, families, kids/student ministries and churches do?
- Realize and acknowledge the reality and impact of the world on a daily basis as kids/students are living in a digital world and immersed in it for multiple hours a day. Begin to make intentional choices regarding time in the digital world and time in God’s Word.
- Take steps to intentionally develop a Biblical Worldview or in Barna’s words, a spiritual development plan for your family. Kids/Student Ministries and Churches consider tools and resources to offer families in discipleship, Biblical literacy, parenting digital/tech resources as you walk the journey together of passing along a love of God’s Word to the next generation.
- Offer practical tips and demonstrate how to spend time in God’s Word as a family and as a kid/student. Begin with basic skills and tips. Encourage kids to read the scripture text from the Bible at home, in worship and in class at church. Challenge kids and families to spend time reading a book of the Bible during the summer or reading the book of Luke during the month of December. Encourage scripture memorization as a family and a church.
- Pray for your kids/grandkids, families, kids/student ministry, and church to have a Biblical Worldview, to make daily choices with their time that result in more time in God’s Word.
- Be intentional in how your kids/students spend their time each week. How much time each week is spent in God’s Word? How much time is spent in Bible study and worship with other believers? Are kids/students memorizing scripture? One-two hours a month at church will greatly minimize the impact the church can have in the lives of kids and their faith. Meanwhile, the world is pouring into the lives of our kids.
In conclusion, do your kids know of God’s great plan? Is God’s Word a light into their lives (Psalm 119:105)? Is God’s Word used to show our kids what is good and true? Do our kids know Biblical truth?
“It is up to us to carry the baton of faith from one generation to the next. – Christine Caine.
What are you doing to redeem the time, to pass off the baton of faith and a love of God’s Word to the next generation in your family and in your church?