fake or faith: helping your child develop an authentic faith
TRANSCRIPT
Our Children Are• A sacred responsibility• A divine gift• An organic extension of us• The primary source of our legacy• The best part of ourselves• Our gift to the world's next
generationcc: Camil Tulcan - https://www.flickr.com/photos/75771006@N00
Child-Rearing Responsibility
1. Primarily Parents (Christian/not)2. Grandparents & Extended Family3. Church Family Membership4. Age-Group Ministry & Minister5. Community at Large (school, etc.)
cc: Jordi Payà Canals - https://www.flickr.com/photos/24630636@N03
At first glance, "fake faith" looks similar to authentic faith
cc: Wesley Fryer - https://www.flickr.com/photos/31442459@N00
Five FactsAbout Counterfeit Christianity
cc: priceminister - https://www.flickr.com/photos/34477250@N03
1. "Fake Faith" implies kids must earn God's favor
2. "Fake Faith" makes kids' good external behavior its goal
3. "Fake Faith" enforces kids' obedience using shame
cc: _borna - https://www.flickr.com/photos/69977996@N00
4. "Fake Faith" worries more about parental embarrassment than kids' faith
cc: Sarebear:) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/35640373@N05
5. "Fake Faith" emphasizes being 'real' over being 'holy'
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Authentic Faith (metamorphosis) begins undetectably on the inside of a person before
it manifests on the outside (Rom 12:2)cc: SidPix - https://www.flickr.com/photos/22357152@N02
Indications of Authentic FaithMatthew 22:37-39
cc: yanivba - https://www.flickr.com/photos/77362250@N00
Knowing God | Rom 12:2• Asking spiritual questions• Openness to Christian teaching• Accepting biblical truths or doctrine• Coming to know Christ personally• Rethinking assumptions and beliefs• Showing a changed mindset• Building a biblical worldview (lifeview)
cc: Leo Reynolds - https://www.flickr.com/photos/49968232@N00
Loving God | Mt 22:37ff• Changing negative attitudes• Manifesting a sense of gratitude• Maturing personal convictions• Rebuilding their ethical system• Developing strong biblical
convictionscc: Farid Iqbal - https://www.flickr.com/photos/96029652@N00
Living for God | Lk 6:46• Greater control of tongue• Noticeable change in actions• Visible changes in devotional life• Better ethical behaviors• Consistent Christlike character
cc: Anton Sim - https://www.flickr.com/photos/45953220@N07
Loving Others | Mt 22:37ff• Greater compassion• New choices of close friends• Consistent church attendance• Indications of sexual purity• Harmonious relationships• Serving other people• Treating parents & siblings with
respect
cc: Ame Otoko - https://www.flickr.com/photos/30674850@N00
Mouthing (Not Modeling)Parenting
cc: José Carlos Cortizo Pérez - https://www.flickr.com/photos/80272747@N00
Expecting our Children to Follow Our Advice, Not Our Example
cc: José Carlos Cortizo Pérez - https://www.flickr.com/photos/80272747@N00
Passive Parenting
Allowing Passivity on Minor Issues to Become Major Issues
Fatalistic Parentingcc: Jonah G.S. - https://www.flickr.com/photos/98024494@N00
Assuming, Anticipating, thenExcusing Our Child's Rebellion
cc: Jonah G.S. - https://www.flickr.com/photos/98024494@N00
Your Child Doesn't Have To• Rebel against your authority• Use profanity• Befriend bad kids• Start smoking cigarettes• Have their first joint• Be sexually promiscuous or 'go gay'• Walk away from God• Fatalistic parenting is self-fulfilling
cc: Jonah G.S. - https://www.flickr.com/photos/98024494@N00
Popularity Parenting
Allowing Personal Insecurity to Keep You from Responsible Parenting
Innoculative Parentingcc: Lance McCord - https://www.flickr.com/photos/44124468195@N01
Inoculate Our Kids Against Authentic Faith With Inch-Deep Christianity at Home
cc: Lance McCord - https://www.flickr.com/photos/44124468195@N01
1. Don't rush your kids into big spiritual decisions, especially salvation and baptism
2. Daily raise spiritual issues in your conversations (Deut 6:4-6)
3. Consistently have them in church as Priority #1 (Heb 10:25)
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4. Pray for and over them, within earshot (Num 6:24-26)
cc: Lode Engelen - ลงุฝรัง่ - https://www.flickr.com/photos/97935464@N04
5. Make consistent faith at home all they can remember (2 Tim 1:5; 3:14)
cc: chefranden - https://www.flickr.com/photos/48394718@N00
1. Communicate a high standard and strongly encourage their spiritual best but expect uneven
growth and occasional setbacks (1 Jn 2:1)cc: Olivander - https://www.flickr.com/photos/19487674@N00
2. Eliminate exasperating your teen by working not to annoy, irk, vex, provoke, or
enrage them (Eph 6:4; Col 3:21)
3. Stay together as a family (love one another) Eph 5:21-33
cc: filippo.salamone - https://www.flickr.com/photos/34707874@N03
4. Increasingly tell them the honest, brutal truth about life & faith (1 Chr 28:9)
cc: xjake - https://www.flickr.com/photos/8047845@N02
5. Help them develop a healthy 'significant other' relationship
1. Confess Parenting Mistakes to God and Acknowledge Them to Adult Children (Dismount the Dead Horse) (Phil 3:13)
cc: camera-caritatis - https://www.flickr.com/photos/7567514@N02
2. Be ready to give godly wisdom in life's "teachable moments" but remember "less is more" and avoid
snarky self-righteousness (Prov 25:11)
3. Trust God to use a perfect combination of natural law, divine law, civil law, and the law of
conscience to train adult children (Gal 6:7)cc: Scott* - https://www.flickr.com/photos/83049159@N00
4. Let them know you'll never give up on them and will never stop loving them unconditionally-- but will also
never violate your convictions (Rom 14:1-23)cc: estherase - https://www.flickr.com/photos/78364563@N00
5. Grandparenting is your best God-given opportunity to indirectly re-parent a still-wayward
adult child and your own grandkid (2 Tim 1:5)cc: santheo - https://www.flickr.com/photos/37961843@N00
