You’ve probably heard this illustration many times: The best way to spot a counterfeit is to know the real thing.
This is our first line of defense as we send our children out into the world. Whether that’s literally the classroom this fall, or simply the reality that will inevitably come, our children will face “the real world.” Their faith will be questioned; trials will come. Will they be like the man who dug down deep and built his house upon a rock? (Luke 6:48). Will they “be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks” them for the reason for their hope? (1 Pet. 3:15).
There are two parts to teaching our children the foundations of our faith. The first is what, and the second is why.
Give Them Core Foundations
What can be relatively easy. Our kids’ minds are like sponges, and if we’re intentional, we can build a stockpile of biblical truth that they can draw on for years. We can help them store up God’s word in their hearts, so they’ll be equipped to fight temptation when it comes (Ps. 119:20).
When I was a child, I participated in a church program built around memorizing Scripture. For a number of reasons, I left my faith in college, but I couldn’t shake the knowledge I’d accumulated. Deep down, I believed the Bible was God’s word, that Jesus was God’s Son, that he had risen from the dead. When I found myself back in a church years later, and the Lord awakened my heart to hear and receive the gospel, I went home and did the thing I’d been trained to do. I opened my Bible. In the months and years that followed, the Lord filled out the infrastructure he’d established all those years before.
Of course, I hope my children won’t have a foundation that gets buried. I hope they don’t have that season of running from the Lord. But my own experience reminds me that the time I spend teaching my kids the core truths of our faith won’t be wasted, even if I can’t see its fruit immediately.
Teaching our kids what we believe is a worthwhile investment. But statistically, most Christians don’t know the core truths of the Christian faith. They can’t tell you how many commandments God gave to Moses or who the disciples were, much less explain doctrines like the Trinity, justification, or substitutionary atonement. Even reading those words might make your heart sink. How are we to teach our children what we don’t know ourselves?
There’s no shame in not having all the answers. In fact, demonstrating that humility to our children teaches them that there’s no end to learning about God and his word. It shows them that building a foundation is a process—one that lasts a lifetime. And there are endless resources available to come alongside us as we come alongside our children.
Give Them Freedom To Ask Questions
I think “Why?” might be my least favorite question, especially since becoming a parent. The whys never end! I admit that I’m prone to shut them down. I might have yelled, “No more questions!” a time or two while driving from one place to another.
But even though, “Why?” might be the most infuriating question, it’s also the most important. Teaching our kids the why of our faith is another essential piece of teaching them core truths that will sustain them, and equipping them for the questions they’ll face.
Teaching our kids both what we believe and why we believe it shows them that our faith has substance. “Because I said so” might be a valid defense for a two-year old, but it doesn’t hold up for a teenager. We need to help our children see that our faith is a thoughtful one that’s weighed the options, examined the evidence, and landed in a place that can hold its own.
There’s a proactive way to teach why—learning apologetics with our children, digging deeper into doctrine and history, reading biographies and learning from experts.
But there’s also a more passive (though equally intentional) path: welcoming, inviting—even provoking—their questions.
What’s unknown is intriguing. We want to teach our kids the real thing, but sometimes I think we’re scared of what will happen if we hand them a fake. Will they love it? Will it steal their affection? Will it lead them astray? We attempt to protect them from their curiosity.
But curiosity will come. And, if they’ve never seen it before, it might be bright and shiny, even as it leads to death (Prov. 16:25).
What if, instead, we presented the alternatives? What if, together, we taught our kids about why people leave our faith, what makes them reject Jesus, what other gospels are out there? What if we allowed them to ask the questions they might be scared to ask because they expose doubts or fears? What if we told them that we had those questions, too?
A questioning faith is a stronger one. If we welcome our children’s questions, we show them that it’s okay to have doubts and uncertainties—that a strong faith doesn’t necessarily mean it will not waver at times. As we welcome their questions, we also show them they don’t have to be alone in those struggles. That God has provided a family—both within our own homes and within his church—to help us find the answers we seek. And if we welcome our children’s questions, we show them that the questions they’re asked at school or on the soccer field have been asked and answered before. Questions need not unravel their faith, but rather can serve as a conduit to deeper confidence in God as they seek out the answers.
As our kids go back to school, let’s equip them with the what of our faith. As they encounter the false gospel of our culture that whispers promises it can’t keep, and the false gods of the age that beckon them to come and worship, let’s make sure they know the real thing. Let’s invite our children to dig down deep with us and build a foundation that can withstand anything that might come their way.
This is an excerpt from Core Christianity’s resource, 6 Ways to Help Your Kids as They Go Back to School. It is available for FREE here: Free Core Download
