Building Faith at Home and in Community
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone. Today, we begin a two-week series on home-based faith, focusing on family, community, connection, and the next generation. According to a Barna research study, while many parents believe that a child's primary discipleship should happen at church, children's ministry leaders emphasize that the home is where the bulk of a child's spiritual growth occurs. This means that parents play a crucial role in reinforcing the teachings their children receive at church.
In Mark 10:13-16, Jesus emphasizes the importance of children in the kingdom of God. Childhood is the best time to learn about Jesus, and studies show that children who are regularly exposed to the gospel and guided by mentors are more likely to continue their Christian journey into adulthood. Therefore, the church has a responsibility to support parents in raising kids of faith, and parents need to actively teach and model their faith to their children.
Our kids' church program is designed to teach children about Jesus in a way that is engaging and memorable. We cover a variety of topics, from the importance of serving within the church to using their gifts to glorify God. We also have a program called Discipleship Dollars, where kids earn fake dollar bills for engaging in Christian habits like attending church, bringing their Bible, and memorizing verses. These activities are designed to instill lifelong habits of faith.
However, the lessons taught at church need to be reinforced at home. We provide parents with tools like "Make It Stick" sheets, which offer talking points and activities to help parents engage their children in faith conversations during transition times like bedtime and mealtimes. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 emphasizes the importance of repeating God's commands to our children and talking about them throughout the day.
But it's not just the parents who have a role to play. The entire church community needs to be involved in reinforcing faith habits in children's lives. The book "Sticky Faith" talks about the importance of having a five-to-one ratio of adults who regularly pour into the lives of a child. This creates a "sticky web" of relationships that help a child's faith stick.
We have 31 kids who regularly attend Sunday mornings, and each one needs a web of five adults who are interested in their faith. This means that each adult in our church needs to start investing in an average of three kids each. This investment doesn't have to be intense; it can be as simple as asking questions, praying with the kids, and engaging them in their faith.
The Christian life was never designed to be walked alone. God is all about relationship, and the church is a representation of that relationship. We need to be intentional in how we interact with these young kids and talk about faith. Parents need to do the hard work at home, and the church community needs to come alongside them to support and encourage the next generation.
### Key Takeaways
1. Home as the Primary Discipleship Environment: While church plays a significant role in a child's spiritual development, the home is where the bulk of this growth occurs. Parents need to actively teach and model their faith to their children, reinforcing the lessons learned at church. This dual approach ensures that children are well-prepared to live out their faith daily. [42:02]
2. The Importance of Early Faith Formation: Childhood is the best time to learn about Jesus. Studies show that children who are regularly exposed to the gospel and guided by mentors are more likely to continue their Christian journey into adulthood. This highlights the importance of both church and home environments in nurturing a child's faith. [43:31]
3. Engaging and Memorable Teaching Methods: Our kids' church program uses creative and engaging methods to teach children about Jesus. From crafts and activities to programs like Discipleship Dollars, these methods help instill lifelong habits of faith. However, these lessons need to be reinforced at home for maximum impact. [45:08]
4. Community Involvement in Faith Development: The entire church community has a role to play in reinforcing faith habits in children's lives. The book "Sticky Faith" emphasizes the importance of having a five-to-one ratio of adults who regularly pour into the lives of a child. This creates a "sticky web" of relationships that help a child's faith stick. [53:18]
5. Intentional Faith Conversations: Parents and other adults need to be intentional in how they engage children in faith conversations. Tools like "Make It Stick" sheets provide talking points and activities to help parents engage their children during transition times. This intentionality helps children understand the importance of their faith and how to live it out daily. [50:18]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[42:02] - Home as the Primary Discipleship Environment
[43:31] - The Importance of Early Faith Formation
[45:08] - Engaging and Memorable Teaching Methods
[50:18] - Intentional Faith Conversations
[53:18] - Community Involvement in Faith Development
[01:00:14] - Multi-Generational Relationships
[01:02:00] - Simple Suggestions for Mentorship
[01:03:43] - Call to Action
[01:05:14] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Mark 10:13-16
2. Deuteronomy 6:4-9
#### Observation Questions
1. According to Mark 10:13-16, how did Jesus respond when the disciples tried to prevent children from coming to Him?
2. What does Deuteronomy 6:4-9 instruct parents to do with God's commands?
3. In the sermon, what are some of the activities mentioned that help children develop Christian habits? ([46:46])
4. How does the "Sticky Faith" concept describe the role of the church community in a child's faith development? ([53:18])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Jesus emphasize the importance of receiving the kingdom of God like a child in Mark 10:13-16?
2. How can the instructions in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 be practically applied in a modern family setting?
3. What is the significance of having a five-to-one ratio of adults to children in the church community, as mentioned in the sermon? ([53:18])
4. How do the "Make It Stick" sheets help parents reinforce the lessons learned at church? ([50:18])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own childhood. How did your family and community influence your faith? How can you replicate or improve these influences for the next generation?
2. Parents, how can you incorporate faith conversations into your daily routines, such as during bedtime or mealtimes, as suggested in Deuteronomy 6:4-9? ([50:18])
3. For those without children, how can you intentionally engage with the kids in your church community to support their faith journey? ([53:18])
4. Think about the "Discipleship Dollars" program. How can you create similar engaging and memorable activities to teach children about Jesus in your own context? ([46:46])
5. Identify one child in your church community. What specific steps can you take this week to build a relationship with them and support their faith development? ([53:18])
6. How can you model your faith to children in a way that is both visible and understandable to them? Consider actions like reading your Bible, praying, and serving within the church. ([51:57])
7. What are some challenges you might face in being intentional about faith conversations with children, and how can you overcome them? ([50:18])
Devotional
Day 1: Home as the Primary Discipleship Environment
Parents are the primary spiritual mentors for their children, and the home is the main environment where this discipleship occurs. While church plays a significant role in a child's spiritual development, it is in the home where the bulk of this growth happens. Parents need to actively teach and model their faith to their children, reinforcing the lessons learned at church. This dual approach ensures that children are well-prepared to live out their faith daily. By creating a faith-filled home environment, parents can help their children develop a strong, lasting relationship with God.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (ESV): "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."
Reflection: How can you incorporate faith-based conversations and activities into your daily family routine to reinforce what your children learn at church? [42:02]
Day 2: The Importance of Early Faith Formation
Childhood is the best time to learn about Jesus. Studies show that children who are regularly exposed to the gospel and guided by mentors are more likely to continue their Christian journey into adulthood. This highlights the importance of both church and home environments in nurturing a child's faith. By investing in the spiritual growth of children from an early age, parents and church leaders can help lay a strong foundation for a lifelong relationship with God.
Proverbs 22:6 (ESV): "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."
Reflection: What are some practical ways you can expose your children to the gospel and provide them with mentors who can guide them in their faith journey? [43:31]
Day 3: Engaging and Memorable Teaching Methods
Our kids' church program uses creative and engaging methods to teach children about Jesus. From crafts and activities to programs like Discipleship Dollars, these methods help instill lifelong habits of faith. However, these lessons need to be reinforced at home for maximum impact. Parents can use tools like "Make It Stick" sheets to engage their children in faith conversations during transition times like bedtime and mealtimes. By making faith a regular part of daily life, parents can help their children develop a deep and lasting relationship with God.
Psalm 78:4 (ESV): "We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done."
Reflection: How can you use creative and engaging methods to teach your children about Jesus and reinforce what they learn at church? [45:08]
Day 4: Community Involvement in Faith Development
The entire church community has a role to play in reinforcing faith habits in children's lives. The book "Sticky Faith" emphasizes the importance of having a five-to-one ratio of adults who regularly pour into the lives of a child. This creates a "sticky web" of relationships that help a child's faith stick. By investing in the spiritual growth of the next generation, the church community can help create a supportive environment where children can thrive in their faith.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV): "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."
Reflection: How can you, as a member of the church community, invest in the spiritual growth of the children in your congregation? [53:18]
Day 5: Intentional Faith Conversations
Parents and other adults need to be intentional in how they engage children in faith conversations. Tools like "Make It Stick" sheets provide talking points and activities to help parents engage their children during transition times. This intentionality helps children understand the importance of their faith and how to live it out daily. By making faith conversations a regular part of daily life, parents and mentors can help children develop a strong and lasting relationship with God.
Colossians 3:16 (ESV): "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."
Reflection: What are some specific ways you can be intentional about having faith conversations with the children in your life? [50:18]
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Studies have shown that children who are regularly exposed to the gospel, guided by mentors, and actively participate in kids' church and Sunday school, along with parents who are dedicated to teaching and modeling their faith, are more likely to continue their Christian journey into adulthood." [43:31]
2. "If you've ever genuinely looked at the gospel message, what Jesus has called us to do with our lives, those habits and patterns are easier to learn as a child than as an adult. It is simply harder for an adult to get to a point in their life where they are willing to completely surrender everything to Jesus if they have no prior exposure to what that actually means than it is for a child to learn the importance of their decision to follow Jesus." [46:46]
3. "The Christian life was never designed to be walked alone. God is all about relationship. It's why we were created in the first place. Every story that we read in the Bible ties back to relationship. And God even sent his son to die to break down the barriers to our relationship with him." [01:00:14]
4. "John Maxwell said, one of the ways that we can ensure the next generation can stand on our shoulders and do better is by giving them our best today. Our best is found in our time and our effort, being open to mentoring and engaging with the younger people that we see each week." [01:02:00]
5. "These kids deserve our best efforts to keep their eyes on Jesus. These are the kids who sit downstairs on the verge of tears because their friend has declared they don't believe God is real and they don't want to go to church with them anymore. These are the kids who want to know why there are people that still don't believe God loves them when he is so awesome." [01:02:00]
### Quotes for Members
1. "Home is where the bulk of a child's spiritual growth and development will occur, but it doesn't exclude the teaching they receive at church. Home is where those ideas that they hear about on a Sunday morning are either reinforced or torn down." [42:02]
2. "But without the parents reinforcing these lessons at home, they don't have the impact that they need to. So each week, we also try and equip the parents with the tools that they need to continue the lessons at home. We have these great things that we make called Make It Stick. These are designed for parents to use during transition times. Those are the moments between activities, and they have been shown to be the most common spaces for parents to engage their child's faith in conversations." [48:48]
3. "Part of reinforcing faith habits in kids lives is the influence of the adults around them. The book Sticky Faith talks about a five to one ratio of adults who regularly pour into the lives of a child. So when other adults from within a church community make an effort to ask how a child is doing. Ask them what they learned in Sunday school. Ask them what they need prayer for that week. Offer to pray with them and for them. And just engage them in their faith. It creates what the book calls a sticky web of relationship." [53:18]
4. "When a child is dedicated in the church, we as a congregation make a promise to the parents to help support them in raising their child in faith. This is what we mean by that. Having adults willing to be active in faith conversations and modeling to the children of the church." [56:52]
5. "The book also says to be explicit with your children about the web you are creating. Ask for their input about adults they feel connected to and adults they feel safe with. Tell them that you are creating a network of people around them to help encourage their faith and help them grow. This is not a covert operation. We are helping them form a community. A community with people more mature in faith. A habit that all of us should have." [55:37]
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