When children wander from the faith
Introducing Timeless Parenting Episode 11.
As Christian parents we have to live with an uncomfortable tension. Our parenting matters—indeed God instructs us to raise our children in the Christian faith—but ultimately, it is only God who can give saving faith to our children.
We long for our children to grow up knowing, loving and following Jesus, just as we do. We do all that we can to pass on our Christian faith through our example, our teaching and our family routines and priorities. This is what we explored in the last episode of Timeless Parenting: how we can equip our children to stand firm in the Christian faith, especially in an increasingly hostile world.
But in this follow-up episode, we discuss the confronting reality that, despite our best efforts, not all of the children of Christian parents choose to keep following Jesus. This is a great test of our own faith—will we keep trusting God, even if our children wander away from him?
In this conversation, we are joined by guests Kat Ashton Israel and Al James as we explore:
- Why do Christians feel uncomfortable discussing this topic?
- How does it impact parents (and their faith) when a child 'wanders' from God?
- If we can’t guarantee our children’s faith, what is our role?
- How can we respond helpfully to our children's questions and doubts about Christianity?
- How can parents respond when a child walks away from church and Christianity?
- How can our churches better support families with children who have ‘wandered’?
This episode offers real stories and helpful insights, as well as empathy and encouragement for parents and churches who are experiencing the heartache of seeing young people walk away from faith.
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Mothers Union Sydney runs an annual seminar about Christian life and parenting. Listen to talks from previous seminars on Soundcloud.
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If you want to get in touch with us to offer some feedback or suggest a topic, you can write to us at: timelessparenting@youthworks.net
Timeless Parenting is brought to you by Growing Faith, a ministry of Youthworks Media, and Mothers Union Sydney.
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