The 1-2-3’s of Raising Godly Kids
By Lisa Whittle
While all ministry kids have specific needs, there are 3 practical things parents can do bring up children who love God and the church.
1. Be real and consistent in the home.
Don’t try to be perfect, but do try to be authentic. Kids will quickly figure out if you are the “real deal,” and they will respond accordingly. Cherish and strive for their respect. Ministry kids will be better able to resist temptation if they respect you and don’t want to dishonor you (or the Lord) in any way.
2. Allow them to fall and fail.
Let your children be who they are and release them from the expectations their “role” in life brings. Facilitate honest and open communication, and give generous amounts of grace. By seeing you model this, you’ll help them to better understand and appreciate the wonderful grace of God.
3. Recognize the spiritual battle and pray for your kids’ future.
There is no greater spiritual battlefield than in the ministry home. Satan would love nothing more than to totally destroy and demolish the lives of pastors’ children and their parents. He wants to bring shame to the name of Jesus Christ, and he pulls out all the stops when it comes to getting his grip on a family in ministry. It is imperative to recognize that you have the power of God on your side and to claim that power every day as you pray the victory over your children’s lives and futures.
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