Read Bible Stories to your children, sing hymns and pray with them.
Ever since I have attended college I have observed children of pastors, church workers, and Lutheran school graduates that weren’t interested in talking theology. Indeed, I observed they didn’t know much theology. Quite often the children would know the church politics and gossip more than they did about what the Bible taught. This is nothing new. Laache: Book of Family Prayer was published 1884. The first week of Epiphany, Laache urges parents to pray for their children. He points out it is so sad when we observe children of Christian parents leave the faith. Laache asserts that the parents did not faithfully pray for them. This is one reason I am so keen in talking theology with my children. So I urge parents as well to teach and sing hymns and pray with their children. This is also talking theology.
God rewards parents who read and teach their children to treasure God’s Word. Your children learn to talk theology, especially with you. This gives them confidence in God’s Word. God wants all His children to turn to Him in everyway. When children see their parents humble themselves under God’s Word and tender care, the reward is great. . Only God’s Word and the Sacraments can give this confidence. The Marks of the Church. The B-I-B-L-E. The Preached Word. Holy Baptism. The Lord’s Supper. That is all we have to offer our children and it is our duty to do it and be confident that God will be faithful in what He has offered for us to give to our children. Hymns are prayers to God. These hymns keep us mindful of what God has done for us in Jesus and we pray with thankfulness and for strength. Pray for your children.
Preserving a Christian Home by Dorothy Preus
Aubri (or Phil)–I secretly stalk you via your blog. I thought you seemed like-minded with some of the things you have said about your kids. Anyway, I was going to share a resource. Have you heard of the Sing the Faith songbook. It is the small catechism set to music. It's from CPH. There is also a Follow and Do Gift Set of kids books with the text of the catechism. We have been using those in our daily devotions with the girls and they both know almost all of the catechism. Of course, they only know it if they sing it. Anyway, not to ramble on too much, but we have been impressed with both of those resources and thought I'd share them with people who love their kids 🙂