When Your Child Has Questions About God (Part 1)

When Your Child Has Questions About God,

Avoid the "Deer in the Headlights" Look

“Dear Alex, my son has recently come to us with many questions about the Bible, questions prompted by things he’s either heard from peers at school, or read about from sites on the internet. My husband and I are not theologians! We’re average Christians who love the Lord, but don’t necessarily feel equipped to explain the Trinity or who made God. What to say... and how to say it... Please help!”

So began an email that I recently received from a parent who sincerely wants to lead out in shaping their child’s spiritual direction. Don’t worry; this not as difficult as it sounds. In fact, you may be further along than you think. I always encourage parents to think about not only content, but integration. As a Christian, there is not only the message of the Gospel but also the calling to incorporate Biblical truth into our lives daily. When our child comes to us with questions about God, morality, or spiritual issues, a “deer in the headlights” expression may convey the idea that we adults do take our Christianity very seriously. Wherever you are in your journey toward taking charge of your teen’s theological destiny, keep in mind some of the following points:

1. Recognize that the responsibility for spiritual leadership rests on YOU.
In the Bible it’s a given that parents will teach God’s truth to their children. From the moment our children come into our lives, God’s assignment to us is to nurture and grow them to the best of our ability. That entails being yielded to Him (Josh. 24:15) as we teach them about biblical truth (Deut. 6:7). Our views about life are to be centered on God (Gen. 18:19) as we instill the understanding that biblical knowledge will keep our children from sin (Ps. 119:9-11), and that yielding to us, their parents, is part of God’s life structure (Prov. 1:7-9; 4:1-27; 13:1).

2. Establish the truth that your body—and brain—belongs to God.
Remember, our children—no matter how old—pick up what is modeled before them. If you’ve always treated God as a compartment of life, guess what your kids are going to do? It’s essential that you teach and exemplify a fundamental truth: We are stewards of our bodies and minds. Since Jesus purchased our souls and salvation, we (thankfully) belong to Him (1 Cor. 6:20). That means it does matter what we put in our heads, what we listen to and what we watch with our eyes. God’s ownership extends to every area of our life. Teach your teens how they can yield their intellects to God (see Matt. 22:37; 2 Cor. 10:4-5; Eph. 4:17-24; 2 Tim. 3:14-17).

3. Ask Him for help.
Maybe you haven’t always modeled consistent Christian behavior for your family. In setting goals for family spiritual growth, you may wonder if your teens will take you seriously. These apprehensions are understandable.

The Bible promises much to believers in such situations. Need wisdom? God says He will give it abundantly (James 1:5). Need a specific answer for a specific prayer? God says to ask (James 4:2). God further promises to provide for every real need that we have (Phil. 4:19). And never forget that as you ask God for guidance through this journey, trust in His promise that He will complete His plans not just for you, but for your entire family (Phil. 1:6).

The renowned Christian leader Charles Spurgeon said, “Oh fathers and mothers, the ruin of your children, or their salvation, will, under God, very much depend on you.” Teaching your children more about their faith must be a top priority, or else it becomes yet another thing to let slide. Many Christian parents are paying the price for not teaching their kids truth. It’s time to allow biblical truths and apologetics change decades-old trends. Take time with your children on a regular basis to teach, explain, impart and mold. Consider these years as an investment that will count for eternity.