4 Tips to Nurturing Faith
The Role of Community and Personal Devotion in Parenting
In pursuit of faith-based parenting, two pillars stand out for their importance in nurturing a resilient and vibrant faith in our children: the community of believers and the personal relationship each child develops with God. These elements are like the two wings of a bird, both essential for flight. In this final installment of our series, we look into how families can foster a sense of community and encourage a personal, living faith in their children, ensuring these wings are strong and ready to soar.
The African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” holds profound truth in the context of faith-based parenting. Our faith communities—churches, small groups, or gatherings of like-minded families—provide a network of support, learning, and shared experiences that enrich our journey and model the diverse ways of living out faith.
The Role of Community in Spiritual Growth
Community offers children a broader perspective of faith, exposing them to different ages, stories, and spiritual gifts. It reinforces the idea that they are part of something larger than themselves, a family of believers with a shared mission.
You heard from Derek share about the importance of spiritual community in Part 2 of this series, specifically when it came to small groups for him as well as his children. In addition he says, “Our faith’s an important part of everything. Sometimes you just get caught up in the day-to-day stuff with the kids, and you got to make sure that is an important part of what you’re communicating with them, too. What’s gotten me through a big part of [single parenting] is, just getting encouragement for my family.”
Practical Tip: Actively engage with your faith community. Participate in church activities, join or form small groups with other families, and involve your children in age-appropriate ministry opportunities. These experiences foster a sense of belonging and show the practical aspects of living out faith in love and service.
Modeling Faith in Action
Children learn more from what they see us do than from what we tell them. When they observe their parents living out their faith—praying, serving others, making decisions based on biblical principles—they see a faith that is real and applicable to everyday life.
Living Your Faith Authentically
Authenticity in our faith journey is crucial. It means admitting our mistakes, seeking forgiveness, and striving to grow. This authenticity shows our children that faith is a journey of continual learning and growth, not a destination of perfection.
“Let your kids see you fail … and learn from it.”
Heather, one of our parenting panelists shared, “For as many times as I can think of a time that I tackled something with the Christ like behavior or perspective, I can think of twice as many where maybe I fell short. But I feel like that’s life and parenting. You’re just journeying with your kids. When we [think] we’re the adults; we have the wisdom. And we’re going to impart all our wisdom upon these children and mold them to be more like Christ, therefore more like us because somehow, we have managed to be more Christlike. And I think if we’re honest, it’s being vulnerable with them. … Let your kids see you fail and apologize to them for doing that. We’re not on a pedestal. We’re just people doing life, and they learn a lot from that.”
Practical Tip: Let your children see your faith in action. Involve them in service projects, share how your faith influences your decisions, and be open about your struggles and how you rely on God for strength and guidance.
Encouraging Personal Relationships with God
While community provides the context for growth, each child’s personal relationship with God is where the deepest transformation occurs. This relationship is where faith becomes not just a family tradition but a personal conviction.
Encouraging children to develop their own relationship with God involves more than just teaching them to pray or read the Bible; it’s about guiding them to understand and experience God’s love, grace, and presence in their lives.
Nurturing a Personal Faith
Our panelist, John, a father and grandfather had this to say: “One thing that [my wife] Karen and I have found is an interesting revelation. And that is all of our kids were raised in the same home, but they have such divergent concepts about life. They’re all followers of Christ, but with different interests, different ways of approaching conflict resolution and each just so very unique.”
John continues, “That to me says they were comfortable enough in their faith not to be ’cookie cutter,’ or to be just like mom and dad. …They have their own unique way of reaching out to people in their sphere of influence and involvement.”
Practical Tip: Encourage daily habits that foster personal faith, such as quiet time for prayer or Bible reading. Share your own experiences of God’s work in your life and encourage your children to ask questions and express their thoughts and feelings about God.
Equipping for the Real World
Our ultimate goal as parents following Christ is to equip our children to live out their faith confidently and compassionately in the world. This means preparing them to engage with diverse perspectives and challenges, grounded in their faith and guided by love and wisdom.
Equip your children with the knowledge and skills to navigate difficult conversations and situations with grace. Teach them to listen respectfully, respond with kindness, and stand firm in their convictions without being combative.
Preparing for Challenges
Derek encourages us, “We’re making decisions every day, and we’re doing the best that we can. And so, giving ourselves a little bit of grace and of course, a lot of prayer—trusting that God is going to [make up for] where we’re falling short because we’re going to all fall short. I know for myself where I feel like I’m really failing, I’m trusting that God’s picking up those pieces and bringing [my children] through those things as well.”
Practical Tip: Role-play different scenarios your children might encounter, discussing how to respond in ways that are both faithful to their beliefs and respectful of others. Encourage them to think critically about the media they consume and the ideas they encounter, weighing them against biblical truth.
As we wrap up this series on faith-based parenting, it’s clear that fostering community and personal faith are not just tasks to be checked off a list; they are ongoing processes that require intention, effort, and prayer. They are about creating an environment where faith can flourish, not just in the hearts of our children but within our families and communities.
John shares one more piece of advice. “Embrace the change. Nothing remains static. The Bible is timeless, and the concepts in it are timeless, but society changes. And how we take the Word and apply it to our lives to live like Christ, needs to change with the times.”
Let’s move forward with hope, knowing that the efforts we make today to foster community and personal faith in our children are investments in their future and the future of the church. As we strive to raise children who love God and love others, let’s commit to fostering a vibrant community of faith and nurturing a personal, living relationship with God in our children. It’s in these spaces that faith takes root, grows, and bears fruit, not just for a season but for a lifetime.
Feel free to go back and revisit Part 1 and Part 2 of this parenting series.