It’s easier than you think.
God has tasked parents with teaching their kids about God and his Word. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 gives us the command and simple framework for teaching God’s commands to our kids within the rhythm of everyday life. And Ephesians 6:4 expressly commands dads to train their children in the way of Jesus.
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
The reality is that if you remain silent on issues of faith and life, the world will fill that silence for you. The world is already discipling your children, so what can you do about it?
Now, you might feel awkward or inadequate about talking with your children about Jesus, but just remember three things. First, God has put you in this role, which means he will equip you and guide you in fulfilling your role, if you will trust him. Second, you don’t have to be an expert; you just just have to authentically pursue Jesus. Third, our kids listen to us more than we realize. Even when we think it’s not taking hold—especially once they hit the teenage years—if we are consistent, our kids will see that it’s important to us. And if they know it is important to us, it will likely become important to them.
So, here are six ways to have spiritual conversations with your kids.
1. Pray together every day.
Do you pray before meals? If so, great! Now, I’d encourage you to develop a rhythm of prayer throughout the day: in the morning at breakfast or on the way to school, in the car after school or on the way to practices and performances, and at bedtime. Show your kids how to pray AND have them pray, too. Don’t just pray for yourselves, but also pray for specific people you know. Developing a daily rhythm of prayer with your family will open up the door for spiritual conversations at any time of day.
2. Get into Scripture together.
Praying with your kids and reading the Bible together is crucial in pointing your kids to Jesus. I would argue that it is impossible to disciple your children without both. They open the door for spiritual conversations with our kids and keep it open so we can connect our kids to God’s Word at any time.
One of the best ways I have found to do this is with a monthly memory verse. (You can find it in The Dadventures Discipleship Calendar.) Another great way is to simply read the Bible together. This could be a “Verse of the Day,” part of a chapter, or an entire chapter or more that you read together in the morning, during a meal, and/or at bedtime. Try reading through one of the four Gospels, like Matthew, over the course of the next few weeks. If you read a chapter a day, you’ll be finished within a month!
3. Talk about the sermon or Bible class.
A third necessary component of discipleship is connection to a local church. If you aren’t part of a local church, now is the time to find a church that is committed to loving God, loving others, making disciples, and teaching God’s Word.
If you are committed to being part of a local church, awesome! Now, be sure you are making the most of it by discussing with your family what they learn each week. After worship services or small groups, ask your kids what they learned. Here are some questions you can ask:
- What did you learn about God or Jesus?
- What did you learn about yourself or others?
- What stood out to you or what surprised you about the lesson?
- Tell me more about the Bible story.
Use these questions to have meaningful conversations about what they are learning, and don’t forget to share with them what you learned, as well!
4. Share what you learned from your own Bible reading.
Speaking of sharing what you learned, be sure to share what you are learning on your own. To disciple our kids, we must be disciples ourselves, which means we must be spending time with Jesus on our own through prayer and Bible reading. You might feel like you are trying to show off your righteousness, but this is an important part of pointing our family to Jesus.
If your kids never see you reading your Bible or hear you sharing about what you’ve read, they will grow up thinking that it’s not important or that Jesus is just for kids. By sharing what you’ve read recently, you are able to do three things: show your kids that it’s important, share Biblical truth, and have spiritual conversations with your kids. After sharing what you’ve learned, ask your kids what they have learned recently in their own Bible reading.
5. Connect with their everyday lives.
Sharing about Jesus with our kids is crucial, but it is also important that we listen to our kids and pay attention to what is going on in their lives. For our family, this is most often done on the way home from school, after everyone gets home in the afternoon, or at dinner time. One of the best ways to get a peek into their lives at school is by doing “Highs and Lows.” We simply ask our kids what was their “high” (or best thing) and “low” (or worst thing) at school.
Highs and Lows helps us learn what our kids care about, who their friends are, what is happening in the seven hours we don’t see them, what they enjoy, what they are struggling with, what choices they are making, and if other students are being kind or being mean. This allows us to better connect with our kids.
In addition, because we have developed a daily rhythm of prayer and Scripture, Highs and Lows allows us to help our kids connect God’s Word with their everyday lives. Several years ago, our family memorized Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” That verse has since become our family verse, and it hangs on our wall in our Living Room. Many times during Highs and Lows, our kids have shared that someone was being mean to them or that they were nervous about a really big test, and in those moments, I was able to point them back to the truth of that verse: God promises to be with them every step of the way.
6. Get out in God’s creation.
It’s no secret that I love the outdoors, and one of the main reasons why is because I feel a stronger connection to God when I am away from the noise and distractions of modern life and surrounded by the amazing beauty and glorious symphony of God’s creation. Getting out into nature is good for our bodies, our minds, and our souls. It’s also a great way to spend quality time with your family as you point to Jesus.
Go for a walk in your neighborhood, go for a bike ride, go on a nature walk in a park, or go hike on a trail. Grab a blanket and some snacks and spend a Saturday morning at a park. Go fishing or have a picnic by some water. Go camping or just sit around a fire in the backyard. Read scripture, memorize it, or simply ask everyone to share their favorite thing they see that God created.
Having spiritual conversations with your kids doesn’t have to be complicated nor awkward. Open up the door by creating a daily rhythm of prayer and Scripture, and use the daily rhythm of life to point your kids to Jesus in your conversations. And every once in a while, escape the noise and chaos of everyday life and connect with Jesus and your kids in God’s creation!
Want to learn more about having spiritual conversations with your kids? Listen to Episode 20 of The Dadventures Podcast with Michael. Listen on Apple Podcasts or use the links below to listen to the episode on Spotify or YouTube.
The Dadventures 