Pass Your Faith Along to Your Children

Whose Job Is Your Child’s Spiritual Training?

Lesson 1

Group Discussion Guide

Discussion Questions -

1. Talk about what your parents did, if anything, to help you learn and embrace the Christian faith. What did they do well? What do you wish they had done better?

2. Talk about your church experience growing up, if you had one. What was that like? What do you think you gained from it? If you did not grow up in church, share what that was like, if you are comfortable doing so.

3. Where did you learn the most about God growing up? Was it from your parents? In what way? Was it from church? In what way? Was it from other sources?

4. What things have you done, so far to teach your children, help them get to know God, and pass along your faith? What has been the most successful? Least successful?

Bible Study - (10 minutes for discussion then 10 minutes for reporting)

Break into groups of 3 – 5 to discuss the following Bible passages. Have someone take notes to report to the larger group. Perhaps assign each group just one of these passages depending on time.

Deuteronomy 6:6–7

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

1. What words do you think this passage is talking about that are to be taught to the children? Look at Deuteronomy, chapters 5 and 6 for possible answers.

2. With what attitude were parents to teach these things to their children? What might this mean for us?

3. What might it look like if someone were to fulfill this instruction today?

4. What makes you most anxious and nervous about the idea of teaching spiritual things to your child?

Ephesians 6:4

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

1. Paul writes this instruction specifically to fathers, though perhaps both parents were intended. What do you think fathers might bring to the spiritual training of their children? Mothers?

2. What do you think Paul meant by not provoking your children to anger? Can you think of situations in which this might happen?

3. What do you think the training and instruction of the Lord means? Can you think of any ways to do this?

4. What makes you most anxious and nervous about the idea of teaching spiritual things to your child?

Homework – Tell your child or children this week that God loves them and is always watching over them to take care of them.

Keep in Touch with Us