How Adults Can Nurture Children in the Christian Faith
by Mary Alice Gran

Adults can nurture children in the Christian faith. Below are listed some of the ways:

In Families:

• Read Bible stories together.


• Talk about pieces of their faith journey and your own faith journey.



• Make a regular habit of doing good for others and talk about "why."


• Pray together.


• Read the Bible and pray at times when children can see you.


• Include God and the use of religious ritual at special family celebrations.


• Stop and pray together when having a family disagreement.


• Sing songs of faith.


• Practice spontaneous prayers together — when hearing a siren, seeing the first bird in the spring, after a joy-filled moment, or when feelings are hurt.


• Work at keeping religious holidays religious (Christmas, Easter, Pentecost).


• Write letters to children who are away, telling them about God, your faith, your prayers for them, their importance to God. Include something of your faith in each letter (or e-mail).


• Include age-appropriate Christian symbols, Bibles, Bible storybooks, or Christian music when giving gifts.

In the Church Family:

• Learn children's names and use their names when having conversations with them.


• Seek out children to include in conversations.


• Sit with families at church dinners. Visit with the children as well as the parents.


• Smile at children during worship. Encourage their attendance and inclusion in worship.


• Plan for the inclusion of children for every event.


• Offer to share your interests and talents with children and youth in the church. (Take a small group fishing, help them make wooden crosses, teach them needlework, share your backyard for a Sunday school class outing, tell Bible stories, and so on.)


• Become a mentor for a child or youth who is not related to y ou. Develop an ongoing, supportive relationship.

With Neighborhood Children:

• Be a loving, caring neighbor.


• Invite children (and their parents) to join you in attending a church event.


• Bring children with you to Sunday school and church every Sunday. (Make certain you have a parent's permission.)


• Share Bible stories with children, as appropriate.


• Share Christian gifts with children, as appropriate.


• Write prayers for children, and give the prayers to them (particularly important for a life event — birth, death, marriage, first day of school, getting driver's license, losing first tooth).

Mary Alice Gran (mgran@gbod.org) is the Director of Children's Ministries for the General Board of Discipleship in Nashville, Tennessee.

Posted 8-29-06


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