Peanut butter and jelly. Baseball and peanuts. S’mores and campfires. Bacon and eggs. Tacos and Tuesdays. Have you figured out what the theme of this list is (other than things that are delicious)? These are all things that are better together. What is a campfire without s’mores? It's only half of the experience. Without a marshmallow roasted on a stick, the experience can still be good, but it isn’t nearly as good as it could have been. Something critical would be missing!
Partnership Increases Influence
When it comes to the spiritual influence of our children, there are two things that are far better together than they are separate. Having one good influence in our life can make a big difference. Having two influences working separately can make an even bigger impact. But two influences, working together in partnership, can have a far greater impact on the spiritual life of a child. Of course, I'm talking about the partnership between the church and the home.
Parents as Spiritual Leaders
Moms and dads, your kids need you to intentionally, strategically, and practically take the lead in the discipleship of your children! You have the greatest opportunity for influence as you spend more time with your children than any other influence. There are all kinds of opportunities for structured learning as well as taking advantage of the everyday rhythms and happenings of life. Scripture calls us as parents to be spiritual leaders and teach our children about who God is and what he has done (Deut. 6). This is an incredibly important influence, but should parents take on this journey on their own?
The Church as Spiritual Leaders
Church, you are at the forefront of the Great Commission and the mission that Jesus has given us to reach the nations with the gospel. Reaching the next generation with the knowledge of who God is and what he has done for us through Jesus is a big part of this mission. You have the opportunity to make an incredible impact through the resources of the church to teach, lead, and influence. But, should the church take on this responsibility on its own?
The Church and Home Form a Strong Partnership
You can probably smell what I am getting at. The church and the home (family) were designed to be in partnership with each other. Parents, you are to take the lead in spiritually leading your children. However, you don’t have to and shouldn’t do this alone. Church, you have incredible resources and opportunity to teach and lead, but it was never designed for you to take children from their parents and solely carry the weight of Christian education and influence. When the church and the home partner with one another, they have a greater impact on the spiritual life of a child compared to our two influences working separately from each other or, worse, in competition with one another.
Parents, please know that our heart at Berean is to provide incredible environments, content, and relationships for your children as they engage in a life of faith. However, our primary focus is to be in partnership with you in this process. We want to help you take your role as the primary spiritual leader. We want to provide resources for you, encourage you, and provide guidance where we can. We want to help you not only succeed in your role but to thrive. We want to pick you up when you are down and help celebrate when you make progress and see wins. We want to serve as another voice in the life of your child that points them toward Christ.
Lock Arms with Us on Your Journey!
Not only do we want to provide great resources and support for you, but we also want to make sure that we are communicating well with you. Let us know what is going on in the life of your home. We will make sure to communicate with you about what is going on in the life of our generational ministries.
Remember, two influences in the life of a child are great. But there is a far greater impact when those two influences are working in partnership together. This is especially true when it is the church and the home.