The Father’s Role in Spiritual Home Schooling

In many Western nations, some parents elect to give their children formal education at home. This kind of learning practice could also apply to spiritual matters. It is actually the responsibility of parents to teach their children the ways of the LORD. Proverbs 22:6 states, “Train up a child in the way he should go: And when he is old, he will not depart from it.” God’s comment on Abraham’s parenting skills recorded in Genesis 18:19 shows that He expects parents to teach their children His ways. This is what that Scripture says: “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgement; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”

What role does the father play in pointing his children to the Lord? In the home, the primary responsibility of the man is leadership. He is the head of the home and as such, he should take the initiative in guiding his entire family in the right direction at all times. In the Christian home in particular, the father must have a good relationship with the Holy Spirit, sent by God to lead believers into all truth (John 16:13). In John 14:26, the Lord Jesus Christ specifically mentioned teaching as one of the functions of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, every Christian father should be a student of the Holy Spirit. In fact, God Himself enrols believers in the School of the Holy Spirit. There is a caveat though: the Holy Spirit will not force Himself on anyone who is not willing to learn. He can be grieved by our rebellion (Ephesians 4:30) and we can quench or extinguish Him (1 Thessalonians 5:19).

We are convinced that only fathers who have learned sufficiently at the feet of Jesus can impart the same knowledge to their children. This is because no one can give another person what he or she does not have. A man who spends quality time with God in His word is qualified to be a teacher at home and elsewhere. The word of truth that he has ingested will become life in him and conversely, something he can impart to his children and other people God brings his way. The following steps are recommended for any father who wishes to train his children in the way of the LORD:

1. Start with yourself – Notice that the first job of any father is to nurture his own relationship with God and to cherish the principles of God’s word in his own heart;
2. The language of children is activity – The best devotion in family life may not happen around a table. With toddlers, you might teach a Bible story in fun ways like using flashlight in a closet to demonstrate how light overcomes darkness. With older children, you might use a science experiment or cooking exercise to illustrate spiritual truth;
3. Be prayerful – Note that God is the one who changes the heart of a child, you are just the vehicle that He uses in the process;
4. Do not delegate the spiritual training of your children to the church. Taking them to church or Sunday school is not the father’s primary spiritual responsibility; the church is there to support you but not to take over the training of your children;
5. Be spiritually transparent at home – This will do a lot to open spiritual windows for your children;
6. Take time to pray with your kids – Pray with them regularly, especially about the challenges they are facing. Praying with them regularly helps to make the truth come alive for them; and
7. Be creative in teaching kids the value of spiritual growth – You might keep a growth chart on the back of the door to measure a child’s physical growth. Right next to it, jot down milestones of spiritual growth and development like the kids’ salvation, baptism, as well as when they took opportunity to share their faith or receive an answer to their prayers.

        According to Dr. Scott Turansky, author of How to Teach Spirituality to Children, God has given parents seven tools to bring about major changes in their children. These are prayer, relationship, firmness, visioning, coaching, teaching and transfer of responsibility. He observed that many parents work hard to leave financial inheritance for their kids without training them spiritually. Such children could become societal misfits and bring shame to their families.

          We pray that LORD God Almighty would empower all Christian parents, especially fathers to fulfil their primary responsibility of raising their children to be a blessing to humanity and the Kingdom of God.

***** Some materials sourced from How to Teach Spirituality to Children by Dr Scott Turansky, https://www.thrivingkidsconnection.com.