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Parents, may ask how does their relationship with Jesus Christ impact their children receiving their faith in Christ? We look at a study conducted by the Barna Group and how Christian parents are the biggest factor in their adult children’s decision to follow Jesus Christ. Why are parents under attack in their role so often? Parents get under attack so often, especially fathers, because it is a spiritual battle to stop you as a parent from influencing your children to follow Jesus!
The study was done in partnership with Lutheran Hour Ministries, and the report states that mothers are the ones who influence spiritual development the most in the home! In the survey conducted, 68% of people said their mother’s faith influenced them, and 46% said their father’s faith influenced them. Among other relationships that influenced them, 37% said their grandparents, 16% a non-relative, 14% a friend, 10% another relative, and 9% a sibling. Family has the largest impact on their children’s faith, which would be why family is under attack! As a mother, father, or grandparent don’t lose heart in living your faith out in front of your children or grandchildren because you are sowing into their lives seeds that can eventually grow into a harvest of faith in Jesus Christ. Your labor is not in vain!
The next question the study asked, would you say you are a Christian as an adult because of a person you grew up within your household? 59% answered yes that someone passed their faith down to them. It is important that as a parent, your children know you have a relationship with God, and are someone who reads their Bible! 23% said they are a Christian despite the sort of Christianity they saw in their household growing up. If your parents did not live a life of faith in front of you, and maybe you grew up in a dysfunctional family, you can still choose to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life if you haven’t already! You can read our stories at Meet My Father HERE and make Jesus the Lord of your life today! 15% answered no that no one in their house influenced them, and 11% answered yes that someone in their household explored faith at the same time with them.
Can you imagine if you never told your children about Jesus and didn’t share your faith with them? It is important to witness to your children and live out your faith in front of them because as you see with these statistics, it matters! You are making a difference!
In another study done by a group of Swiss researchers, they found that fathers who were married and regularly attended church were more likely to have children who were regular attendees than fathers who never attend or attend church irregularly. Reported by Robbie Low with Touchstone Magazine, when a father does not attend church, even if his wife is a faithful church attendee, only one in 50 will become a regular worshiper. When a father does attend church regularly, two-thirds to three-quarters of their children will become regular worshipers! Even when a father attends church irregularly about half and to two-thirds of their children will attend regularly or occasional church services. A father makes a difference in their children’s eternity! If you are a father, being present in your church family can change the world because you reach a man, you reach the world. The reason why you, as a father may feel insignificant is because you are under attack! Your family needs you to show up and be present and be faithful to God. Choose to fight for your role as a father and stick, stay, and stand with your family!
Vern Bengston, a Research Professor at the University of Southern California, found that “56 percent of kids who have a close relationship with their dads share his level of religious commitment, while just 36 percent of kids with a weaker relationship to their father can say the same thing.”
When you are faithful to God, your children are learning to be faithful too. Maybe you need help to build your relationship with the Lord; you can get your free plan to help you at iAbide HERE and start today! If you are a father and have realized the significance of your role in your children’s lives, we want to hear from you! Write to us at [email protected]. Greg and John shared in this segment.
Image courtesy of Storyblocks.com
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