Family is the smallest, most basic unit of society. It is here that parents are given the opportunity to shower their love on their kids, that children are trained in the ways they will go as they grow, and that all members of the family can grow in the faith.
As such, one of the goals that each Christian family should have this year, and every year, is to grow in faith together. Dads and moms, brothers and sisters, all of them should grow in the love of God together.
Here are a few good things every Christian family can do to help each other grow in the faith.
1) Pray together
First and foremost, we've got to pray for each other while we're together, or even away from each other. This is a self-explanatory non-negotiable. If we want our family to grow together, we've got to pray for each other. There's all kinds of ways you can do this with your kids. Make a prayer wall cut out from colorful paper or decorate a family prayer box together. Build a prayer corner with some cushions and blankets if you've got the space. Help your kids keep a prayer journal and show them how to personalize it with stickers and colorful notes.
2) Hold family devotions
Next, every Christian family should make it a point to establish a time for family devotions together. The purpose of this time is to pray for each other, study the word of God together, and grow in the Lord together.
I know this may not be easy for many of us, but opening the Bible in front of the family is something that we should be doing. The word of God is still the key to growing our faith. Romans 10:17 tells us,
"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
Parents will do well to teach their kids about the teachings and commands of Jesus Christ. They must realize that as parents, they are the first to disciple their children in the ways of God (see Proverbs 22:6). Encourage their participation and help them to see the value by encouraging them to participate in some way. Give them a role in the family worship time that makes them feel part of it, even if it's just something small like bringing daddy's Bible.
3) Share lessons and gleanings from Bible reading times
After reading the word of God, either together or in private times, the next best thing to do would be to share learning, reflections, and gleanings from Scripture.
Parents need to share what they learn, and then ask the kids what they learned, affirming them and helping them to see more lessons along the way. Doing this encourages the children to read the Bible more and builds better interactions among family members too. Again, there are fun ways families can do this. You can journal together or draw pictures or make age-appropriate crafts based on the key people and messages from the Bible reading time.
4) Love one another
Love is the mark that defines a Christ-follower from someone who doesn't follow Him. Jesus Himself said it in John 13:35,
"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
As Christ's followers, we ought to love each other. Parents should model this to their kids by loving each other (husband and wife), and then by loving them (parent to child). Children will always be motivated to love God when their parents love each other in the love of God.
5) Serve God together
Lastly, another best thing to do in pursuit of growth in the Lord is to serve together. Hebrews 10:23-24 tells us,
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works."
As we desire to grow in faith, we need to serve one another and motivate one another to serve others in love. A big part of motivating people to serve is praising them and commending them when they do something good. Children especially respond well to positive affirmation. Let them know that when they serve you, it makes you feel so happy. That in turn will make them happy too.
