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Spiritual Parenting:

Spiritual Parenting:. A Family Network Program. Parents. “Are the guarantors of faith. They give children their first pictures of God and help them develop a wonderful Christian virtue called trust, which as they grow older becomes the basis for faith.”. Research: Factors

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Spiritual Parenting:

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  1. Spiritual Parenting: A Family Network Program

  2. Parents “Are the guarantors of faith. They give children their first pictures of God and help them develop a wonderful Christian virtue called trust, which as they grow older becomes the basis for faith.”

  3. Research: Factors for Strong Families • Mother comfortable with faith talk. • Enforces drug standards. • Family worship is interesting and meaningful. • Parents strongly oppose adolescent alcohol use. • Loving, caring family. • Mother is highly religious. • Parents punish wrong behavior. • Frequent parent/child communication. • Parents set limits. • Father often talks to child about his faith. • Frequent family helping projects.

  4. Potential Dynamics in the Family • Nurturing intentional family spirituality • Strengthening family worship • Mentoring personal faith • Understanding our heritage • Facilitating faithful families

  5. Intentional Spirituality

  6. What do you think about when you hear the word “religion?” Spirituality • Spirituality focuses on a growing sense of a daily relationship with Jesus Christ as your Lord. • Spirituality is never done only in private, it involves community.

  7. Spirituality (Eph. 4:11-16) • The family is the place where God is first learned. • Spiritual life naturally grows, as do the people in which it is experienced. • Spiritual life is a part of every stage of life

  8. Key Dimensions to Intentional Spiritual Parenting Make spirituality to be a focus and target for your family life #1 Make the choice to do something

  9. #2 Provide opportunities for spiritual growth Provide: • the community; • the opportunity, • environment where God’s love can be felt

  10. #3 Move your choices to action Develop action plans and make commitments to stick with those plans

  11. #4 Spirituality is not just a private matter, it is a family matter • Establish patterns for spiritual life: • prayers before meals, at bedtime, and during times of trouble. • church attendance & participation • family worship

  12. #5 Relationships with others central and crucial > Care for our spouses and parents. > Care for others around us: the sick, homeless, neighbors

  13. Family Worship

  14. The Valuegenesis Project on Family Worship How often does your family haveworship? Never 23% 26% Less than once a month 13% 11% About once a month 7% 6% About 2-3 times a month 9% 8% About once a week 16% 15% Several times a week 11% 11% Once a day 15% 15% More than once a day 6% 8%

  15. Key Factors in Creative Family Worships #1 Make family worship short, sweet and simple 5-10 minutes – preschoolers 15-20 minutes -- primary age

  16. #2 Make worship meaningful > Start where the children live. > Use significant events at school, and at play. > Use relevant life situations for spiritual lessons.

  17. #3 Make worship frequent Habits are formed by repetition #4 Do "shared" worship • Share leadership • Switch methods • Involve children

  18. #5 Find a regular time > Study all your schedules to see what might work. > Build a schedule and begin to keep it. > Better to do something once a week with meaning than to try to fit worships into an overly crowded schedule.

  19. #6 Set an important example > Parental attitudes, actions, habits, priorities, speech, gestures, excitement, etc. reflect and teach children just what kind of a God they serve.

  20. #7 Use routine moments to see God > Prayer at mealtimes and bedtimes. > Reading the Bible with the children at breakfast, supper or before bedtime. > Develop your own personal devotional time.

  21. Mentoring Personal Faith

  22. Key Factors in Mentoring Faith #1 Don't forget congenial relationships #2 Use gentle reasoning

  23. #3 Don't forget faith-talk #4 Study God's word #5 Communicate through a grace orientation #6 Keep everything positive

  24. #7 Pray in your own words > Pray out loud with children > Teach children different types of prayers: * ACTS prayers A – adoration C – confession T – thanksgiving S – supplication/petition

  25. #8 Pray at regular and natural times > Natural times: -- leaving for school -- before driving somewhere -- leave for overnight stay -- sickness -- birthdays

  26. #9 Vary positions and locations of prayer for the family #10 Learn to care and share #11 Encourage love and compassion

  27. Understanding Our Heritage

  28. Keys To Nurturing A Sense of History #1 Teach your "little story" of faith and your family history #2 Share the "big story" of faith

  29. #3 Share the heroes of faith with your kids #4 Clarify doctrinal questions

  30. #5 Spend time together learning your family's values * Substance abuse standards * Way of life standards * Popular cultural standards

  31. Developing Family Spirituality

  32. #1 Build Strong Relationships

  33. #2 Know what your children are doing #3 Know your children's friends #4 Help them make responsible choices

  34. #5 Search for a spiritual community where your family can thrive #6 Start your family's journey now

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