Below is an excellent article written by a brother pastor...
An Open Letter to
Christian Parents
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Dear Parents, I know you love your children. I can see by the clothes they wear, the iPods and phones they have, and how much time you give to them. They go from school to band to football to soccer. You take them everywhere and give them everything they need. Sometimes it seems that you have given up your lives for them, doesn't it?
Christ. He literally gave up his life for you, me, our children, for all. He died for our sins and was raised so that we would stand before God, forever forgiven. That is the Christian Faith into which you and your children were baptized.
Holy Baptism. You were baptized into the faith of Jesus. Your whole life was washed, made clean, and forgiven by the Blood of Christ. Your children too.
Yet studies show that these days more young people are falling out of the faith than ever before. Only fifty percent of adults who attended church weekly as a child still attend church weekly as an adult. Only thirty-five percent of adults are currently attending church weekly who attended church two to three times a month as children.
It's more telling when you consider teenagers: of those teenagers who attended church weekly as teenagers, only fifty-eight percent attend church weekly as adults. And if they attended church less than two to three times a month? The number of weekly attendance for those teenagers when they become adults drops to a staggering thirty percent.
The answer isn't simply take them every week to church. It isn't even to take them to Sunday School, Weekday School, Youth Group, and Bible Class. You already know that you should be doing these things!
I'm asking -- I'm pleading with you -- to take the time to teach your children this Faith. Pray with them. Read the Word with them. Sing hymns with them. Practice their Confirmation memory work with them. Discuss with what you believe and why Jesus is your Savior.
Receive Jesus in the Word at church, washed down your forehead in baptism, and put into your mouth at His Supper. Receive Him for their salvation too -- modeling the Faith to them, living it out right there with them.
When they sin, forgive them in Christ. When you sin, ask them to forgive you in Christ. Live your lives as the baptized -- forgiven, washed, made holy by Jesus.
I know you love your children, dear Parents. I can see you do. I'm writing to remind you to love them in Christ.
Christ. He literally gave up his life for you, me, our children, for all. He died for our sins and was raised so that we would stand before God, forever forgiven. That is the Christian Faith into which you and your children were baptized.
Holy Baptism. You were baptized into the faith of Jesus. Your whole life was washed, made clean, and forgiven by the Blood of Christ. Your children too.
Yet studies show that these days more young people are falling out of the faith than ever before. Only fifty percent of adults who attended church weekly as a child still attend church weekly as an adult. Only thirty-five percent of adults are currently attending church weekly who attended church two to three times a month as children.
It's more telling when you consider teenagers: of those teenagers who attended church weekly as teenagers, only fifty-eight percent attend church weekly as adults. And if they attended church less than two to three times a month? The number of weekly attendance for those teenagers when they become adults drops to a staggering thirty percent.
The answer isn't simply take them every week to church. It isn't even to take them to Sunday School, Weekday School, Youth Group, and Bible Class. You already know that you should be doing these things!
I'm asking -- I'm pleading with you -- to take the time to teach your children this Faith. Pray with them. Read the Word with them. Sing hymns with them. Practice their Confirmation memory work with them. Discuss with what you believe and why Jesus is your Savior.
Receive Jesus in the Word at church, washed down your forehead in baptism, and put into your mouth at His Supper. Receive Him for their salvation too -- modeling the Faith to them, living it out right there with them.
When they sin, forgive them in Christ. When you sin, ask them to forgive you in Christ. Live your lives as the baptized -- forgiven, washed, made holy by Jesus.
I know you love your children, dear Parents. I can see you do. I'm writing to remind you to love them in Christ.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Rev. George Borghardt
August 17, 2010
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