Hey Mom, You Are the Prime Influencer in Matters of Faith

According to polling by Pew Research, most mothers in the United States pass their religious views on to their children before age 13. If a mom is a devoted follower of Christ, her children will likely follow that pattern. If a mom is an agnostic, hedonist, or atheist, her children are likely to adopt those views.Don’t dads influence spiritual matters? Yes, but to a much smaller degree. The Pew Research Center discovered that married couples shared the same strong faith in most cases, and the outcome of their children’s beliefs was similar. The entire family had shared values.

Yet, religious intermarriage is common and rising. The Pew Research revealed that when parents have different religions, the children are more likely to inherit the faith identity of the mother. Also, about a quarter of children under 18 in the US live in single-parent households headed by mothers by a large percentage.

Moms don’t need a guilt trip about parenting. However, the fact remains that they do have a primary responsibility to have faith in Christ themselves and intentionally instill it in their offspring. Children may make other faith choices later in life, but a mother must plant seeds of faith long before the children reach age 13. Home is the place for faith-building, and the church plays a secondary role.

What Mom’s Can Do

How can moms instill the Christian faith in their children? Here are four unique and interesting ways that mothers can inculcate Christian values into their children’s lives at a young age in a kind and loving manner.

Create a Christian Cultural Environment at Home. The home environment plays a crucial role in a child’s early development. Mothers can create a nurturing Christian environment by incorporating Christian music, art, and literature. This could include playing child-friendly Christian songs, displaying artwork that reflects Christian themes, or reading children’s books with Christian values and messages. Mothers can subtly reinforce wholesome Christian ideals by surrounding their children with a Christian cultural environment.

Storytelling with a Christian Theme. Literature is a core way that we Christians convey our faith to others. And, of course, children are naturally drawn to stories. Mothers can use this to their advantage by sharing Bible stories in a way that is engaging and relatable to young minds. This can be done through bedtime stories, during meal times, or even through creative means like puppet shows or simple plays. Kids can even create characters with Legos and tell faith-based stories using them.

Mothers can subtly weave these principles into the fabric of their children’s moral and spiritual understanding by choosing stories that highlight Christian values like love, forgiveness, and kindness. These stories do not always need to be from the Bible, but it can be an excellent way to introduce the power of God’s Word into the lives of young people.

Incorporating Prayer in Daily Routine. Mothers can teach their children the importance of prayer by making it a natural part of their daily routine. This doesn’t have to be formal or lengthy but can be as simple as saying a prayer of thanks before meals, a prayer for protection and guidance in the morning, and a prayer of gratitude at bedtime.

By doing this, mothers can instill a sense of constant communication with God and an understanding of his presence in everyday life. Too often, children think of prayer as a way of getting things from God. Moms can help children understand that God controls outcomes for our benefit, even when they come in unexpected ways.

Engage in Acts of Kindness and Service. Demonstrating Christian love and compassion through action can be a powerful lesson for children. This is such an important topic that I wrote an entire book about it, including chapters on teaching children how to be kind.

Moms must exhibit kindness if they expect to have kind children. Mothers can also get involved in service and involve their children in it. The sky is the limit when it comes to serving others, but it can include volunteering at a local shelter, preparing meals for those in need, or even simple acts of kindness to a neighbor. This hands-on approach helps children to understand and practice the Christian principles of service, love, and empathy towards others.

Each method offers a unique, engaging, and loving approach to instilling Christian values in young children, helping them grow in their faith and understanding of Christian principles.

What Local Churches Can Do

Earlier, I said that local churches play a secondary role in shaping children’s faith. Their key function is to support parents, particularly moms, in the spiritual development of their children. Here are some ideas about how local churches can do that.

Mentorship Programs for Mothers. Churches can establish mentorship programs where experienced Christian mothers are paired with newer or younger mothers. These mentors can share wisdom, offer spiritual guidance, and provide practical advice on integrating faith into family life.

This support system strengthens the mothers’ faith and equips them with tools and ideas for passing their faith on to their children. Moms serious about sharing their faith-life with their children will welcome ideas and insight from other women who have been down that road before.

Faith-Based Creative Workshops for Families. Churches can organize creative workshops focusing on building faith through art, music, and storytelling. An example is a family art workshop where mothers and children create artwork based on Bible stories or Christian themes.

Sadly, many children build resistance to going to Sunday School or church. However, such workshops provide a fun and engaging way for mothers and children to explore and express their faith together, fostering a deeper understanding and connection to Christian values.

Home Faith-Enrichment Resources. Churches can curate and provide resources such as faith-based games, books, and multimedia content that mothers can use at home. These resources can be tailored to different age groups, ensuring the content is appropriate and engaging for children as they grow.

By providing these resources, perhaps through a church library, local churches can help mothers create a spiritually enriching home environment that enhances what children learn at church. It’s a two-way street.

Parenting Seminars with a Faith Perspective. Organizing seminars or discussion groups that focus on parenting from a Christian perspective can be beneficial. These seminars can cover topics such as balancing discipline with grace, teaching children about prayer, or dealing with contemporary issues through a Christian lens.

Most parents don’t know how to build faith in their children’s lives. It is a skill that needs to be learned. By offering these educational opportunities, the church can empower mothers with knowledge and strategies to integrate their faith into their parenting in meaningful and relevant ways.

Each of these offers a practical way for the local church to support mothers in their crucial role of faith-building within their families, complementing and enhancing their efforts to raise children in the Christian faith.

Unlock Your Potential

We have the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. However, each Mom can write a new Gospel in their children’s lives; call it the Gospel of [Insert Your Name Here]. Your spiritual life and actions will influence the lives of your children and future generations until the Lord comes. Don’t think of it as another burdensome parental task, but as a priority to influence your children to follow the amazing Christian life.

You can fulfill Matthew 28:19-20 (the “Great Commission”) in your home. Do it with joy.

Sources cited:

Unless otherwise noted, Bible quotations are from the English Standard Version (ESV).

Pew Research Center | Future of Religion in America (intergenerational transmission).