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Proverbs 22:6

⁶Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Making disciples of all the world begins at home. It is our responsibility to demonstrate the love and justice of our heavenly Father to our children. Many adults have a great difficulty thinking of God as a father because of the horrible example set by their earthly father. A loving, involved, and caring earthly father goes a long way in drawing the child toward their heavenly Father.

When Apostle Paul lists the qualifications for elders in the New Testament, he says they must keep their children in submission (1 Timothy 3:4). Real love will discipline, but will do so with a broken heart. Lack of discipline or heartless discipline will drive the child from a relationship with the Lord.

Times of prayer and devotional thoughts from Scripture should be a part of your family's routine. The children should see you in your own personal times of prayer and devotion, not because you do it for them to see, but because it is your godly habit. If spiritual disciplines are not a part of your life, how can you teach your children to practice them?

Regular church and Bible study attendance is on the wane in America and along with it is a cultural decline. I often find the parents saying that they don't want to force their children to go, or taking them to a different church where they simply play games. Listening to Biblical preaching or a Scripture centered Sunday school and talking about it after the service and throughout the week will give your older children a hunger for God's word. They will resist, but it is part of their spiritual training.

Consider: It is a parent's greatest joy to lead their children to pray for salvation and a relationship with Jesus. That is just the beginning. Then we must help them see what that means by our daily lives.