PARENTING: WHEN A CHILD REFUSES TO ATTEND CHURCH

               We had a rule in our house everyone goes to church. The lives of our children revolved around the House of God, and although they now are married and have their own families, the Lord is still Number One in their lives.

Yet, one day when our middle daughter was probably in Middle School, she dug in her toes and said she wasn’t going. At first, I tried to persuade her. But she was stubborn and wouldn’t budge.  We were ready to go out the door.

I was praying about what to do when suddenly the fire hit the dynamite. I exploded.

I put my purse and the Bible aside and sat down, kicking off my high heels. “Well, all right. If you want to go the way with the devil we might as well all go. We'll live like the ungodly do. Your Dad and I can get a divorce, we can start getting drunk, spend our money on cigarettes, use foul language and see how you like it.”

Shocked, she ran up the stairs to her bedroom and came back in a couple of minutes ready to go. She’s been in church since.

I wouldn’t recommend that to other people, yet when one of my teen granddaughters was losing interest in church and asking to stay home, I told her the story about her mom. The teenager acted more interested in the things of God since then.

 But I also told her why we go to church. When we follow Jesus there is joy unspeakable and full of glory, as the Bible describes it. Then I told her what Jesus tells us, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow springs and rivers of living water” (John 7:38).

HERE’S WHAT I RECOMMEND TO KEEP CHILDREN IN CHURCH.

1.      Choose a denomination that preaches the gospel, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

2.      Choose a church that has children or youth your children’s ages

3.      Choose a church with discipleship and fun activities for all ages, and then make sure your kids are in       Christian education classes and other small groups

4.      Make having your child in extracurricular activities such as youth group, parties and camp a priority, even when you have to take them there.

5.      Help your children get acquainted by opening your home to church youth their ages for a Sunday afternoon, a cookout, movies night, game night or similar activities.

1.      Teach your children the Word and doctrine at home.

2.      Be a positive example, and pray over them, their possessions and everything they do.

3.      Share your own Christian testimony.

4.      Share the importance of being in church and its value for now and eternity.
Make a rule everyone in the house goes and tell them it’s because you love them too much, and God loves them too much, to let your child miss heaven and go to hell. Then add that God doesn’t force them to love Him, and you can’t force them to love God. The final decision of where they go for eternity will be their choice.

MOST LIKELY THEY’LL CHOOSE JESUS!

©Ada Brownell