Getting Out of God’s Way

We may dream many dreams for our children: a specific vocation, a happy marriage, a long and healthy life. Surpassing them all is our desire for our children to be born again. Sometimes, we can want it so badly that we actually get in God’s way.

At a recent Cross Culture meeting, Andy Farmer reviewed some important ways that parents can cooperate with God rather than interfere with Him. He indicated that God often uses others in the lives of our children, especially our teens, in bringing them to faith. When it comes to evangelizing our own children, he coined the term, “Indirect Evangelism.”

This, of course, does not release us from the need to share the gospel with our children, but it does reinforce our calling to a broader evangelism approach when it comes to our children. Here are the six suggestions he offered.

1. Pray – If we truly desire our children to walk with the Lord, we must be prayers. We need to pray, believing God’s word about his desire to capture hearts in spite of what you see at any moment. And we need to pray specifically for a saving encounter with Christ.

2. Protect – With eyes toward the culture at large and the world immediately surrounding our children, we need to guide our children through the enticements and distractions of the world with conviction and confidence. We should avoid fearing the culture, but acknowledge the dangers that lie within it.

3. Observe/Discern – Take an honest look at your child’s inclinations and behaviors. Are they moving toward truth or away from it? What evidence do you discover concerning their spiritual state? We cannot effectively lead them if we do not know their areas of weakness and strength.

4. Listen – Our children must know that their words and input are valued and desired. And when we listen, we should try to discover themes and questions that might give opportunities for connecting the gospel with their lives. So much ground can be covered during these type of informal interactions if we listen intentionally.

5. Display – Does your life, marriage, and family lifestyle draw attention to Christ, or create competition with Christ? As children get older, the hypocrisy of our lives becomes more focused. The bottom line is that their finally old enough to see it. Our lives should be a display of what we’re calling them to, not an obstacle standing in the way of it.

6. Testify – Share how Christ is making himself known to you through things such as conviction, provision, etc. Let your children know how the reality of God affects your life, how you see it and how you interact with it. Talk about Jesus as if He is part of your life.

There is a lot in this list of suggestions. Don’t be overwhelmed by it and don’t make the mistake of trying all of it at once. Is there one area that pricks your hearts with godly conviction as you read it? Just start there. God will provide the increase.

Note: Andy Farmer’s notes from the Extra Point portion of our September Cross Culture meeting provided the majority of the content for this post.