Old Ruben ben Yonthan gave me perhaps the most compelling argument for parents being directly involved in their kids faith lives when he asked me the rhetorical question: "Do you know any Hittites? Do you carpool with an Ammorite? Do you go to PTA with an Amalakite?"
"No? Why? They disappeared. Why? They forgot to tell their children their story. And when you don't tell your children your story, you don't lose your past. You lose your..."
From Deuteronomy 6 to a dozen Psalms and Proverbs to Acts 2 to Timothy and his mom and grandma, one can make a a pretty compelling argument that faith belongs in the family FIRST, with church as reinforcement - not replacement of the parents duties. It takes a rather large stretch to make a theological argument that the church should be doing the parents' duties for them (or in most cases, in place of them). Yet, the systems we have in place are doing just that.
Sad thing, the wonderful Sunday School movement - which was started with all good intentions 225 years ago for spiritual orphans - this system is now enabling and creating spiritual orphans.
I think it's high time to change that.
I think it's time the church give the PARENTS back to the KIDS.
Wait, it seems I can't type and the message came out all wrong! I have to SAY it's SO great to have you back :-)
Wow----really losing it and kind of scared!
Posted by: Amy | March 24, 2009 at 12:05 PM
I just have to sya, it's no great to have you back! Can't wait to see what God will do through you next.
Posted by: Amy | March 24, 2009 at 12:04 PM