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At First Baptist of Lomita, we take very seriously the role of Godly parents in
the ministry of our children and young people. The Bible tells us that parents,
and not "professional youth workers" are to have the responsibility to "train up
a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
The way we, as parents, are to do this is revealed in scripture. Deuteronomy 6:
6-9 says;
6 And these words which I command they this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall talk of
them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the
way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou
shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets
between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy
house, and on thy gates.
In 2 Timothy 1:5 Paul, in writing to Timothy, thanked God for the "unfeigned
faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy
mother Eunice".
Timothy had the privilege of being raised in a home where his grandmother,
and his mother took their responsibility seriously to raise Timothy to know the
Lord.
After being a part of, and observing the typical youth and children ministries of
churches, I am convinced that these approaches which simply seek to
entertain, and provide a myriad of activities do not reach these children and
youth for Christ. The proof is in the fact that so many (nearly two thirds of
them) who have gone through these ministries leave the church after graduating
from high school. And while some return, most of them do not! The reason for
this is because we have separated our children and youth from their parents
and have taken the responsibility for training up and ministering away from the
parents and put it into the hands of the "professionals" who have failed
miserably!
We see our role at FBC Lomita as being a place where the family can come
together for worship, instruction and for the equipping necessary to further the
teaching that begins in the home.
One way that we seek to do this is through our "Faithful Parents" ministry.
This group meets on the third Friday of every month for discussion and
instruction. We also pray for ourselves as parents and for our children. The
group is open to all parents. We have new parents as well as older parents
whose children have already grown-up and have moved on to adulthood. This
gives us a broad spectrum of parenting skills and needs can be met through
the combined knowledge of the group.
Parents are the real ministers to their children and when the church seeks to
take over that responsibility it results in an unbalanced approach, and may I
say, a totally ineffective way of bringing children and youth to Christ.
So be the parent God has giving you the responsibility to be and join us on the
third Friday of each month.