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Family, Parenting and Religion
Why Church Matters to Your Kids–Part 2: Reason #1 is…

Why Church Matters to Your Kids–Part 2: Reason #1 is…

Last updated on: April 23, 2015 at 3:42 pm by Tim Wright

Why Church Matters to Your Kids–Part 2: Reason #1 is… 2015-04-23T15:42:39+00:00 Tim Wright

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As I cited in my first post on this subject, church attendance among Christians has been in serious decline. Where a generation ago those considered “regulars” attended 3-4 times per month, today “regulars” attend once every 4-6 weeks! And these are people who are committed to Jesus.

We live in a society today where Sunday is no longer sacred. In addition to shopping, movies, and football, increasingly sports practices and games and recitals now take place on Sunday morning. In the past families didn’t have to choose between a soccer game and church. Today, they are forced to choose, and more often than not, church is not the first choice.

One reason for this may be the consumerization (my word) of church, as I cited in the last post. Church has become, even for Christians, simply another choice on the menu. And because, unlike dance or soccer or football, it doesn’t cost anything, and because, unlike dance or soccer or football, if you miss it you aren’t penalized the next week, and because, unlike dance or soccer or football it doesn’t enhance your kids vita as they work to fill their resumes for school or college, Church has become something we will do if it’s convenient, or helpful, or meets my needs when I need it.

Another reason may be that we have so individualized what it means to be a Christian (or spiritual) that we have lost God’s vision for the Church. With the plethora of Christian books, Christian radio stations, Christian music, and Christian blogs, who needs the Church?

And yet, having been a pastor for over 30 years, I can’t tell you how many times parents and grandparents have come up to me in tears, wondering why their kids no longer attend church. In some cases, these are parents/grandparents who were faithful in raising their kids in the church. But often, it’s parents/grandparents, whose church attendance was sporadic. Other things were always more important. And part of me wants to say: What did you expect? You taught your kids that everything else is more important in life than the church…which, by the way, for many kids today, also says that everything else is more important in life than Jesus.

As I said in the last post, I believe the Church does matter. I believe it’s not simply one option on the menu, but it is the main course of life. And for those of us raising kids and/or grandkids, the Church matters deeply for them and for us.

Why?

Reason #1: The Church Matters to our Kids because the Church Matters to Jesus. If Jesus is important to you and if it is important to you that Jesus be important to your children, then what matters to Jesus should matter to you and your kids. And the Church matters deeply to Jesus.

The Bible calls the Church the Body of Christ. That means that Jesus has intimately tied himself to the Church. He stakes his reputation on it (talk about reckless!). Just as your body matters to you Christ’s body, his Church, matters to him. It matters deeply.

Another metaphor for the Church is that of the Bride of Christ. If you’re married, your spouse is everything to you. You will do anything and everything to ensure his/her happiness, health, safety, and life.

The same is true for Jesus and his Church. Paul says that Christ loved the Church and gave his life for her. The Church matters to Jesus. It’s a matter of life and death for him.

Jesus places a high value on the Church. As dysfunctional and even harmful as the Church can be at times, he is intimately tied to it and deeply committed to it.

If Jesus matters to you, if you want Jesus to matter to your kids, then what matters to Jesus should matter to you and your kids. And the Church matters deeply to Jesus. He loves it passionately. He fights for it. He believes in it.

How about you?

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April 16, 2015

Why Church Matters to Your Kids, Part 1: Does the Church Matter?

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