Rick Adams posted on December 26, 2006 17:26
This was a question posed to me by a parent recently in response to a statement I had made about my goals for confirmation instruction. I had told her that I have two goals: 1) That, obviously, my students have a clear understanding of the Six Chief Parts of Luther's Catechisms and can apply them to their life; and 2) That they acquire a life-long love for God's Word insomuch as they desire to read it everyday.
This prompted her statement which I referred to above. There was a sense of pessismism and uncertainty about how this could become a reality for her son. When I told her that it is indeed possible, her look told me that she was not convinced. For parents who want to see their children in love with God, we need to be modeling for our children our own love for Him. We need to allow them to see us as we read [and respond to what we read] in the Word. We need to allow them to see us as vulnerable and totally dependent on God.
For many parents, "faith talk" and Bible reading is a scary topic. They feel inferior and ill-equipped to carry on such activity.
And yet, this is a quality that should make us truly Lutheran, as Luther himself wrote the catechism for parents to teach their children.
Somewhere along the line, church has taken that away from families.
The time has come for us to again empower and equip our parents.