Sticky Faith 3 (Syler Thomas)

This series is by a youth pastor friend, Syler Thomas, and it on Chap Clark and Kara Powell’s new book, Sticky Faith: Everyday Ideas to Build Lasting Faith in Your Kids.

They provide these sobering statistics:

1 out of 8 churched kids has regular conversation about faith with their moms.

Just 1 out of 20 kids has those kinds of conversations with Dad.

And just 9 % of teenagers engage in regular reading of the Bible with their families.

Clearly, the faith that parents want for their kids isn’t translating into regular conversations, other than the occasional “What did you learn at church today?”

They provide some excellent ideas for engaging in these kinds of conversations. For instance, instead of just asking about “highs and lows” of the day, also ask about how they saw God at work. The parents should also be ready to answer the questions as well, because when the kids see the parents talking about their own faith on a regular basis, it is more likely to stick.

They also talk about the importance of having no topic that is considered “out of bounds.” Whether that’s sex and dating, other religions, or struggles with doubts…children have to know that the home is a safe place to get answers to the questions they’re asking.
What has been your experience for these kinds of faith-filled conversations, whether in your own childhood, or with your own children?