Wednesday Wonderisms #05
On Floods & Faith Transmission
Youth pastor.
Worship leader.
Bible teacher.
High school campus club volunteer.
Dad.
My life is favored in ways I sometimes take for granted. I’m so thankful for what God has done and what He’s called me to. Each day is unique and I’m able to step into a number of different roles.
The most important role in the aforementioned list, however, is Dad.
Noah had a challenging mission to fulfill. Operating as a faithful witness to God in a time of complete wickedness came with unusual and seemingly insurmountable pressures. Laborious days in the beating Mesopotamian sun. Ridicule from debaucherous, darkness-inspired neighbors. But three things was certain:
The Flood was coming.
He would finish the ark.
His sons would be on the ark, whatever it took.
Regardless of what others thought, Noah decided to believe God and obey Him in a depraved culture and go against the grain of contemporary philosophies. What mattered most to Him was doing what God said — and thereby, rescuing his family from destruction.
The result? Noah becomes the new Adam; his sons, the progenitors of Mankind (Genesis 6-8).
Eventually, from this the Promised Seed continued as the Golden Thread of history, blooming in the Root of Jesse who blossomed to Resurrection life.
Arguably my deepest concern in life is faith transmission for my children.
Like Noah, I want to hear God’s voice. To obey Him in the midst of trouble. And ultimately, I want to rescue my family from destruction by clinging to the true Ark — Jesus Christ.
To that end, I will do absolutely whatever it takes for my three kids to know Jesus. Yes, the things I say “no” to may seem extreme; I might spend a lot of time talking to them about the Bible and Jesus; it may initially feel like a bummer to miss out on certain things the world celebrates. But here’s the thing: the Gospel message IS extreme. It’s literally a life-or-death situation. Eternities are not trifles. You only get one.
Importantly, so do your children.
One of the most terrifying passages of Scripture to me is what immediately follows the narrative of Joshua’s death:
“All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.”
— Judges 2:10
Imagine: after all the plagues, the wonders God did in Egypt, the pillar of cloud and fire, parting of the Sea, the manna, the supernatural provision and intervention, the miraculous victories in Canaan, a new batch of Israelites grows up and has no clue who they are or Who their God is.
What follows is a cycle of generational rebellion, oppression and brokenness that lasts hundreds of years. Friends, let’s not do that.
Read this with me: I will answer to God Most High one day for how I spiritually stewarded the children He blessed me with.
The fountains of the deep are overflowing. The floodgates of the sky are opening.
The Flood is near.
Are your children on the Ark?
I leave you with four things to help you meditate and reflect on faith transmission to the next generation today:
Some questions for personal reflection;
A few passages from Scripture on parenting for meditation and encouragement;
A podcast episode featuring Jonathan Morrow, adjunct professor of apologetics at Biola University and director of cultural engagement at Impact 360 Institute where he teaches high school and college students;
Two book suggestions for parents/leaders looking to inspire the next generation with a love for Jesus.
QUESTIONS
I. How am I modeling a true love and devotion to Christ for my children?
II. What practices am I putting into place in our family life to develop deep intimacy with God and knowledge of His Word?
III. Where do I draw boundaries with worldly influences in the lives of my kids?
IV. When, where and how do we pray as a family?
V. Why must my children have their own authentic faith in Jesus?
VI. Who am I looking to for guidance, fellowship, and prayer regarding my spiritual journey as a parent?
VII. If change is needed, what 3 things will I do to start?
SCRIPTURES
“Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.”— Proverbs 22:6
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
— Ephesians 6:4
“A righteous man who walks in his integrity—
How blessed are his sons after him.”— Proverbs 20:7
PODCAST EPISODE
BOOK SUGGESTIONS
So the Next Generation Will Know: Preparing Young Christians for a Challenging World by Sean McDowell and J. Warner Wallace
Faith for Exiles: 5 Ways for a New Generation to Follow Jesus in Digital Babylon by David Kinnaman and Mark Matlock
[Wednesday Wonderisms is a short devotional reflection I’ll be sharing each midweek morning. Whether it’s sparked by a Scripture, a conversation with a friend, personal musings while raising my three kids or thoughts on the state of the Church, the goal is to encourage you to become an even more ardent worshiper of King Jesus. Hit the link below to share it with a friend.]
As a dad, this was a good read. We (my wife and I) are continually thinking about how to disciple our kids in a world that grows more and more antagonistic to the gospel - yet not through fear or a scarcity mindset. I liked how you incorporated some steps to follow through with at the end. Thanks for sharing! :-)