What are my responsibilities as a parent?

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6

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During parent-child dedication, you'll stand before the church and God and commit to raising your child accordance with His ways. But what does that look like?

What are my responsibilities as a parent?

• Ephesians 6:4 instructs fathers not to provoke their children to anger but to raise them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
• Deuteronomy 6:4-9 emphasizes the command to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength, and to pass down this way of living to your kids.

Kids learn what it means to follow Jesus from following us. As parents, we have hundreds of opportunities every day to talk about spiritual truths and live out spiritual truths. If setting the example sounds scary, just remember: The more you grow in your everyday relationship with Jesus, the more spiritual wisdom and God stories you'll have to tell your kids.

What does the Bible say about parenting?

Kids love to ask questions, and for you to ask them questions. Consider how everyday conversations could become spiritual conversations.

• How do you spend time in the car? This can be a great place to ask what they're thinking or how they're feeling.

• What's your bedtime routine? Tucking a child into bed is prime time to hear what's on their hearts and to practice taking our feelings to Jesus in prayer.

Consider the character traits or values you want to instill in your kids. What can you do to help them see what it means to live out those qualities?

• For example, if we want our kids to value generosity, it's important for them to see us being generous with our time, our talent, and our treasure.

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The Message

Ephesians 5:1-2

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.

Turn that verse into a prayer by addressing God, stating the verse, then personalizing the values from the verse. Close by thanking God for His love and faithfulness.

Write out the verse and personalize it by adding your child’s name.

Choose a Bible verse that aligns with the values you want to instill in your child.

Follow these steps to write a Scripture-based, personal prayer for your child. Consider sharing it with friends and family at parent-child dedication so they can join you in praying these things for your child.

One way parents can influence their child's faith is to pray.

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