Passing the Faith Along

Text: Deuteronomy 6:1-9; 2 Timothy 1:1-5

It has often been said that being a grandparent is more fun than being a parent, because grandparents can spoil the grandkids, and then send them home.

While that thought may bring a smile, here is the truth: being a grandparent carries with it a sobering, God-given responsibility, for it is up to us, in part, to pass the faith along to the next generation.

If we drop the ball, if we fail to do absolutely everything within our power to pass the Christian torch along to our children and our children’s children, then I believe that we will be held accountable, in part, for their spiritual demise.

It has been said that Christianity is always just one generation away from extinction. Josh McDowell and other contemporary Christian leaders believe that, if this statement was ever true, it is certainly true today.

According to George Barna Research, 75% of children who grow up in the church today will leave the church and often their faith by the age of 25. Some will return later but, in the meantime, parents, and often grandparents, live with a sense of blame (we must have done something wrong), and shame (we do not want anyone in the church to know).

Let me also add that, because God gives each one a free will, our children and grandchildren are ultimately responsible for their own spiritual destiny.

However, in Deuteronomy 4:9 we find these words: Be careful, and watch yourselves closely, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children, AND TO THEIR CHILDREN after them.

So, did it ever work? Although we do not find many examples of this is scripture, these words from 2 Timothy 1, verses 1 and 5, are encouraging: Paul, an apostle of Christ… To Timothy, my dear son… I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which FIRST lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Here we find that Lois passed her faith along to Eunice who passed it along to Timothy. So, it worked!

My wife and I can both claim at least six generations of Christ-followers, beginning with our grandparents, down to our own great-grandchildren who, although still very young, are being raised by solid Christian parents (our grandchildren).

From personal experience and from the experiences of others, I have developed seven proven principles for passing the faith along.

In this article, I will deal with only one principle:

Lift your grandchildren up in prayer every day.

It’s a dark world out there. I cannot even begin to imagine what my grandchildren face each day, especially those who are still in school. I cannot often be out there with them, but the Holy Spirit can! That is why they are all in my daily Prayer Journal!

We also get together often for family reunions in Wyoming. Family comes from California, South Dakota, Texas, and Florida. At some point during these reunions, my wife and I will pass out sheets of paper to each family member. These papers ask several questions, including this one: How can mom and dad / grandpa and grandma pray for you until we are together again?

If any choose to remain anonymous, that is not a problem because, as we pray, the Holy Spirit knows who we are praying for.

Here is just one granddaughter’s answer to that question:

Pray that I will have clarity with my future, because there are so many paths before me right now. I need discernment to know what God wants, and what His plan is for me. I don’t want to pick the wrong path and mess things up. Like, I’m pretty sure I can’t mess up His plan but, again, I just want to know what it is.

Wow, that is enough to keep me on my knees for her, and for every one of our grandchildren.

Grandpa Don

Don and Debi Bergstrom live in Douglas, WY and have been married for 51 years. They have seven married children (two were adopted into the family), 30 grandchildren (again, some were adopted into the family), and two great grandchildren. The vast majority of our children and grandchildren are Christfollowers (several of those who were adopted into the family have gone their own way, although we continue to pray for them), with most of the youngest ones (who have not yet reached an age of accountability) being raised in church. Don and Debi are both ordained ministers, and have been in pastoral ministry for 47 years. They are also co-founders of a nonprofit ministry, God’s Heart for Uganda.

Feature Image Created by Andy Oldham using Flatai