What is faith and how do you teach your child faith?  In the Biblical text of Hebrews 11 (the faith chapter), the writer defines faith as the “substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  Growing up the classic example of faith given to me was sitting in a chair.  When I sit down, I hope (I have faith) that the chair will hold me and I will not fall on the floor, but I don’t know the chair will hold me for sure until I sit down.

Hebrews 11 offers many examples of individuals such as Noah, Enoch, Abraham, Moses, and even Rahab to show us great faith.  They are examples we can use to teach our children.  All the people in Hebrews 11 were challenged to believe a promise on faith and they did.

Faith is an important part of each us (even if we don’t recognize it).  Our faith and what we believe shapes our values, beliefs, opinions and actions.  If we want our children to grow up with our faith, as parents, grandparents and family it’s our responsibility to teach our children faith.

5 Types of Faith Every Child Needs

Faith in God

Faith in God is the first and most important faith we can teach and pass down to our children.  A love for God and His Word is essential to all children and it will give them a solid foundation for their entire life.

Children who grow up without faith in God become adults that are like a ship with no anchor.  They have no solid beliefs and value system. Therefore, they will accept any value.   If we want our children to grow up with values, as parents we must be the first ones to teach them values, starting with faith in God.

Faith in God and His Word gives children a the knowledge of right and wrong.  God Word’s is clear on right and wrong.  Children raised in the faith of their parents will also grow up with this foundation of right and wrong and will struggle less with every new philosophy that comes and goes.  God Word and his principles do not change.

Faith in their family

After faith in God, children must have faith in their family.  Family is your child’s primary support system.  Family will be there for your child in the good times and help them through the difficult times.

Believe your child every day.  Let them know you love them and you support them, even if no one else believes in them.  Be your child’s biggest fan and loudest cheerleader!

Let your child know their family will always be there for them.  In all the good they accomplish and in their biggest failures (and everyone has failures), teach your child your family loves them and will be there for them.

Faith in their country

As an American, I know I am fortunate to be have born in a country that allows more freedom of religion, speech and thought than any other country in the world.  The freedom we have as Americans comes at a great price.  All Americans must continue to defend the freedoms we have.

Teach your child to love their country.   Teach your child that America is not perfect, but she is still one of the greatest nation’s on earth.  Teach your children to love their country and value the freedoms that have been given to us.  We must always diligently teach them the price that was paid for our freedoms.

Even when our country fails (and it will, because our leaders are only men), we must always have faith in America.  We must believe America’s best and finest days are in the future.  We must teach this faith to our children and teach them to look for ways to continually make America better.

Faith in themselves

Children need to believe in themselves.  Encourage your child.  Don’t speak hurtful words.  Help them learn to believe in themselves that they can conquer any difficulty and face any challenge.

Find your child’s unique gifts and help them enhance these gifts.   Foster a love for life-long learning and reading so your child will grow long after they have graduated and left home.

To be successful, you child must have faith in themselves and the courage to take actions.  Give your child this faith in their themselves when they are young, help to overcome failure and have the courage to succeed.

Faithful to others

Last, once we have taught our children to have faith in God, family, country and themselves, they need to be faithful to others.  Teach them to treat their friends with loyalty.

True friends are important to all of us.  Friends help make life more fun, they lighten the load when life is hard.  Teach your children to always be loyalty to their friends.

A faithful and dependable friend is a true friend in deed.

Your Turn …

How do you teach your children faith?  How can you strengthen your child’s faith today?