I recently did an Internet search on the importance of getting children involved in church at a young age. Here is something that I found:
One of the most-quoted Bible verses by Christian parents and educators is “train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). A new nationwide survey provides some statistical support for that notion, showing that adults who regularly attended church as children are much more likely than their un-churched peers to be involved in church-based and personal spiritual activities.
The study, conducted by the Barna Research Group of Ventura, California, found that roughly seven out of ten Americans adults (71%) had a period of time during their childhood when they regularly attended a Christian church. Apparently, old habits die hard: a majority of those who attended church as a youngster still attend regularly today (61%), while a large majority of those who were not church-goers as children are still absent from churches today (78%).
Wow! Did you catch that? 61% of those who went to church as a kid are still in church as adults; 78% of those who did not go as a kid never become a part of the church. Amazing. To think, just getting them through the church doors means so much! That showing some consistency in your attendance to a “gathering of Christians” can somehow imprint it’s importance into their minds. It seems so basic! It seems basic because it is basic. It’s as basic as the way you fold your underwear. Whichever way you are taught to fold your underwear as a child, will most likely be the way you continue to fold them, and teach your kids to, as an adult. Go back to the top and read that scripture again. You can see that it really applies to spiritual and natural things. Things like going to church, or folding underwear.
I want to clarify that bringing your kids to church is not a magical answer for their spirituality; there is so much more we need to do to set them on their spiritual path. However, it is an easy start. Take that simple step, put them in the car, and get them there already!
