A Critical Key to Raising Godly Kids who Don't Drift Away

I've been asked a number of times lately for advice from younger moms on raising kids who don't grow up and drift from the faith.    There is not one magical key to ensuring that this won't happen.
There are some very important key principles for sure; I'll list a few:

• Teach them about Jesus
• Teach them to pray
• Make sure they understand the Gospel... not just as a ticket from hell, but as the Good News that it is....that we have been ransomed/set free from sin and we are no longer slaves to sin or the consequences of it. When a person grasps the depth of their sin and realizes that God has declared them "Not Guilty" they will want to serve and please Him.
• Show them that Christianity is not a set of rules and that legalism is not Christianity.  Christianity is being a Christ follower....a follower of the King of Kings... a privilege and an honor to serve Him.
• That sin separates us from God....whether the sin of pride or disobedience to parents that "good Christian kids" are guilty of, or the sin of adultery, drugs, murder.   Our sins are not "better' than "those people's" sins.  We are all separated from God by our sin and we all desperately need a Savior...that is Jesus!  
• Teach them to love others....your neighbors, the downcast,  the "good" kids and the "bad" kids.  We are all the same---we need Jesus.  
• Model Christianity to your kids. All. The. Time.  Jesus should permeate our lives especially at home. When we mess up, confess and repent.  Show them grace, and love, because Jesus does that to us. 
• Talk about Jesus and the Word of God often....not just once or twice a week but let it be a central part of your lives.  Speak the Word.  Sing praises.  Write verses in your house for all to see and think about.  Read the Bible. Those words are life and truth and are what will get us through the hard times.  

All of the above are great.  They are imperative, necessary for raising kids who love God. But, lately I'm seeing kids who have been raised in a good, godly environment still drift from the faith. I'm seeing a common thread in these sad situations, so I want to warn you.

1 Corinthians 15:33 "Do not be deceived; bad company corrupts good morals." 

Proverbs 13:20 "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm." 

    

I'm seeing parents that are lax in who they allow their children to be close friends with.  I'm not speaking of keeping our kids apart from everyone that isn't a goody two shoes pastor's kid or missionary kid (and the PK's and MK's everywhere roll their eyes).  I'm not saying your kids can't have casual friends that are not passionate for Jesus. I'm not saying they can't play baseball or soccer.  What I'm warning is that who your children choose as their closest, most intimate friends are who they will become like.   I guarantee you!    If their closest friends have bad attitudes, are disrespectful to their parents, want to spend all their time gaming, don't view Jesus as the best thing that's ever happened to them, love to pursue worldly pleasures, listen to music that sings about things God hates and watches movies that esteem sin, they WILL become like their friends.

Just this month, I've talked to two different Christian homeschooling moms whose kids have drifted into the world because their closest friends do not encourage them in their faith to pursue Jesus with all. 
Homeschooling is not the answer folks.
Going to church twice a week is not the answer.
Singing Christian songs and being a good Christian yourself is not the answer.
Those are all tools and can be a wonderful part of the journey and are certainly good....but there is no formula that if you do this then you get perfect kids.

You have GOT to train your kids how to surround themselves with others who will cheer them on in their faith. Friends who will exhort them, love them enough to confront their sin, who will lift them up when they fall.  Will pray for them when they are weak.  Friends who will run the race with them and, in a culture that hates God and all He stands for will cheer,  "Keep Going!"      Friends, WE need friends like this as well.  Don't keep your family or yourself in a "safe" Christian bubble.  That doesn't work.  Our hearts are deceitful the Bible says so our bubble, if left alone, is full of deceit.  We NEED others to encourage us and be there for us.  Make sure that who you pick to surround your family with, your kids with and yourself with are passionate for Jesus too!    It's a race that we are all running together, and we need each other. Everyone who finishes the race WINS. There is no competition.   "Friends" who don't love Jesus and who don't seek Him above all else will only pull you down.

PLEASE make this a priority in your own life, your kids' lives and in your family circles.   THEN you can go out and carry the Good News to others as well.    Choose your partners well that run the race with you. Eternity is counting on it!!!

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Hebrews 12:1-2  Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,