Impacting Future Generations

Impacting Future Generations
Monday, November 11, 2019
by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God hath commanded you? Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand: And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes: And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.”

Deuteronomy 6:20–23

There is no question that children in our society are under attack. Not only do our current laws devalue their very life by allowing abortion. But children in our culture are subjected to all sorts of temptations and struggles, and it is having a dramatic impact. According to the Centers for Disease Control between 2007 and 2017, the suicide rate among 10-14 year olds almost tripled and the suicide rather for 15-19 year olds nearly doubled. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for teenagers in America.

While there are many reasons for this disturbing trend, the hopelessness among young people is obvious. This is one reason it is so important that Christian families give careful attention to transfer their faith to their children and grandchildren. Christian children are not exempt from the pressures and temptations faced by their peers. And if their faith is to be strong enough to resist the negative elements of their society, it needs to be built and strengthened from a young age by their parents and grandparents.

There needs to be family traditions of faith and faithfulness that young people see at an early age. And those traditions need to continue as they grow up rather than being abandoned when they become teenagers. The faith that is real in our hearts will not automatically be passed on—it must be done on purpose.

Today's Growth Principle:
There is nothing more important we can do for the future than pass our faith on to our children and grandchildren.