Parenting with a Purpose: Instilling Faith in a Fast-Paced World

Written By Chad Dixon

In today’s busy world, it’s easy for faith to take a backseat to school, work, sports, and social activities. Yet, scripture emphasizes the importance of teaching our children about God and His Word. As parents, you are the primary spiritual influence in your child’s life, and the Bible is clear on this matter.

Why Instilling Faith Matters

  1. It’s a command from God: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

  2. It builds a foundation for life: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children…” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

  3. It leads them to salvation: “From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15)

As parents, you have the incredible privilege and responsibility to nurture your children’s faith. Here are some tips for parents of young children and parents of teens:

For Parents with Young Children

  1. Make Faith a Daily Routine
    Incorporate prayer, and Bible reading into your daily routine. For example, say a prayer before meals and bedtime or read a short Bible story before bedtime.

  2. Sing Scripture-Based Songs
    Children learn through repetition and music. Singing songs about Bible stories or scripture can help them remember important truths. We used to sing songs during our commute to school or church. (Look in the Benchmark Booklet for suggestions.)

  3. Challenge them with our Bible Benchmark Booklet
    This booklet was designed for kids of all ages and helps them gain knowledge and understanding of God’s word through repetition. Again, we utilized our commute time to ask our children questions and work with them on learning the books of the Bible. Click here for the Brandsville Bible Benchmark Booklet.

  4. Set an Example
    Your kids will mimic what they see. Show them what a life devoted to God looks like through your actions, words, and attitudes. Let them catch you reading the Bible routinely.

For Parents with Teens

  1. Encourage Open Conversations About Faith
    Listen without comment when your teen opens up and spills out their thoughts and emotions. It usually doesn’t come often or easily so don’t ruin the moment with a hasty lecture. Teens tend to open up in safe environments with low lights and little noise, such as a late night car ride home or their bedroom at bedtime - or worse your bedroom at bedtime when you’re really tired, but you won’t get the moment back if you push them out. Only comment when they ask or run out of things to say. You will know.

  2. Connect Faith to Real Life
    Help your teen see how the Bible applies to their struggles, friendships, and future. Share relevant verses and personal testimonies. If you’re not sure where to find those verses, tell them you’ll get back to them later on the subject, and then do.

  3. Be Their Prayer Partner
    Pray with and for your teen. Show them that prayer isn’t just a ritual but a powerful way to connect with God and deal with our everyday issues. 

  4. Help Them Make Connections with their Church Family
    Teens thrive when they feel useful. Encourage them to serve others where they can. They live to be noticed. Encourage them to make eye contact and speak to adults. We tend to think teens just want to hang out with teens, but they often have their richest relationships with elderly people that mentor them in ways other teens can’t.

  5. Prioritize Your Faith
    Teens are watching how you handle challenges. Show them how your faith sustains you through difficulties, and how you place your church attendance and worship above the busy schedules of our lives. That team activity commitment may just be for a few short months on Wednesday nights, but it also may teach your teen that Bible study and church attendance is not really all that important.

Encouragement for Parents
Raising faithful children is not easy, but remember: you are planting seeds that God will grow in His time. Paul reminds us: “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

No matter where you are on this journey, God’s grace is sufficient, and He will guide you as you guide your children.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

Chad Dixon, 7-25-25

Chad Dixon
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