From “Wired to Lead: Being the Leader the Church Didn’t Think You Could Be” by Suzanne Nadell
Time brings change, and unfortunately many of the changes we see in our culture continue to widen the gap between a love for God’s house and indifference toward the “antiquated” faith of our church fathers. Yes, it’s our job as parents to raise our children with a foundation for their faith by talking about spiritual matters, helping them see the world through a biblical worldview, and making church engagement a priority of our households. But if we don’t encourage our children to explore the tenets of the faith for themselves, down the road that foundation may develop some serious cracks in it. Then, when the church fails to embrace them because they are a female with leadership skills that aren’t welcome or because that particular church does not have programming for them as young adults, where will they turn? Where will they go when they are exploring their autonomy, starting to make sense of the world around them, and forming their values and identities?
Yes, it’s our job as parents to raise our children with a foundation. But if we don’t ensure our children’s faith is their own, and if the church doesn’t embrace each child’s whole self, where will our children turn as young adults?