Raising the next generation to be faithful is a challenge, but our calling

I found this article, titled 7 challenges of generational Christianity, to be interesting and thought-provoking.

https://www.christianpost.com/voices/7-challenges-of-generational-christianity.html

I think these are real and actual challenges that Christian parents need to be aware of.

It is my prayer that my children and grandchildren would be raised so that they may become, and grow, faithful Christians.

There are tendencies of our secular world and our own natural human tendency to sin can, and do, pull people away from God. Specific manifestations of these tendencies are given in the article.

John 10:10b states that Christ came to the earth so that man would have life and have it abundantly. Interestingly, John 10:10a is A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. This section of John 10 is about Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

Humans are like sheep, easily wandering astray. Jesus, the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), is the important foundation of faith (for children, teens, and adults). Also critically important are parents, acting as shepherds, here with boots on the ground. (Jesus rose from the dead and ascended back to heaven, leaving Christians as his representatives.)

Comment on Challenge 3: Unprepared for the secular world. Many parents want to bubble wrap their children, to protect them from society. However, children need to gradually learn about the realities of life in this world, and how to deal with them from a Christian perspective, and with gods grace.

Humans are naturally egocentric/self-centered. (This is the root cause of sin.) I think challenges #4-7 all point out how the self centeredness of our children can result in them falling away from the faith.

The spiritual disciplines are an antidote. Here’s a good article on the spiritual disciplines:

https://www.cru.org/us/en/train-and-grow/spiritual-growth/spiritual-disciplines-strengthen-faith.html