Sticky Faith Part 1

Well I started reading this book, to help assist me in building lasting faith in my children. While many of my friends are involved in a study around this book, I thought we could do some note exchange.  There are only so many hours in a day so I figure if I can get someone else to read a book for me and highlight the most important concepts she got out of it in exchange for some of my notes, BY GOLLY I WILL!!

Anyways, think you as a read of the blog also get to benefit right?

The 1st chapter is full of statistics of why kids faith isn't sticking, by this they mean why do 40-50 % of kids who graduate from church or youth group will fail to stick with their faith in college. Yup that's right, get all your kids together with their friends and start counting off, one, two, one, two, one ,two..... you get it....now look at all the ones, they will not stick with their faith YIKES!

The authors Kara Powell, PhD and Chap Clark, PhD help define "sticky faith".

1. Stick Faith is both internal and external. Sticky Faith is part of a student's inner thoughts and emotions and is also externalized in choices and actions that reflect that faith commitment.

2.Sticky Faith is both personal and communal.  Sticky Faith celebrates God's specific care for each person while always locating faith in the global and local community of the church.

3.Sticky Faith is both mature and maturing. Sticky Faith shows marks of spiritual maturity but is also in process of growth.

 They wrote more about the influences that our children have growing up in the church and concluded that the way we, as parents, express and live out our faith may have a greater impact on our children than ANYTHING else. Well, if that shook you like it did me, keep reading! 

 

 It's never too late or too early to make a lasting impression of strong faith on our children.  Remember Sticky Faith is maturing, so like you my faith is still developing and will continue for my lifetime, therefore it is never too late to be more intentional in your parenting and the faith you model and discuss with your kids.

As for too early, the reality is that your kids' faith trajectories are formed long before 12th grade, so why not start young.

Some questions to think about:

- How does it make you feel to think that you are the most important influence on your child's faith?

 

- As you think about parenting thus far, what have you done that has contributed to your kids' faith? What do you wish you had done differently?

 

- What do you think of the suggestion that parents trust the Lord with their kids and beg the Lord to build Sticky Faith?