Get a load of this: According to Josh McDowell, a parent’s influence on his/her child’s spiritual development is 300 times greater than that of a youth pastor. Wow! If that’s true, we dare not leave our kids’ spiritual well-being to the church. Rather, spiritual training begins at home, and church programs are the supplement.

So how can we, as moms, be the best possible influence on our kids’ spiritual development? I believe it’s by formally and informally teaching them what it means to be a follower of Christ. Formally — by teaching them what God’s Word says about life. Informally — by modeling what we say we believe. Day by day, moment by moment, we can influence our children in the spiritual department by “walking the talk.” That doesn’t mean we have to be perfect. If that were the case, we’d all be outta luck.

Rather, we put into practice the things we know to be true. When we mess up, we admit it. When we need to ask for forgiveness, we do so. When it’s appropriate, we share honestly about our struggles, our hopes, our joys. We share the lessons we’re learning. We let them see us on our knees or reading the Bible on a regular basis, not just when we’re facing a big problem. Doing these things helps our kids see that following Christ is an ongoing process, not just a one-time decision. And hopefully (prayerfully!) it encourages them to embrace the faith and persevere in it.