A Letter to Parents

Dear Parents,

We're trying, really. We're trying not to bore you or your children to tears while we're preaching. But we know that on some Sundays we fail miserably, especially for your children. This isn't our intent, and we'd really like to improve on this. But we need your help.

Listening to sermons is a skill that is developed over a lifetime. A person doesn't suddenly wake up one Sunday morning at the age of 17 suddenly able to pay attention to a 22 minute sermon. If a 17-year-old is able to participate in the preaching event while sitting in the pew, it's usually because her parents taught her how to listen.

Maybe her parents talked about the sermon on the way home, pondering its meaning and message in such a way that made the child in the back seat realize that the sermon that day was stimulating to her parents' faith, and therefore could be to hers as well.
Maybe her parents contacted the preacher during the week to get the Bible text for Sunday and then read the passage around the dinner table one night and invited the children's insights and questions, and in doing so prepared everyone to listen better on Sunday.
Maybe her parents bought her a little notebook and pen when she was learning how to read and write, and invited her to write down her favorite words from the sermon in her book. Or asked her to draw a picture about the sermon as she listened.
Maybe her parents themselves sat attentively during the sermon, nodding along or jotting down notes on the bulletin. Maybe they nudged each other during certain illustrations, or laughed at witty lines, or teared up when a poignant point was made.

We're in this together, as parents and preachers who long for the next generation to embrace the faith. We want to encourage you to do what you can to shape your children into hearers and doers of the Word. We also want to encourage you to contact us if you have ideas that may aid you in doing just that.

With love for all God's children,
Those Who Preach