Five basic things to take ownership of their faith and make it personal

1. Navigate the Bible
Children should know how the smaller stories within the Bible work together to tell God’s bigger story.
The Bible is a place where they can go to find verses that will help them with specific questions.

Find toddler Bibles to recommend.
What to expect from your church when you’re expecting.
Bible story time lines.

2. Personalize Scripture
Parents and leaders need to encourage children to memorize scripture so they can apply it in everyday situations.

Let kids pick scriptures to memorize.

Have the leader and the parent memorize the verse!
Challenges in the small group.Parents put scriptures on the mirrors, on the wall, rear-view mirror.

3. Dialogue with God
THe environments created at home and church will be one of the first places children and teenagers learn to pray.
Look for opportunities to encourage them to practice talking with God.

Popsicle sicks prayers, Pray for whatever is on the stick.
Pray for Christmas cards/pictures.
Small Group leaders pray for the kids and remind them that they are praying. Kids praying and then seeing results helps them see God working.

Small Group leaders model prayer.

4. Articulate Faith

Create a safe place to talk about faith.
The process of discussing and wrestling with what they believe will be the key for children to make their faith their own.

Tell the kids stories of how you found faith.

Small Group leaders – Be open to sharing your story.

5. Worship with your life

It is important for children and teens to know how to give back to God and serve him in the way they live their everyday lives.
Encourage them to put this into practice by singing praises, following God’s commands and serving others.