Setting a Spiritual Climate

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. - Deuteronomy 6:5-7

Devotion:

Here at Crossings, our staff is reminded the largest attended Sundays (or weekends) are Easter, Christmas, and Mother’s Day. The first two are 1A and 1B every year and that makes sense. The Holy Week experiences of Easter and the celebration of the birth of Christ are holidays the Church all over the world acknowledges through celebration.

Mother’s Day is interesting because it is clear that moms feel celebrated when the whole family attends church together. Crossings goes all out for moms with photo opps and giveaways, but the attendance trend is the same across the country whether or not the church has giveaways.

Conversely, the lowest attended Sundays (or weekends) are Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Father’s Day. One could claim the middle of June is when people go on vacation, school is on summer break, and families just so happen to be gone on Father’s Day. I could agree with that, but we hear too often the “typical narrative” that dad just wants to be left alone on Father’s Day. Just let him go golfing, fishing, or have the day to himself and that is how he feels celebrated. So, mom wants connection with family and God, but dad wants isolation and hobby time? What message is that sending to the kids, and are there consequences?

According to a Swiss study in the mid-nineties when dad is a non-factor in the faith of the family (he is not participating), only 2% of those kids will be regular attenders in young adulthood, and 60% will completely walk away from the faith. In other words, if a dad does not go to church at all, then there is a 1 in 50 chance the kids will be regular attenders in adulthood, no matter how faithful mom is. But, if dad is a driving factor of faith, then 44% of those kids will continue in the faith in young adulthood. That’s a 2100% increase!

A Swiss study 30 years ago may not be helpful, but a more recent study from Promise Keepers and Lifeway say not much has changed. Plus, they factor in regular Bible Study time: When both parents attend Bible study in addition to the Sunday service, 72% of their children attend Sunday School or a Bible study when they are grown.

Clearly, dad’s approach to spiritual matters has a lasting impact on the kids. But what if you're just not that spiritual or “mom’s better at that stuff anyway”? What is dad to do? Well, it’s pretty simple, guys, here’s our job as dads: Set the spiritual climate in your home.

I like the word “climate” here. You could use “spiritual tone" or “spiritual model" or something like that, but there is always a climate, and there are elements that make up a climate. So, what type of climate are you setting? How does my family view spiritual things, faith, and Jesus?

Moses instructs us in Deuteronomy 6:5-7, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Moses is talking about a spiritual climate. Plain and simple, we are commanded to create an environment where God is served and glorified.

If mom is better at prayer time, then dad carves out time for her to pray with the family. Help her wrangle the kids, offer prayer requests, or participate as you can. If the kids have big questions about a big God, and you don’t know how to answer, learn with them. There are many resources (some below), and a Crossings pastor is a phone call away and would love to walk with you. Make God conversations normal at your house. Point out the beautiful sunsets and how creative God must be to create something like that. Read a kids devotional at night. Crack open your own Bible, and let them see you reading and studying. Whether we realize it or not, this communicates to kids how to interact with the world. We normalize our faith and bring it to a practical, daily level—and it stacks the deck for our kids' future.

This Father’s Day will show your kids what you value most. I pray God and family are the experiences they remember through young adulthood.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father,

You are a good and perfect Father who loves us so much you sent Christ to die for us. We confess as earthly dads, we will fail at times. We may miss the mark, but I pray you put it on our hearts to strive to be more like Christ: to love sacrificially, set the spiritual example, and provide security to our family. Be with us today and everyday as you sanctify us through and through. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Matt Cartwright
Pastor, Men’s Ministry

Matt Cartwright is the Pastor of Men’s Ministry at Crossings OKC. His desire is to encourage and walk alongside men in every stage of their faith journey.

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