The one command touching the church’s responsibility in training our children that I am aware of is from Deuteronomy 31. “So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel. Then Moses commanded them: “At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, during the Feast of Tabernacles, when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing. Assemble the people – men, women and children, and the aliens living in your towns – so they can listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and follow carefully all the words of this law. Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” Deuteronomy 31:9-13.

Regarding training our children is the most important thing – proper respect for the living Word of God -- this is the most important command to the church as a whole! We have not obeyed it – a major reason for the shameful failures of our religious tradition. We have followed men following mere natural instincts, and not the Spirit of God, in neglecting this supremely important command and practice.

It is needful for the church to support parents in their spiritual ministry of parenthood and children themselves in their own spiritual struggles. Our responsibility is to help Christ – by our service to Him in serving each other -- “to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:13b-14). For this very reason He gave himself for us!

Children need to be prepared for the day when they will “leave … father and mother” (Genesis 2:24) to establish their own families. For this preparation process, God wants strong, committed marriages dedicated to producing “godly offspring”. Speaking of marriage, the Scripture says: “Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. “I hate divorce,” says the LORD God of Israel…” (Malachi 2:15-16a).

God is “seeking godly offspring”! We have neglected to give nearly enough attention to this desire of His!

Anything we do to support godliness in marriage is good for children.

With regard to the “sowing and reaping” of our lives, we are enjoined: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:10). It is the Church’s responsibility “to do good” with regard to training our children:

Whatever we can do to support parents to fulfill the command to raise children “in the training and instruction of the LORD.’ (Ephesians 6:4). That also includes encouraging children to respect and obey their parents, to cooperate in God’s purpose for them.

Whatever prayer, encouragement, or teaching we can give to help fathers, especially, attain the ideal of “with true dignity keeping his children in submission” (1 Timothy 3:4, Hendriksen) is part of that good.

Ideas:

Special events that are wholesome for children (Good Science Seminar, Monterey Bay Aquarium trip, special parties, etc.)

Subsidize church camp (United Youth Camp) and other special wholesome experiences for children.

We need more of an emphasis on materials for children and to support parents in our Church library. Our children are faced with a world overflowing with bad influences. We need to give more attention to specifically addressing and combating them.