Do You Make Your Kids/Teens Go to Church??

[under13]

At what age do you let your kids decide what church they go to or if they go at all?

[littlelamb]

When they move out or when they're 18, whichever comes first. When everyone lives together in the same house each person's spiritual state affects the whole family. It's imp that the family come together and pray and go to church.

It's like saying when you do you let your children stop going to school. WHEN THEY GRADUATE. You make them go to school and graduate for a reason. Chances are they'll be living with you for the rest of their lives if they don't graduate from high school. Chances are they'll be spiritually dependent on your for the rest of their lives if they haven't learned how to walk as a Christian and to depend on God. I think that people can be spiritually immature and underdeveloped. If they are they will always keep coming back to you to get you to pray for them (which is great) but they need to grow spiritually on their own and exercise their faith muscles. In my case, I had to get to a point where I realized that I couldn't rely on my parent's prayers.

That said, going to church and having a relationship are two different things but it's important that they see you going to church and your relationship and that it's real. If you've raised them up in the Lord I think once they get out into the world they'll see that they can't make it without that spiritual connection.

 

[keptbyJesus]

At what age do you let your kids decide what church they go to or if they go at all?

Well i'm not a parent (yet) however, when I was living at home we went to church as a family and as for not going at all, it wasn't an option. So when I have kids, it will be the same way, my kids will not have a say so if they are going to church or not until they are out of my house.  As for the going to the different church, I think MAYBE (a big MAYBE) I would let them decide (if they are still in my house) at the age of 17, but it's highly unlikely that I would allow that. 

[littlelamb]

As for going to another church, I don't think most youngsters will even consider that until they're in they're mid-teens. For one, they can't drive yet so they have to go with you unless someone else picks them up. After that I think it's fine. I'd ask them where they're going and I go visit with them just to make sure there wasn't anything suspect going on like a cult.

[Big T.]

As long as they live in my house, my kids WILL go to church each and every sunday. AS LONG AS THEY ARE IN MY HOUSE!!!!!

[sjonathan02]

As for me and MY HOUSE, we will serve the Lord. (When they leave from under my care, they may do as they wish).

[Redy2bUsed]

As for me and MY HOUSE, we will serve the Lord. (When they leave from under my care, they may do as they wish).

Come on hea' sir!!

*begins to assist Sjon with his robe*

Let me get that Bible for you sir.

[Steely]

As long as they live in my house, my kids WILL go to church each and every sunday. AS LONG AS THEY ARE IN MY HOUSE!!!!!

There it is...

As for me and MY HOUSE, we will serve the Lord. (When they leave from under my care, they may do as they wish).

And there you have it...

[sjonathan02]

Come on hea' sir!!

*begins to assist Sjon with his robe*

Let me get that Bible for you sir.

 

Stop it, man!!

[blessedwoman]

I don't have any kids, but I know when me and my siblings were younger, there was no " Oh, I don't feel like going to church today" when my parents woke us up, we'd better be ready when they were heading out the door or else we'll be going just as we were.

People crack me up these days, You ask them where their kids are and they say, "Oh Johnnie didn't feel like coming to church, so I let him stay home with so and so . Mind you Johnnie is 6 , 7 yrs old.

My parents told us as long as you are under our roof, you WILL go to church, no questions asked. AND Don't you DARE go to sleep, Man or else you would feel the biggest pinch on the side of your stomach. My mom was notorious for that, lol

[themidiroom]

When I was a teen, I was actually the only one in the family that went to church.  Fortunately church was in walking distance.      I hate to see when kids are made to go to church but on the other hand I would think if you've raised them up in church, they will want to be there.

[apostolic holiness gurl]

I don't have any kids, but I know when me and my siblings were younger, there was no " Oh, I don't feel like going to church today" when my parents woke us up, we'd better be ready when they were heading out the door or else we'll be going just as we were.

People crack me up these days, You ask them where teir kids are and they say, "Oh Johnnie didn't feel like coming to church, so I let him stay home with so and so. Mind you Johnnie is 6 , 7 yrs old.

My parents told us as long as you are under our roof, you WILL go to church, no questions asked.

same here......even when i ain't feel like going i HAD to go....mane, dnt lemme go 2 sleep DURING church....LOL!

[apostolic holiness gurl]

I hate to see when kids are made to go to church but on the other hand I would think if you've raised them up in church, they will want to be there.

mane, u really need 2 meet sum of da kids @ my church then....

[joshuag]

never heard of that word "opinions" or " dont feel like going" the choices where as followed:

A. Go to church
B. Get beat then go to church
C. Be on my dying bed with full body cast


most of the time i went with A, lol

now a days these folk crack me up with there kids didnt feel like going. then you wonder why lil johnny in and out of jail or stealing your money.....

[apostolic holiness gurl]

never heard of that word "opinions" or " dont feel like going" the choices where as followed:

A. Go to church
B. Get beat then go to church
C. Be on my dying bed with full body cast


most of the time i went with A, lol

now a days these folk crack me up with there kids didnt feel like going. then you wonder why lil johnny in and out of jail or stealing your money.....

GET BEAT THEN GO 2 CHURCH....yep, that's wat my mama told me a couple of time when i was little!

[SisterT]

At what age do you let your kids decide what church they go to or if they go at all?

Like oil and water, Kids and "let them decide" just don't mix! I'm the parent and it's my responsibility to bring them to church with me.

I'm blessed because my teenager cries when I don't bring her to Wednesday Bible Study. She loves church and she is extremely disappointed if she has to miss (which is not often).

[keptbyJesus]

I don't have any kids, but I know when me and my siblings were younger, there was no " Oh, I don't feel like going to church today" when my parents woke us up, we'd better be ready when they were heading out the door or else we'll be going just as we were.

People crack me up these days, You ask them where teir kids are and they say, "Oh Johnnie didn't feel like coming to church, so I let him stay home with so and so. Mind you Johnnie is 6 , 7 yrs old.
My parents told us as long as you are under our roof, you WILL go to church, no questions asked.

Some times Johnnie is 4 or 5 years old.

It was never a problem getting me to go to church b/c I liked going, now Sunday School that's a different story. lol  I can recall 2 times staying home from church 1 was when I had the stomach flu and the other time was when I had chicken pox.

[LaylaMonroe]

As long as they live in my house, my kids WILL go to church each and every sunday. AS LONG AS THEY ARE IN MY HOUSE!!!!!

There it is...

As for me and MY HOUSE, we will serve the Lord. (When they leave from under my care, they may do as they wish).

And there you have it...

I guess that's a triple COSIGN?

In my house, you will go to church if I go to church, whether you are 5, 15, or 50.

On another note, I wouldn't have a problem if my teenager decided s/he wanted to go to a different church, as long as it was one I approved of.

When I was very active in church, it was not uncommon for us to move churches every 6-12 months, or as often as I got a new contract for another church start-up.  Start-ups can be very trying, and moving around is very stressful (and counterproductive to spiritual growth).  So, when my daughter was old enough to have "nerves," all that moving around started getting on hers.... lol.  She asked if she could stay at her godfather's church instead of following us around every time we had to move.  I had no problem with that since I know and love her godfather, and had helped build his church, too... LOL 

Now, if she just wanted to change ideologies altogether, we'd have a problem...

[keptbyJesus]

Here's a questions for ya'll.

Do you let you child/children decide what ministry(ies) they are going to be apart of? (i.e. choir, usher board etc.)  Youth Bible Study is not an option, you're going!

Here's my take on it.  As a former youth choir supervisor, I saw that the ones who were "made" to be in the choir, where very distracting to the ones who "wanted" to be in the choir, and it made our job as the supervisor difficult. (one time this boy's mom dropped him off for rehearsal, HE WALKED IN WITH ME, then when I had gone to the restroom, checked the mailbox, turned on lights etc, about 6:15 (rehearsal starts at 6:00) I realized he wasn't there, so I went looking for him, and he was found by one of the other adults coming to the church walking up the street).

I think that you shouldn't make the child/children be in the choir or usher board or whatever if they don't want to because their attitude is going to show it and it will affect the minstry as a whole.  Now if they don't want to be in any, then you pick for them. 

[T-Block]

At what age do you let your kids decide what church they go to or if they go at all?

When they pay bills, LOL.  Seriously, like everyone else said if I have kids (and that's a big IF) they will not have an option of going to church or not.

But, to answer the question, my kids will go to MY church as long as they in MY house.  They can go somewhere else when they leave MY house.