This class shows how to guide a child or an adult with very little understanding to a stronger walk with the Lord.
Let me talk to you personally today—especially if you’re a parent, grandparent, teacher, or someone who cares deeply about the next generation of believers.
In our last class, I walked you through the five levels of faith. I asked you to memorize them, not just for knowledge, but because they are the building blocks of real, personal growth in your faith journey.
Let’s say them again together:
Imitating faith. Affiliating faith. Searching faith. Solidifying faith. Mature faith.
Today, I want to focus just on that first one—imitating faith—and more importantly, how to help someone graduate from it. Because imitating faith is not where you or your children are meant to stay. It’s just the beginning.
Imitating Faith: The Starting Line
Imitating faith is childlike faith. It’s not immature—it’s innocent. It’s precious. It’s when I do something not because I understand it, but because I saw you do it.
And that’s how it starts. Every child who grows up in a home of faith begins here. They watch you bow your head. They see you take the Lord’s Supper. They hear you sing, give, serve. And without fully understanding, they begin to follow.
But here’s the challenge: If all they ever do is imitate, they’ll never own their faith. And when they hit the real world—when no one is watching—they won’t have roots deep enough to stand.
That’s why today, I want to show you how to help your child move forward from imitating faith to a faith of their own.
Parents: You Are the Primary Influence
Let me say this as clearly as I can: You are your child’s greatest spiritual influence. Not the preacher. Not the youth minister. You.
And that’s not to scare you—but to empower you. You are in a unique, God-ordained position to shape their hearts.
Let me take you back to Deuteronomy 11. God says:
“Impress these words of Mine on your heart and on your soul… Teach them to your children, talking of them when you sit, when you walk, when you lie down, when you rise up.”
You see what God’s saying? This isn’t about creating a perfect devotional schedule. This is about everyday life. In your car. At the dinner table. At bedtime. When the tears fall. When the laughter is loud. That’s when you shape faith.
So let me give you some ways to do that.
- Watch for Opportunities to Teach Values
Your job as a parent is not just to control your child’s behavior. It’s to instill godly values in their heart.
Don’t just say, “Don’t lie.” Teach them why honesty matters to God. Don’t just correct their behavior. Shepherd their hearts.
Solomon wrote in Proverbs:
“Write [these truths] on the tablet of your heart… Then you will find favor with God and man.”
That’s what I want for your child—to have God’s truth written on their heart, not just memorized in their head.
- Make Worship a Participation, Not a Performance
Too many kids come to church and become spectators—coloring, watching a screen, zoning out. If that’s all they do, they’ll grow up believing worship is for grown-ups.
But I want you to teach them: Worship is for them too.
Let them sing. Let them pray. Let them put their own money in the collection—money they earned, even if it’s just a few coins.
Teach them what communion means. Let them taste the bread and juice at home, not so they can take it prematurely, but so they understand why it matters—and why it’s reserved for those who’ve given their lives to Christ.
Practice church at home. That’s one of the best things you can do.
Talk about the sermon after the service. Encourage them to ask questions. Let them fill in sermon notes. Applaud their curiosity. They’re not a distraction—they’re disciples in the making.
- Focus on What They Learn, Not Just What You Teach
Your success as a teacher isn’t in how eloquently you speak—it’s in how deeply they understand.
Jesus taught in parables, and when the disciples asked why, He said it was so those who were hungry would find the truth—and those who weren’t, wouldn’t.
So teach to the heart. Use stories. Use questions. Use repetition. Get down on their level. Listen more than you lecture. Learn their learning style.
And remember—what they hear isn’t always what you said. Adjust your methods until the message connects.
- Nurture Their Natural Hunger for God
Ecclesiastes says God has “set eternity in the hearts of men.” That includes your kids.
They want to know why they exist. They want to know who God is. They want to understand the world and their place in it.
So give them the Word of God. Feed their curiosity.
Romans 10 says:
“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ.”
Put the Word of God in front of them daily. Read it with them. Memorize it with them. Sing it with them. Act it out if you need to. Just get it into their hearts.
And don’t forget: Every child learns differently. Some need visuals. Some need repetition. Some need to touch and do. Figure out how your child learns best, and teach the Word that way.
- Make Worship a Joy, Not a Chore
You’ve probably heard it before:
“I don’t go to church because my parents made me go.”
Let me tell you what that usually means: Worship was stressful, tense, and joyless. It was about sitting still, staying quiet, and getting through it.
But that’s not what Jesus intended. In Matthew 22, He compared the kingdom to a wedding feast—a celebration!
So let your child see that church is a joy—not a burden.
Let them laugh. Let them see your passion for worship. Let them know it’s okay to ask questions. Help them understand why we do what we do.
And yes—if they act up, correct them with grace. But don’t make the cry room a playground. Make it an extension of the worship space. Teach them even there.
Show them that being in God’s presence is a privilege—one they’ll want to experience again and again.
My Challenge to You
Let me leave you with this:
You are shaping eternal souls.
I’m not asking you to be perfect. I’m asking you to be present. Be intentional. Be humble. Be joyful.
Your child is watching you.
They’re learning what faith looks like, how worship feels, and whether God is worthy of their trust.
And you—right now—you have the power to lead them from imitation into ownership. From copying your faith to building their own.
That’s how they graduate from imitating faith.
And listen—don’t rush it. Faith, like growth, takes time. But it starts now. Today. With you.
In our next class, I’m going to help you recognize affiliating faith—how to spot it in others, how to lovingly guide them, and how to help them take the next step.
So don’t miss it.
Thank you for your attention. I’ll see you in the next class.
Discussion Questions
- What is the difference between Imitating Faith and Affiliating Faith?
- Have you recently had an opportunity to teach a child something about your faith? How did you handle it?
- If you have children, would you say your child learns best by seeing, hearing or experiencing a concept? How can you use this knowledge to help them learn?
- What can you do to help your child learn God’s Word?
- Do the children in your congregation enjoy going to church? What can you do to make it more enjoyable without being disruptive to other members?
