Teach Them Early

A few years ago, I had the privilege of hearing George Barna speak at the National Preschool and Children’s Conference in Nashville. George Barna is the founder of The Barna Group, a market research firm specializing in studying the religious beliefs and behavior of Americans. In his address, Barna presented some staggering information his researchers had uncovered concerning the spiritual formation of children. I wanted to share some of his research findings to emphasis how important it is to begin the spiritual development of children at an early age.

First, a person’s moral foundations are generally in place by the time they reach age nine. While those foundations are refined and the application of those foundations may shift to some extent as the individual ages, their fundamental perspectives on truth, integrity, meaning, justice, morality, and ethics are formed quite early in life. After their first decade, most people simply refine their views as they age without a wholesale change in those leanings.

Second, a person’s response to the meaning and personal value of Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection is usually determined before a person reaches eighteen. In fact, a majority of Americans make a lasting determination about the personal significance of Christ’s death and resurrection by age 12.

Third, Barna showed data indicating that in most cases people’s spiritual beliefs are irrevocably formed when they are pre-teens. Upon comparing data from a national survey of 13-year-olds with an identical survey among adults, Barna found that the belief profile related to a dozen central spiritual principles was identical between the two groups. Those beliefs included perceptions of the nature of God, the existence of Satan, the reliability of the Bible, perceptions regarding the after-life, the holiness of Jesus Christ, the means of gaining God’s favor, and the influence of spiritual forces in a person’s life.

"In essence,” the researcher noted, “what you believe by the time you are 13 is what you will die believing. Of course, there are many individuals who go through life-changing experiences in which their beliefs are altered, or instances in which a concentrated body of religious teaching changes one or more core beliefs. However, most people’s minds are made up and they believe they know what they need to know spiritually by age 13. Their focus in absorbing religious teaching after that age is to gain reassurance and confirmation of their existing beliefs rather than to glean new insights that will redefine their foundations.” (Words in italics were obtained from The Barna Group of Ventura, California)

Wow! Your child’s moral foundations will be “in place by age nine!” Their religious beliefs will most likely be “irrevocably formed” by the time they are 13! When I heard these findings presented, especially by a trusted and reliable source, I was taken back. To me, it pointed out the urgency Christian parents should sense when it comes to guiding the spiritual formation of their children. You can’t start too early!

In closing, I want to say something to parents with children that are past the ages of 9 and 13. It is not too late! You can still have significant influence in your child's life by providing them with biblical instruction and being a positive role model for them to follow. Start now and they may point back to the day you made this commitment as one of their “life-changing experiences” Barna mentioned.

The Family Ministry Staff wants to be a resource for you as you disciple your children so please contact any one of us if you need information or assistance.

David