Faith vs. Values

So the whole journey of my learning from God on this subject began when I started teaching a May Madness small group at church called Heritage Building. When I signed up, I thought that I had discovered this nice and concise little small group study that was already prepared for me to teach. Yet, to my later discovery, the study was not all it was cracked up to be and just weeks before the class began I found myself writing my own curriculum. It has been quite a fun and unexpected journey.

Here are some of the things that God has been teaching me and our group as we have journeyed through this topic. . .

1. There is a huge difference between passing on faith and passing on values to our kids. Values can be passed on by anyone of any faith or religion. Basically all moral values match up across the board, whether you are Christian, Catholic, Buddhist or Atheist. Values can stand alone without faith. But faith can never stand alone without values. Out of faith springs values.

2. Faith stories are the basis for all Christian value teaching. If a parent does not know and understand the stories of the faith they cannot fully pass on the values of the faith. If a child does not know the stories of the faith then they cannot fully comprehend the values of the faith. The faith stories stand to teach God and values. Out of every faith story comes many value lessons.

3. We must fill our hearts and minds with the stories of our faith so that we can have them readily available to teach them to our children.
2 Timothy 3:14-17 (New International Version)14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

4. If our children grow up and leave our home only knowing the basic stories of Jesus' life, death and resurrection (the stories that all Christians can tell because they are the ones that link up with salvation) then we have given our kids a great disservice. If this becomes the end of the faith story that we have passed on to our kids then they have no rock on which to stand in the real world. They have been given a "because mom and dad said so" kind of value system that becomes very shaky when they meet the world face to face. Mom and Dad said be kind. Mom and Dad said serve others. Mom and Dad said tell others about God. Mom and Dad said care for the sick. Mom and Dad said be honest. Mom and Dad said have integrity.

5. When a child can link up a Bible story to the value that is being passed down to them then the story is complete. Without a faith story to match the value it is like Goldilocks without the three bears or Star Wars without Darth Vader. The story is no good and worth forgetting. But when a child understands that it is important to serve and care for others just like the Good Samaritan cared for the man on the side of the road or that we can not be prejudice just as God was not prejudice of, but accepting, to the Samaritan woman at the well, then the value stands much stronger.

6. As a church we must be more intentional about helping our families learn and love the basic stories of our faith. We must not overlook the history of God moving in the lives of his people. We must not fool ourselves into thinking that these stories are irrelevant to our society today. We must stop trying to entertain our kids with good things but feed them what is best and help them to find the excitement in that. It's not always about the glitz and glamour(though good in and of itself) of what our world tells us is eye-catching and important. It is about eternity for our kids. It is up to us and we will be held accountable for our actions. For generations Christians passed on the stories faithfully and well. We are living in a generation now where most Christians don't even know who Joseph and David were.

Welcome to my new soapbox.