Setting Gospel Goals With Your Children in the New Year

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2015. It is really here.

Each calendar year that quickly changes, I find my children getting a little older. In 2015 my children will turn 14, 11, and 7. We will hopefully adopt a new baby. Those same children will enter into high school, middle school, and 2nd grade. Two of them have surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ, and one has a heart that is tender to the gospel.

While I am seeing the years quickly flash before my eyes, I am realizing how important it is to help my kids set goals in their lives. I see my years of training and discipling quickly moving into a less hands-on approach. I want to start instilling in my children proper priorities, and that starts by making gospel goals with my children.

This year, as I am thinking of the spiritual goals that I want to set in my life, my heart quickly turns back to my three, almost four, children. I want to instill godly disciplines in their lives so that they might be all about the gospel. Not as adults, but as children.

So, my husband and I sat down with our kids and talked about their walk with Jesus. Each of our three children, based on their age and maturity in their faith, has set some goals. With their permission, I want to share them with you in hopes that YOU can set similar goals in your family.

Teenager:

Our oldest child is 13 and will be entering high school. We have chosen four goals for her for 2015:

To read her Bible 5 days a week. Yes, the goal is five. We encourage our kids to get into God's Word daily, and our family does daily devotionals. However, we know our kids need to spend time with God on their own personal time. I know they are busy, and that this is a new discipline for them. So, five days is a great place to start. We do family devotions in the morning at breakfast, so we encourage her to read her Bible at night before bed.
To memorize 12 verses this year. Memorizing God's Word is so important. It helps keep us walking right, and helps us avoid temptation. It is what Christ used when he was tempted in the desert. Our daughter has picked 6 verses based on areas she struggles with, and the other 6 she will do with our family during devotion times.
To pray for one. Yes, one. Each day, she should be praying for one friend or family member who doesn't know Christ. She should be praying for their salvation. If they come to know Christ, she will commit to praying for them to grow in their walk with the Lord.
To share with one. Yes, again one. We want to set realistic goals. I pray she shares the gospel with more than one, but one is a great place to start. Salvation is multiplication–so just reach one.

Tween/Older Elementary (9-13):

Our next child is 10. He will be going into middle school in 2015. With his help, we have chosen three goals for 2015:

To read his Bible 3 days a week. A smaller day goal, but with the same heart.
To memorize 12 verses this year. These will be the 12 verses that our family is memorizing for the year. They are focused on themes we will be talking about each month. We have a free printable for that here.
To pray for family and friends. Each year, I keep the Christmas Cards that come to our house and those become our prayer cards for the year. We choose one Christmas card to pray over each day.

Early Elementary: (5-8):

Our current youngest is 6. She has yet to accept Christ as Savior. So, our goals for her are a little different:

To obey her parents. In our home, we use examples throughout scripture of obedience–done both right and wrong. We teach that true obedience is done immediately, exactly, and with the right heart-attitude. We will encourage our youngest to obey us in all three areas. She will also memorize scripture that will help her in this process, and do Bible study with us about these stories.
To respect God's Word. When we have family devotions, her goal is to be able to listen, respond, and interact during that time. She will draw a picture and write one sentence, later in the day, about what we learned.
To pray every day. We will begin the habit of prayer–an open line of communication with God. When the day comes that she is ready to surrender her life, she will know how to have that conversation.

Here is a great printable for having your kids write their goals! Use the form below to request your copy: