Below you will find fifteen scriptural and insightful truths that author, John Barna, identifies as the family’s responsibility in raising godly children. It should be our goal as parents and grandparents to aim for this target; however, it is not our goal to wound ourselves or our family members should we get off target a little. If we keep aiming for the target, practice will keep us in better alignment.

1. Parents should provide the primary spiritual training of children. (Ephesians 6:4)
2. The purpose of spiritual training is to instill a passion to love, obey, and serve God. (Matthew 10:37)
3. Parents must start the spiritual training of children when they are young. (Isaiah 7:15)
4. Worshipping God is one of a believer’s most significant responsibilities. (I Samuel 1:19)
5. Spiritual development is a lifelong process. (Deuteronomy 6:7)
6. Part of the parents’ responsibility is to introduce appropriate discipline into children’s lives and to avoid pampering them. (Proverbs 3:11-12)
7. Parents are called to introduce their children to appropriate behavior. (Numbers 18:11)
8. Spiritual transformation requires us to rely on God’s grace and power; we must therefore pray for the children we seek to impact for God. (1 Samuel 1:10-16)
9. The basis for spiritual training is in the Bible. (Proverbs 30:5)
10. A family will grow in spiritual maturity through serving God and people as a family unit. (Joshua 24:15)
11. Young people will retain childish perspectives and reasoning unless their parents help them grow beyond such limited thinking. (1 Corinthians 13:11)
12. Parents are encouraged to work in tandem with reliable spiritual partners but should be sure that those partners are committed to the things of God. (Romans 14:19)
13. The worldview of children should be shaped after the worldview of their parents. (Luke 6:40)
14. The father is charged with passing spiritual blessing on to the children. (Genesis 27)
15. Before God will hand over great spiritual responsibility to an adult who has children the person must give proof of being a dedicated and effective parent. (1 Timothy 3:4-5,12)
Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions by George Barna