Project – The Challenges of The Church Raising Godly Children
ABSTRACT
This research was embarked upon when it appears to researcher that majority of the parent and children a treasure to the church. These gems may be rough, uncut, and unpolished, but they are jewels of inestimable value. Children are precious in the sight of God that is the reason why, children should not despise the visitation of the lord, neither be weary of his correction. For whom the lord love He corrects. This are the major reason for the need of more church- based programs to strengthen the parents in raising their kids while the church will follow up with well-meaning spiritual programs covering relationship with Christ, worship, evangelism, discipleship, stewardship, community service for children. Our children must be provided with quality Christian education that would help them respond to challenging situation as Christians always. The questionnaires and inter views were given to the leader of the church, the children counselor’s and some notable elders or district deacons and deaconess in Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries headquarter onike Yaba. Related literature was reviewed the concept of growth and development, effect of pre-natal environment on the development of the child, physical development of the child, understanding child development and nurturing. The chapter three of this project is the biblical basis of raising children and it deals in with old and New Testament. In this project, the chapter four discussed about history of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, development the administration and the problem confronting the children ministry or children. Base on the findings of this research work, the researchers concluded that, the church should enlighten the parent and the children of how to establish a right relationship with each other and also with God through Christ. The focus of this work is targeted to parents and how to deal with children of different age, this write –up how parents will examine older children and invariably how the church can help deal with difficult children. Understanding children and their developmental traits are essential to helping all involved in dealing with children. Knowing probable causes of children difficult and unruly behaviour and lifestyles will guide in knowing what to look for and how to make needed restoration.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND STUDY
The Christian home is asked to be Christian in reality and not just in name. It is to be firmly connected by the Holy Spirit and bonds love, to be concerned with bringing up its children in fear of God and love for all. Our homes make up the basic element in the society and there need to work on the children in the home because they are the future leaders of tomorrow. In fact children are fragile and there is need to give attention to them in order to give to win the heart. Education, career, spiritually and otherwise. And the first teacher of a child is the parent and there must be correction with love in it. When you hear the word children what comes to your mind? There are different ideas that run through our minds because children years are characterized with intense growth in all areas of life: physically, emotionally, morally, socially, intellectually and spiritually. Children need to be enlighten in every aspect of life. Understanding children and their developmental traits are essential to helping all involved in dealing with children, knowing the probable causes of teenage difficult and unruly behaviors and lifestyle will guide in knowing what to look for and how to make needed restoration.
1.2 THE STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
There is significant evident that many parent are trouble because of the children’s disposition. Most times, trouble start between children and parents as a result of poor communication, unnecessary power struggles and lack of empathy from the two who are involved. Parent who make the mistakes of using the method used in raising a child without care might not get positive result and that may lead to the parent exhausting their energy.
Most time this result to when parent are not having or creating time for their children at home they grow ware- ward and not able to be controlled and they become nuisance in the family.
This also result to when parent are carefree, towards the children but believe they have their life to live and make them to be over expose not having the mind of protecting them from the rudiment of life. While children in the period of tremendous growth and development, when we are discussing about children it all about children from the age of 0- 18 years of age, be it young adult, teenagers etc. are confronted with a myriad of life, endangering concerns and critical issues for instance young people are experimenting with sexual abuse, illicit drugs and alcohol at increasingly, younger ages. This up-coming children can escape this through the help of teacher in school, church etc. this teachers have the opportunity like never before to offer support and care to the youth who struggle with these kind of critical issues. Today children are part of a troubled generation – a generation some suggest, at extreme risk – while psychologists youth workers have long characterized the children years as a difficult and tremendous stage of life, those who currently observe concerning the difficulty many young people face in navigating the highway of life. Each generation of youth seems to face an increasingly stressful and threatening world.
Many churched children and struggling under the sometime unbearable hurts and pains that life affords others. In a monumental long- term study on the impact of divorces and children, Judy Waller Stem and Sandra Blakeslee found widespread experiences of rejection, intense loneliness, and guilty in the lives of children of divorced families. Also discover that children who came from divorce or separation are bothered by lack of family unity, have lower estimates of self-worth, have move difficulties in school and demonstrate a lower interest in religious matters. In addition to divorce, there is numerous other family configurations that are dysfunctional in nature. These family situations are likely to put children in stressful predicaments and may lead to variety of at- risk behaviour.
The adult church and coordinators of the children, should always monitor the life of the children or young ones and discipline them with love; counseling should also be the order of the day. However they are the leaders of tomorrow, so they need to leave a life of purpose and cautions.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The study examines the Challenges of The Church Raising Godly Children. The specific objectives are:
- To identify the common obstacles and difficulties faced by parents in instilling religious values and beliefs in their children.
- To explore the impact of societal influences on the spiritual development of children and how parents can navigate these challenges.
- To examine the role of family dynamics and communication in shaping a child’s understanding of faith and morality.
1.4. Research Questions
The research questions are buttressed below:
- What are the common obstacles and difficulties faced by parents in instilling religious values and beliefs in their children?
- How do societal influences impact the spiritual development of children and how can parents navigate these challenges?
- What is the role of family dynamics and communication in shaping a child’s understanding of faith and morality?
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This is an eye opening to the local assembly on how parent live love and care for their children despise the challenge of life confronting them.
It will motivate the parent to be prayerful and correct issue with understanding. It will lead to spiritually growth of the children of the families and in the church.
It will help the members of prayer city Ibafo regional headquarter and encourage them that challenges is part of life and parent can be victorious through prayers and understanding to manage the situation confront children.
It help the children to know that time is a dynamic period of development and it marks a special time in God’s plan for life change.
One of the critical tasks is the nurturing and disciplining of Christian children.
It will also serve as a potent resource material for people who would do a research paper on related.
The children teachers in the Sunday school will be of help to develop the first hand of faith of the children before moving to next stage of Christianity.
The children teachers will play a role of the counselors and playfully get some information of the children form them and try to encourage the in the endeavor of life.
This research work is aiming and treating all aspect of the children ministry and it importance and effect on the children. One of the critical task of the children teacher is to enable Christian children to be outstanding and be unique and have excellent spirit. The teachers have to stretch out the children to bring the best out of them and ensure that the children have understanding of the foundational truth in scripture as they grow in the way of God.
1.6 DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This thesis will not cover the history of mountain of fire and miracles ministries prayer city Ibafo headquarter church accurately.
1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The time factor allocated for this thesis is very limited and the information will not be voluminous but will be in a form of summary.
1.8 RESEARCH PROCEDURE
The procedure used in this thesis was a case study of church using direct observations and documents, such as websites, printed materials, books and one-on- one interview with some ward and parents. The researcher used different libraries such as school library, church libraries etc.
The libraries consulted were:
LIFE theological library, Ikorodu Lagos state
University of Lagos library Akoka
Crucial information: Journal, newspaper ,articles,and talk show
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS
CHALLENGE means: test, contest, task, trial, experiment, encounter, defy, dare, competition, tournament, confront, disobey, mission, commission, assignment, happenstance, tourney and event.
RAISING means: levitation, rising, hovering, floating, flying, defiance of gravity, educating, nurturing, cultivation, promotion, fostering, development, encouragement, cherishing.
GODLY means: holy, good, devout, saintly, religious, pious, righteous, consecrated, hallowed, sanctified, blessed, divine, sacred, sincere, heartfelt, earnest, fervent, virtuous, spiritual, reverent.
CHILDREN means: broods, progenies, kids, youngsters, teen-agers, teenagers, offspring, young, descendant, litters, clutches.
