RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

I've recently had parents in our ministry ask how they should talk to their children about gay marriage.  With the recent supreme court decision, it's been all over the news.  Unless they are hiding out in a cave, most families will see the news coverage and headlines.

When this pops up on the news, kids will begin to ask questions, especially if they are pre-teens.  Here is what I have been sharing with parents.

• As we are discipling our children, we must apply the Scriptures to all of life.
• If we don't teach our children a Biblical world view of sexual ethics, the culture will fill in our silence with answers of its own.
• The big question is "how do we teach about the controversy, without exposing children to more than they can handle or aren't developmentally ready to process?"
• There is no need to inform small children in detail in order to get across that the Bible teaches marriage is for a man and woman.
• Parents can explain to their children what the Bible teaches about marriage being for a husband and wife.  One way they teach money handlers to identify counterfeit bills is by allowing them to constantly handle real ones.  After being exposed to only the real deal for so long in training, the counterfeits are easily recognized.  If we constantly expose children to the truth, the lies about what marriage is won't stick.
• We can tell children that some people don't follow God's Word and disagree about what marriage is.  They have relationships they want to be seen as marriages that go against what God's Word says.
• We must speak the truth in love about what the Bible teaches.
• We may not agree with what these people are doing, but we are to pray for them and show them God's love.

One other important note.  We don't address this issue with the kids at church.  We believe this is the parent's responsibility.  Our job is to equip parents so they can have this conversation with their child at home.

Your turn.  The floor is yours.  How do you think parents should talk with their children about gay marriage?  Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.