Most kids start off riding their bicycle with the help of training wheels.
As they continue to grow and gain experience, they take the training wheels off and begin riding the bike all on their own.
Now one thing to note. The training wheels are not meant to stay on. They are there to guide the child until he or she is ready to ride on their own. That is the natural process.
Think about this with me. Go to your local establishment that sells bicycles and take a look at the bikes that are made for older elementary kids. You won't find any training wheels on those bikes.
Why?
Because kids reach a certain age where they don't need the training wheels any more. It would be awkward to see a 5th grader riding a bike with training wheels.
The same thing is true spiritually. Our goal as parents and church leaders should be to help kids grow in their faith to the point where they develop their own, personal walk with Jesus. Does this mean you shouldn't read the Bible with them or pray with them when they reach a certain age? I'm not saying that. But what I am saying is this.
There must come a time when a child's primary spiritual growth is coming from his or her own personal walk with Jesus.
As a parent or church leader, that should be your goal. To help kids get to the point where they can take off their "spiritual training wheels" and ride on their own.
If you'd like to pre-order a copy (ebook or hard copy), you can do so at this link.
How many kids will you help take off their spiritual training wheels this year?