July 20, 2017
How to Teach Children to Pray
QUESTION: What are some suggestions for how to teach children to pray?
ANSWER:
God has specific purposes in how to teach children to pray. When a child is asked how to solve the world’s problems, their answer is succinct and short. A child’s worldview is how God intended man to live in harmony with each other. So too, is a child’s view to prayer.
“Therefore, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 18:4).
If you ever get sick with an incurable disease and medical processes have failed, ask a child to pray for your healing. People who know how to teach a child to pray, empowers that child for life to pray without doubting. Children pray with an honest and simple belief that holds no biases. I’ve seen many miracles come about through a child’s prayer. Children pray with simplicity and faith. Adults learn to doubt, causing disbelief and unanswered prayers.
- Be sure the children know that the purpose of prayer is to talk to God.
- Talk through and discuss the Lord’s Pray (Matthew 6:9-13), not as a rote ritual to repeat, but as an example of what to include in a prayer. The Lord’s Prayer teaches us to address God with respect, request our daily needs to Him, ask for forgiveness, know that God protects us from evil, and to close our petitions with honor, respect, thankfulness, and praise.
- Encourage children to start with simple sentence prayers like, “I thank God for…” or “I pray for…” More complex prayers will come.
- Pray in front of your children, so they can learn by your example. Pray together as a family.