As parents, we have many goals for our kids. We want them to learn courtesy and respect. We want them to interact well with others. We want them to be successful in life. We want to give them the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate life’s twists and turns. We want them to be great parents as well.

But above all of these is one crucial goal.

We must parent our kids in a way that prepares them for eternity. We must give them a foundation of faith for them to build their lives on.

If we give them the tools they need to be successful in life, in their families, in their work, in everything else, but fail to help them make spiritual decisions, then we’ve failed. What good is the world if they lose their souls?

Dads, there are a couple of things you can do to help them in this most important area.

First of all, pray. Pray for your kids. And pray with your kids. I list out items I want to pray for in my journal, and my kids take up a large part of that list.

I pray that they may know Christ and know him more fully. Three of my kids have already made significant spiritual decisions.

I pray that they can be a witness and an influence in their friends’ lives. Just the other day, my oldest daughter gave up a fun outing because she’d committed to helping out at church for the day. Her friend, who invited her out, ended up coming to the church and helping out there as well. My daughter’s ability to keep her promise influenced her friend.

I pray that they are safe, both physically and spiritually. When my son started complaining of a pain in his ear the other day, one of his first thoughts was to pray with me about it.

The second thing you can do is talk about spiritual things with them.

Read the Bible, or Bible-based stories together.

Lead your kids in family devotions.

Talk about what you learned at church around the table afterwards while you eat lunch.

Encourage them to ask spiritual questions. It’s ok if you don’t know the answers. You can seek them out together.

Dads, the spiritual well-being of your kids is one of the most important aspects of your life. You are the spiritual leader of your house. Take charge and encourage them to grow in their faith!

Your kids will thank you for it, for eternity. And who knows how far the impact will travel from your input into this are of their lives?

Just like throwing a rock into a pond, leaving ripples that spread out across the water, your spiritual impact in the lives of your children will leave ripples that will stretch and touch countless lives. So don’t be afraid to address spiritual things with your kids.

Be deliberate, Dad!

How do you lead your kids spiritually? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.