Kent E. Heaton Sr.

"One percent of the child's time is spent under the influence of the Sunday school; 7 percent under the influence of the public school; 92 percent under the influence of the home." (Albert S. Taylor)

Consider the amount of time a child watches television and weigh the influence - in the home - in front of the television. The results are staggering no doubt. The kind of adults our children will be is greatly determined by the amount of influence they have in their growing years. The church cannot bring children to Christ with only four hours (or less in many cases) a week no more than someone going to medical school four hours a week will make them a doctor. By the time they receive their degree in medicine, everything they have learned will be outdated.

The time spent in Bible class is very important! Yet too many parents believe that time spent in Bible class is all that is needed. We moan that we are losing our young people. People say, "But I brought him to church all his life and now he wants nothing to do with the Lord." Can it be that the only time the child saw the Lord in his life was in church? The influence of teaching children about God is not accomplished fully in church Bible classes. If a parent is not taking time and opportunity to share the gospel with their children daily, then why question the disposition of the grown child who cares nothing for God?

Parents must instill in their children every day the values established by God's word. Values of influence are established by the kind of movies we watch, shows we turn on, books we read and magazines we subscribe too.

Parents show their children God by their words and deeds of kindness. Children learn about the gospel when parents emphasize spiritual matters in their lives. The influence of God mothers and fathers is found when children are taught to dress modestly. Mothers and fathers are the influence that is first seen by the children and forms the basis of their own lives.